Topic: Three baltis

[JerryM]

chewytikka,

spot on report - captures it all perfectly. it's that trio of gm, methi and tandoori that makes the dish - i felt they seemed to sort of balance each other and the trick was to stop the tandoori overpowering.

the LH dish as you say is very close to Adil and same for your's.

the top dish had that BIR - i suppose Indian influence in the taste - i call hot fried (not balti).

i'm using the 100 Balti Rolls Royce base which seems pretty good. i'm now working on combining it with the Lynette Baxter and Birmingham Balti books to try and take the best bits from all 3 books. then i feel ready to start moving onto a few more dishes.

as MushroomMike captured from his visit - BIR can be better but for a decent quick no fuss supper with a really big naan makes for a real treat - our naan on the visit was called table naan and was exactly that in that it covered the table.

ps 1 further thought - having got to know the dish much better the ajwain did not come through in the gm enough and need to up the amount.

best wishes,

[Invisible Mike]

Was it a Balti or a Karahi?, who knows the answer. ;D ;D

The impression I got when I went to Adil's was that a karahi is a slow-cooked, on-the-bone curry whereas a balti is your standard quick curry with pre-cooked meat. Have I got that right or am I wrong?? 

[Peripatetic Phil]

The impression I got when I went to Adil's was that a karahi is a slow-cooked, on-the-bone curry whereas a balti is your standard quick curry with pre-cooked meat. Have I got that right or am I wrong?? 

I have never eaten an authentic Balti dish, so cannot comment, but certainly in my experience a Karahi dish is slow-cooked, though I don't think it is /essential/ that it is also on the bone.

** Phil.

[Kashmiri Bob]

As of today, back on the balti trail.








Adil balti chicken and pilau rice





Ordered mild (no chilli powder, etc.).  This dish is crammed with chicken stock.  No doubt about it.  Jerry's recipe is very close, imo.  But the base needs nailing.  Going to visit once a week; at some point I'll be looking for a nosey in the kitchen, and a sample of the base. Fingers crossed. All good fun. 

Rob 

[Gav Iscon]

About time, can't wait Rob. I still live with the memory of going to Mr Dave's balti house in Worcester just after it opened and we all thought it was great, one of my memorable curries in fact. Went back a year later and what a major disappointment. 

[Onions]

BB, see they use plastic containers for the food and metal for the rice- is that new? Think you said (at the beginning of the thread, apologies if it wasn't you!) you preferred metal, wasn't it?*



*On edit: Yes, it was Sept last year lol http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?action=post;quote=99180;topic=12276.10;last_msg=107346
Still of the same mind? It's an interesting theory about the conatiner affecting the taste.

[JerryM]

Bengali Bob,

Would be really interesting for you to get a taste of the base. Just getting the ballpark feel is crucial to moving forward.

Recently got taste of base at my local restaurant and the type of base took me really by surprise. Hence fingers crossed for u.

Ps did start working on a base but it's hopeless. The only thing I felt was that black cardamom is needed. 

[Onions]

Ps did start working on a base but it's hopeless. The only thing I felt was that black cardamom is needed.

Wot mean you, Jerry?

[JerryM]

Double onionist

Year has ended up scattergun. 

I intended to work only on balti. Bengali bob sold me on getting the 100 balti book. This has a standard base and a rolls royce base. I've made both. I think by combining best from each I could get a base more like what I think the adil must be. 

It's pure guess work as I only know what the final adil dish tastes like. We now have a very decent copy of the plain balti dish recipe (posted earlier and well reported by chewytikka).

To get further improvement I think we need to get a proper balti base. 

The black cardamom thought came from trying out bases and trying to combine. I have used for a while in chef garam for BIR. For balti I think it's a key ingredient like Cinnamom and Asian bay for BIR.

[Onions]

Right Jerry, seen. It's a interesting point that about the detai of the base. Do we have anybody (lol sound a little bit MI5 here!!!) on the 'inside' of a Balti House, in the same way as people have got 'in to' BIRs? Know wot i mean?