Topic: Three baltis

[Kashmiri Bob]

Nice one. Great if you can input Jerry.  I'm pretty new to it, but my current thoughts are on how they are cooked, which seems to be flash fried wok style in veg oil, to provide the "lightness", and the rather unique spicing, which looks to include floral elements in some/most of the Balti triangle dishes I've tried so far.  Can add that I think the Al Frash "bhuna" took the chef 4 minutes to make, tops.  That is pretty quick for a BIR bhuna.

Rob 

Pataks all the way in the NW?

 

[mickdabass]

Hi Rob

Im on the case as well now. Just about to make a batch of Kushi Base (with reduced mace) and purchase some rose water.

Ive made some of Martinvics Balti Massala Mix this morning too

Thanks again for inspiring me to get off my rear-end and try again to produce my favourite dish

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi Rob

Im on the case as well now. Just about to make a batch of Kushi Base (with reduced mace) and purchase some rose water.

Ive made some of Martinvics Balti Massala Mix this morning too

Thanks again for inspiring me to get off my rear-end and try again to produce my favourite dish

Good luck for your endeavours Mick.  I should be able to make a batch next week.  I'm just looking through the Kushi menu.  I think I'll have to go over there again later for a TA.  Just to double-check things.    Reckon another Balti chicken is on the cards, although the Balti lamb tikka jalfrezi is sounding mighty tempting.  If Ali is there I might ask him for a small sample of his base gravy.

Rob 

[mickdabass]

Sounds good Rob i will report back later

Regards

Mick

[Kashmiri Bob]

Just noticed this in the new Kushi menu.  I am so dozy.  Had the menu for over a week and missed it. I don't think this applies to the standard balti menu, but nonetheless is quite interesting.



Rob 

[mickdabass]

Made a batch of the Kushi Base yesterday and combined it with Martinvics posted Balti Massala mix - which I used as a spice mix rather than a paste. I also added 1tsp rose water and 1 tsp lemon juice just before the final reduction. I could taste neither of these additions in the final curry. I then went back and repeated the process but this time adding 2tsp of each just prior to serving and the extra flavours came through nicely. I gave the "Minister for War" a portion and didnt tell her about the 2 extras, and she didnt pick up on them which tells me that I had probably got the balance about right (if that makes sense  )
 
Overall it was a nice Balti. I have certainly had plenty worse - with that awful Patak "Tang" overpowering everything. I didnt think to add some of the massala just prior to serving, but to be honest I doubt it would have added any fragrance to the final dish. I do feel however that Im on to something, but as Rob discovered it has all got to be down to the Massala / GM.

[JerryM]

Bengali Bob,

i'll read up on the your post this week.

it's going to take some blinkers off thinking to crack this for me.

i am pretty sure there are no special ingredients or cooking utensils or technique.

the difference that always sticks in my mind in comparing to BIR is that the finished sauce is much darker and the spicing completely different.

consequently i think the difference is down to:

1) the base - uses more whole spicing
2) mix powder - this must be more like a chef garam

i've added below the info i've collated to date. i also have some info from unclefrank which i left out so he can input too.

the only thing i've tried is hot frying black cumin and black mustard seed in the oil. the mustard seed is no no but cumin could play a part.

Lynette Baxter Book
1) essential flavours onion tomato cumin coriander
2) dried fenugreek leaves add authenticity (? add to all, ?fresh)
3) sizzle cumin & mustard seed in oil at start of dish few seconds
4) lentils, Pulses, chick peas used  in veg dishes
5) fresh Coriander special part stirred in at end
6) Crushed Garlic fried with chopped onion at start (crush needed to release full flavour chopping is quite mild)
7) garam includes mint, used in most dishes
8 ) no tomato puree most dishes
9) regular ingredients: green chillies, Ginger, green & red pepper, lemon juice
10) mix powder or garam or both

BBC - Lenny Henri Video (from Natterjak)
Sauce, methi, garlic and flour, fresh tomato, cumin, coriander

Birmingham balti co

In short comes down to the "balti masala" mix powder

Back cover) - 5 star recipes to cook at home
12) Herbs - fresh (coriander, mint, pg 94 methi). Don't use methi stalks bitter.
19) balti masala "mix powder" has extensive ingredients: whole; Coriander, cumin, fennel, black mustard, fenugreek seed, clove, bay, curry leaf, lovage seed, onion seed, cassia (no cinnamon)  methi. Ground; chilli, Ginger, cardamom, garlic, turmeric
20) Chef garam - aniseed and cardamom listed as ground not whole spice and not roasted. Ingredients: whole; coriander, cumin, cassia, mint leaf, bay. Ground; aniseed, cardamom, clove, turmeric, paprika. Would expect turmeric & paprika better in mix powder
62) cassia bark piece used at dish frying
66) black cumin seed, onion seed used whole at dish frying
67) garlic:Ginger 50:50 in dishes. Ginger not always added
96) 50:50 mix pwdr:tandoori masala in madras
 

[curryhell]

Good looking dish there Mickdabass.  Interesting thread Rob.  The whole balti thing is blowing my mind.  I think the observations, comments remarks made by Jerry just seem to highlight for me that balti BIR is as vast a subject as BIR itself and the twain shall never meet.  Personally, I've never had a "real" balti.  By that I don't mean the balti the local BIR dish up as a balti served in a karahi.  There were never any "balti" dishes on the menu until the balti dish from the midlands started making inroads into the BIR market.  Then all of a sudden, balti dishes started appearing on all BIR and TA menus.  I may sound a  bit sceptical, but i doubt whether any BIR can turn out a balti like those from the restaurants and TA's from where it originated.  It will just be another curry but slightly different from others on the menu.
Maybe one day, i'll get back to Brum and get to try a real balti.  I sure as hell am not going to get anything close down my neck of the woods, albeit served in the right dish and called a balti  .
Good luck to those on the balti quest.  I've enough to do on the BIR / TA journey, without trying to complicate it with another totally different skill / ingredient set   

[Kashmiri Bob]

Great work guys.  I'm beavering away in the kitchen today.  Will post results later.  Just ordered the Lynette Baxter book.

Point 8 posted by Jerry:

No tomato puree most dishes

Very interesting. At 04.40 in the Andy Munro vid,  tomato powder added.  Punjab Paradise here I come!

Rob 

[mickdabass]

I googled Balti Massala Spice mix and found the following:

Balti Garam Massalas