Tonight's Dinner: Balti Chicken Jaipuri

[Naga]

Now, before anyone gets excited about the Balti bit, I have to confess that I wouldn't know a proper Balti curry from, well, I don't know what. I may never have lived, but there's the truth of the matter - I haven't had a Balti curry. Ever!

But with all the hubbub, discussion, dissection and experimentation with all things Balti on the forum recently, I couldn't be human and not be intrigued with this strange beast. The description of the essential savours of the Balti curry seem to be just beyond arm's length. I've searched the internet without success and the secrets of the Balti seem to be more closely guarded that those of the Craft!

Anyway, I decided that I would just have to batter on in blind ignorance - as long it didn't turn out to be bland ignorance!

I settled on making a dish I was comfortable with - and more importantly, one which I knew my good lady would approve of! So my starting point was Panpot's Ashoka Jaipuri recipe - probably not the best choice as it is a bit less BIR then normal, but using no mix powder in its creation, I thought that I would be able to note any major changes in the taste of the final dish.

I added a half tsp of Kashmiri chilli along with the tomato paste to create a little heat, and I substituted the Patak's Tandoori paste with 2 tbsp of Cook4One's Balti Paste. I also added a half tsp of chaat masala towards the very end of cooking time just to pep things up.

So what was it like? Well, although the Balti Paste didn't have a strong taste on its own, the final dish didn't taste like the usual Ashoka version. Although it retained the same consistency, it tasted lighter, more floral and sweet, and, with every mouthful, there were different, pleasing levels of flavour on the palate.





OK, it just looks like an Ashoka Jaipuri, but it tasted different - and maybe a bit better - to my tastes anyway. My good lady wife certainly enjoyed it and cleaned her plate, so based on that authority, at least I know for certain it was edible.

Was it a Balti? Who knows - certainly not me!

[curryhell]

Any chance of dropping a portion round to mine Keith so i can try it  ;D  I suppose not.  I could really give that a good seeing to right now mate.  It looks full of flavour    Like you, I have little to no experience of the "real" balti that is so easily available to those close to the area which produces the real thing.  My only experience is having a chiken balti phall from the Lal Akash in Cheam.  I suspect your average BIR balti down my neck of the woods is nothing more than an addition of balti paste and a  reduction to bhuna style thickish sauce.  I really must go and try the real thing so i can appreciate the ravings and understand what has been the motivator behind yet another quest.
Whilst I have been to the Ashoka in Glasgow, have read and enjoyed Panpot's very informative posts, I have never attempted any of the dishes, not even the bunjara.  I really must get round to this.  But there are so many dishes to try and then there's the reporting back.  I've still got my samosa right up to do yet  :  I'll make a determined effort to start that tomorrow 
Right now, i'm still salivating over the porn you posted  ;D  Nice one mate 

[976bar]

"Panpot's Ashoka Jaipuri recipe - probably not the best choice as it is a bit less BIR then normal, but using no mix powder in its creation,"

Hi Naga,

To be honest, I wonder why peeps on this site keep worrying about whether they create a, "Perfect BIR" dish, from what some critics would say, if it's not on their BIR Takeaway/Restaurant menu, then it doesn't exist...

In my opinion, if you are creating good Indian food, albeit BIR or fantastic traditional Indian cuisine, then you are clearly doing a great job and the proof is in the eating.

When you see that pan empty it means that peeps have enjoyed your food, in my case when front of house staff come into the kitchen and shout they have half a tray of curry left and I have sent out all I have made, then not only do I have to panic that I need to produce more in a hurry, but I am also pleased that it has gone so well, albeit being bulk cooking, but similarly when cooking at home...

Don't worry whether it is a perfect BIR, worry about what it tastes like and whether peeps are going to enjoy it..

[curryhell]

Don't worry whether it is a perfect BIR, worry about what it tastes like and whether peeps are going to enjoy it..

Here here, nor whether it tastes likes stuff from the 70's or 80's, the likes of which we will probably never taste again unless a minor miracle happens :

[Stephen Lindsay]

Couldn't agree more - there's so much variation between regions and even single BIRs. I often wonder how some curries get their names and think that there must be huge poetic licence a lot of the times. Put simply, the proof is in the eating and your students are scoffing the lot like crazy. No wonder, they are spoilt!

[Naga]

I wouldn't want anyone to get hold of the wrong end of the stick here. I chose the Jaipuri simply because I make the dish regularly and know how it should taste.

The point I was trying to make - unsuccessfully, it seems - was that I had never had a Balti curry before and I was trying to discover though experimentation what one might taste like in comparison to one of my standards.

I'm still in the dark, of course. Even although there was a definite and flavoursome change in the taste of the Jaipuri, I still don't know what a proper Balti is because I've never had one.

I don't think I've ever suggested that I was trying to recreate the curries of yesteryear. Its an exercise in futility as far as I'm concerned - I can barely remember what I ate last week, never mind 40 years ago!