Topic: Three baltis

[littlechilie]

Hi JerryM,

Some sort of gravy browning ? Could  Demi Glace be a possibility? It's always used in commercial stocks.

Regards.

[joandcruz]

Interesting vid, SS. Looks like the chef was putting in the core components of a mix powder without mixing them first. And he added them after the precooked meat which seemed unusual - to me, anyway. I suppose the high heat generated by the commercial burner would have cooked them out, but its sort of back to front for BIR style.

[JerryM]

Littlechilli,

Many thanks - I don't know Demi glaze but will read up.

I'm on Rev3. No1 issue is how to get the copy cat base as dark as the real thing. Stuck for ideas.

The fresh methi is absolutely brill - had come close to buying in past but always questioned use in BIR given the dry stuff. The fresh is defo in.

Asked at local shop how to get meat taste without meat - came away with east end soya chunks - a bit like pork scratchings. Shame I don't know any dog owners. I now think the missing taste is brand or combo.

Still might just get those rose leaves

As for cooking method im currently on the Lenny Henry (fellow mucker) method having used the adil video method ie oil before starting on this base. Have well impressed my boss by returning with balti in 3 min cooking time (7 being BIR norm).

Of slight interest cooked 1 off CT red CTM using the base and customer loved it same as usual - the existence of what I know as "threshold" - if it (base) passes muster it will do.

[JerryM]

Rev3 base was used as crock pot using adil chicken balti recipe. 4 portions woofed down. The base was well balanced with the tamarind sitting just nicely.

Rev4 base is made. Popular demand.

The darkening is now sorted and no longer an issue. Cooking just the onion for 6 hrs then mashing fully then cooking spice 1 hr.

Have added in some tom pur?e to get closer to the red colour - felt it worked well and adopted.

Have added in touch of bought gm (jalpur) thinking I don't have enough base spicing. Interesting to see what effect it has on the base taste in the morning.

THAT single taste that I don't know of is now the only issue. I feel I will have to break off back onto the spice tasting trials for inspiration. Its defo not a meat flavour. By switching to the BBQ tandoori masala ive got closer. Still need to try rose petal.

Gut feeling now is that it's done in the spicing via a combination.

The plain par boiled stripped chicken is going down a treat.

Turmeric is big no no and I think heavy in the TRS brand tandoori masala which is the only spoiling.

Perhaps need a Bengali bob trip up north.

[Unclefrank]

Soya chunks will not give you any meat flavour at all, they are tasteless.
I tried to use these Devils Pellets to make a curry, after soaking overnight, what a complete waste of time the texture of these things is revolting, mushy and just plain horrible.

One local T/A near me has said that you need a good Balti Garam Masala powder mix to add near to the end of cooking then mix in and serve, whether this is true or not i have no idea, i don't add it to my Balti's just to a Karahi which lifts the dish, i used to use ground whole coriander seeds dry roasted and added to a Karahi recipe towards the end of cooking.

One thing that might help in making Baltis is to use a slice of fresh lemon added to the dish when adding the 2nd ladle of base, because of the oil in the dish it seems to caramelize the lemon, giving it a quite sourish and sweet flavour but not too overpowering.
Now this might be a regional thing to me but this is what the flavour of Baltis taste like from my local T/A's and restaurants.

[JerryM]

Unclefrank,

Appreciate thoughts.

Yes for sure soya rubbish.

The gm as you say is critical and I have started to play around with the copycat of the adil sample we got last year. Feel touch less cumin and more ajwain and perhaps fennel or aniseed. I am adding to both base and dish but early on.

I use lemon in BIR (per axe) base. It will be next tier. This taste i don't recognise needs cracking 1st before anything else. I feel I need to get some packets of spice ive not tried before.

Rev4 base - all eaten and best yet. Cooked dish crockpot.

Going fwd taking the pur?e out of the dish ingredients as I think its needed and best in the base. Depends how it's cooked ie with or without oil / spice fry.

Jalpur did nothing.

Going to keep tweaking the rev4 to get the balance 100%. Need to crack this single flavour though. Trouble i can't really think of many/any spice I can relate it too.

[JerryM]

Rev 5 all eaten cooked crock pot.

A new colander to mash the base turned out rubbish and still on the search. The mesh dia must need to be much greater than say 5 mm.

Never really thought about how blending lightens cooked onion base. If you heat it again the darkness comes back. The colour part is now sorted having had encouragement from rsholme123. Last time i cooked the onion base 6 hrs without any real difference. This time left it un disturbed  ie no stirring. This works and is adopted.

So say the colour and texture is now essentially cracked.

Onto spice. I looked through lists of spice and I know all that are listed in my balti books. I also feel I know all the common ones too. In browsing my local store I picked up poppy seed and split yellow mustard. Both seemed to sit well. Am pretty sure 1 is part of the taste I'm searching. I need to increase the amounts next to understand what they do better.

Finally the amount of onion per portion has been bugging 200g say c/w say 130g BIR. Could wrong and might account for the vast amount of oil (which I've not used). In short tried split red lentil. Certainly thickens the base. Its a new ingredient for me so treading gently. It could be an ingredient.

Still a good way off the McCoy base yet the final dish is very close which makes you think how exact you need to be.

Lost the sweetness this time in the base perhaps the mustard seed.

Family now big balti fans. Need to get them off rice though.

[JerryM]

on Rev6 took out the chef masala (gm) in the base.

this sorted the cumin overpower.

trouble was the base ended up lacking flavour which carried forward into the crockpot curry. spice was 0.5% c/w 0.6% (based on chopped onion volume) on the rev5 so quite close margins.

going to up the spice as is on the next go and hoping this fixes the taste of the base. if not im looking for an additional ingredient.

these being ingredients so far in descending order of weight:
onion
water thinning
oil
split red lentil
tomato puree
v.ghee
salt
garlic
tandoori masala
f.methi
tamarind
black cardamom
chilli (kashmiri)
bay european
star anis
poppy seed
black pepper (grd)
paprika

still some way to go but happy im in ballpark of taste which a few weeks ago felt was beyond me.

ive not chucked put the split yellow mustard seeds but the packet is near the door.

[JerryM]

Rev 7 made and eaten crockpot.

Focus now on getting the cooking right (cardamon husk, split lentil, whole spice)

Bengali bob has put me onto an ingredient known to the site which I'd never used and whilst sounding wacky might just be the least piece. Will need to get to know it a bit more. Don't want to cause unnecessary laughing.

I also feel the crockpot whilst I will still keep for tea just won't cut it for street food. In short need to try the base out for real on single portion cooking.

I feel im at say 8 against 10 for adil when its on form.

Need a sanity check from bob if we can get him north over the summer.

[bighairybloke]

Hi Jerry, BB etal,

I am keen on having a pop at a few baltis, what are you guys using as your Balti spice mixes currently?  Also, how much of each per meal?

My own experience of BIR and Balti House Balti is similar to that of any other recipie in BIR cooking - varied! One resto has a wildly different interpretation of what Balti should taste like to the next it appears.  But i do agree aniseed and a freshly ground spices hit near to the end of the cooking fits the bill.

Thanks for the help,

Steve