Three baltis

[chewytikka]

Hi Rob
This Balti Business,
Reading back, your first two examples, look like good BIR Madras's both in texture, colour and oil levels.
The third looks more of a Bhuna, could you tell if any of them used fresh chicken?

The other question, How does your Chef friend cook a Balti

I've just watched the Andy Munroe vid again. cooking a Balti with fresh chicken in 7mins.
Right next to a good pot of Garabi. mmmmm

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/video/2010/mar/30/birmingham-balti-triangle

cheers Chewy

[Kashmiri Bob]

I'm a gnat's fart away from nailing the Adil balti. It's that close.

Rob 

E-book, out soon.

[mickdabass]

ok Im sold. Where do I sign for the ebook??

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi Rob
This Balti Business,
Reading back, your first two examples, look like good BIR Madras's both in texture, colour and oil levels.
The third looks more of a Bhuna, could you tell if any of them used fresh chicken?

The other question, How does your Chef friend cook a Balti

I've just watched the Andy Munroe vid again. cooking a Balti with fresh chicken in 7mins.
Right next to a good pot of Garabi. mmmmm

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/video/2010/mar/30/birmingham-balti-triangle

cheers Chewy

The Kushi uses pre-cooked chicken Chewy.  Very tasty.  There's a recipe in Authentic Balti Curry.  I felt the other two used fresh.  Really tasty, very soft. To be honest I've never made a BIR curry myself with fresh, so I can't be sure.  Must have a go. They weren't obviously pre-cooked though and didn't have a rotisserie type texture/taste either.

I've seen several Bangla chefs make a balti.  Typically, it's a straightforward pan cooked curry, with a couple of chunks of green pepper and tomato quarters.  Patak's balti paste is a key ingredient.  Anywhere between 1 tsp - 1 tbsp.  One of the chefs adds a pinch of coriander powder early on.  They seem very proud of their balti and aren't aware of any other ways of doing it.  How is it done where you are?

Enjoyed the vid. Not seen it before. Thanks.  Managed to get one of the thin pressed steel balti dishes yesterday.  Took a bit of finding.  They didn't have any at Uncles (the shop featured in the vid).  Seems to be lots of flames involved when cooking a Birmingham balti.  Hope I don't set fire to my arm!

Mixed fortunes with last night's TA balti(s).

Rob 

I 'll keep you posted Mick. My book will take a little longer than anticipated.  It's going to be that good I've decided to go hard-copy, leather bound.  A proper book, to cherish. 

[mickdabass]

can you do your ebook with splash proof pages as well? hehehe

[goncalo]

I watched last night's the video from adey's chef cooking a balti... he adds a lump of balti paste, somewhere around 1.5-2 TBSPs of balti paste. I wonder if their customers notice the signature flavour that balti pastes have at those volumes?

[Kashmiri Bob]

I watched last night's the video from adey's chef cooking a balti... he adds a lump of balti paste, somewhere around 1.5-2 TBSPs of balti paste. I wonder if their customers notice the signature flavour that balti pastes have at those volumes?

I queried that one with Mick. 3 tbsp.  Is that not about a 1/3 of a jar?

Rob 

[goncalo]

I would imagine so, based on what I saw in the video... although these guys certainly use the big tubs of the stuff.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Couple of pics of the TA I got yesterday from the Adil and re-heated this evening.


Green chillies bhaji





Sure I got six last time? Anyway, the Adil use plastic TA containers for their mains. A nice touch here with the starter in foil.  These wouldn't travel well in plastic.  Very nice again with the mint dip.  The only thing I've found is that if you do let this shingara-type batter/pastry go cold, the only real option is micro re-heating; they go rock hard in an oven very quickly. 


Balti chilli garlic chicken





Stone cold out of the fridge ready for re-heating.  This was easily vindaloo hot.  I think the chef had balanced things nicely by adding extra GM.  Slightly disappointed there were not chicken strips, as with the standard balti, but the dish was still top notch. Only real dampener was that I had ordered another balti, and somehow ended up with two chilli garlic chickens.  I phoned the restaurant and they were very apologetic.  To be fair these things can happen now-and-then in a busy kitchen.  Two mighty fine TAs anyway.   


The main ring on my busted hop is still working.  So I chanced a quick re-heat using the pressed steel balti pan I bought.





The heat transfer is indeed incredibly fast.  Looking good. I reckon I could have bhuna'ed this dish in next to no time.  Nice to find that whilst the wall of the pan is so thin, the handles didn't heat up as much as I thought they would.


Served with:


Ginger naan. Pic taken before re-heat in the oven.





Delicious!


Rob 

That's definitely it. No more TA baltis for a while.

[JerryM]

Bengali Bob,

nearly missed this post. been planning to work on Balti myself (over the winter).

will have read through this post and add if i can. i currently feel i'm a longway short.

just bought the Birmingham Balti Company book which i need to try out.

ps it's probably the only thing i miss living now in the North West