Topic: Three baltis

[Gav Iscon]

Birmingham ran/run a schools project to put Balti cooking on the curriculum.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/26741297

Ingredients here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2394335/Balti-Triangle-Birmingham-puts-curry-curriculum-children-ready-real-jobs.html

Also when the curry guy asked Andy Munro, Birminghams Balti man, for a recipe he sent one with  similar ingrediants to the one above for a single portion balti (again from the Shabab) but the curry guy goes on to say.

The slow cooked base curry sauce that would normally be used in restaurants was omitted from the following chicken balti recipe to make it easier for the home cook to try at home. That said, if you would like to have a go at making an authentic curry house style base sauce, you could try my recipe. My site features many recipes that call for the base curry house style sauce.

If you were to use it in this recipe, simply leave out the fried onion and tomato and used about 250ml of the base sauce instead.... Dan Toombs

http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2014/02/17/quick-and-easy-chicken-balti-for-one/

As for the video you posted (which I watched today) I just think they missed the base bit out.

If you look in the comments I believe Alchemist (Paul Clay) has tried it and said it wasn't very good.

[Naga]

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]

this is a "high heat" that i don't agree on. from what ive tried i would only cook balti on Domestic heat (i use my 1kw lowest gas hob).

the spicing is gm based (not mix powder) and high heat destroys this taste. another key difference is no tom puree.

the balti dish is part of the final taste. i feel the dishes are heated (in an oven, i use 3kw gas hob) and the cooked balti poured in for serving (this produces just enough smoke).

the base is the only thing i need to taste.

[chewytikka]

Interesting Reading for Balti Fans
The Balti: world trademark bid.

This is a copy of the official 'form' details of the

[Naga]

Very interesting, Chewy! You do come up with some fascinating curry knowledge!

Haven't read this piece before, and didn't realise that Birmingham Balti had 'rules'. This text goes a little way to explaining how the Balti is put together and sets the various Balti videos in context. I always thought that the video demos, being so apparently simple in construction, were just for camera and the 'real' method and ingredients were reserved from prying eyes.

Plenty room for experimentation, mind you, but this info adds significantly to my knowledge base, at least.

Thanks for posting it up!

[Secret Santa]

However the Birmingham Balti has a number of specific characteristics which, when combined, represent this unique dish:
-  It is fast cooked
-  It is both cooked and served in a thin pressed steel pan called the

[Peripatetic Phil]

They've got a bloody cheek trying to 'patent' it.  :

They're not trying to patent it (with or without scare quotes), they are applying for a traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG) registration and I for one applaud them for so doing.  TSG registrations benefit the consumer as well as the producer (think Brie de Meaux, Champagne, Harris Tweed) and if I could wander into a Balti House anywhere in the land and know that if they offered a Birmingham Balti on the menu then I would be guaranteed a genuine exemplar thereof, I would be a very happy man indeed.  At the moment, and outside of the Balti Triangle, I suspect that 85%+ of all balties offered eschew most of the requirements of the TSG, and those who are stupid enough to order them get conned/ripped off as a result.  My two pice.

** Phil.

[Curryking32000]

Has anyone seen this?  Sorry if it's already been posted.

http://youtu.be/qJ4WuRUD3ow

Aiming to go to Birmingham this year to visit the balti triangle to try my first Birmingham Balti to celebrate my 50th birthday in December.  I hope the balti did originate in Birmingham but like Tikka Masala, if there's money to be made out of it, there are always going to be lots of claims of authenticity.  Tikka masala foreinstance is everywhere in India and has been for many years, whether it has gone full circle, who knows.  I have also seen Balti in India although it is rare.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Hmmm.  I sincerely hope that Charlotte's tutor at Birmingham has helped her with her narration technique since she made that particular recording ...

[chewytikka]

Bengali Bob and all Brum Balti fans