Topic: Happy New Year! And a question...

[Naga]

Happy New Year to one and all! May 2015 bring you your perfect curry!

I ordered a Lamb Balti for Hogmanay from a local T/A which I haven't used for a good 20 years and it turned out to be a belter! Well, at least it was much better than some of the dross I've been buying recently.

Anyway, secreted away in this curry were a handful of these wee veggies...





I don't know what it is, but I'm sure I've seen it mentioned on the forum before. I just can't find the topic. It tastes pickled and tangy.

Can anyone ID these pea-sized veggies?

[Garp]

Happy New Year, all.

Could they be capers, Naga?

[Naga]

I honestly have no idea what they are, Garp. Its hard to know if they are naturally tangy or if they are pickled.

They aren't wrinkled like normal capers and they look and feel more like turgid fruit berries than anything else. I've had them in curries before, maybe even baltis from different T/As. I don't know enough to say either way.

I'm sure I've seen comment on the forum about them previously, but I can't think where or when, and I can't find any images or info on the web. Someone will know, I'm sure.

[Naga]

When I was thinking about this at first, the word 'aubergine' kept popping into my head. I was looking through an Asian groceries site for this veg and came across the pea aubergine.

The web photos look very like my curry veggies, the only fly in the ointment being that they seem to be used mainly in Thai cookery!

[subj]

Hi Naga
They're Karamdas,usually found in  Indian Mixed Pickle.Check the ingredients here -

http://www.pataks.co.uk/products/mixed-pickle.aspx   Hope this helps.

[Naga]

Nice one, subj! That explains the pickle and tangy taste perfectly!

"Two of the most popular fruits used in Indian pickles are Mangoes and Limes - and our Mixed Pickle gives you the best of both worlds. A combination of these juicy fruits with the rather more exotic Karamda (a sour, green Asian fruit) with authentic spices. Tastes fab with your favourite curry or as a delectable addition to an everyday salad or sandwich"

On a slightly different tack, has anyone else had these in a 'balti' curry?

I ask only because I havent tasted a 'real' balti and wonder if this a is just a regional Central Belt of Scotland thing or if karamdas and pickle are common to baltis throughout the UK.

PS. This is just another example of the real strengths of the forum. There's always someone with that extra piece of knowledge or experience that adds something else to the BIR curry jigsaw.

[chewytikka]

Happy New Year Naga
Balti anything goes, No such thing as a REAL balti.
Any Indian Karahi dish, can  be tagged a Balti.

That

[Naga]

Thanks for the info and the link, Chewy. Appreciated!

Happy New Year to you - looking forward to many more midnight snacks in 2015 lol!

[Ghoulie]

I understood Baltis originated in Birmingham?

[fried]

Look like olives to me Happy new year