Topic: Hi all - help!

[Robalti]

Hopefully a simple one this: went out to a local Indian yesterday, was about to go for my usual Bhuna  and tried something new for a change - it was great.  It then occurred to me that I didn't really know what all the "British classics" are all about anyway, so my question is, is there anywhere which sets out whatever consensus there is as to what constitutes a "tikka masala", a rogan josh, a bhuna, a balti et al?  I honestly couldn't tell you what makes those dishes what they are off the top of my head and I'd really like to know more...

Thanks!


Rob

[fried]

A trouble maker, eh ;D

[macferret]

Good luck with your question Rob. Might as well ask a bunch of Italians whose mother makes the best spag bol
Cheers,
Tim

[Robalti]

I'm chuckling away here guys but is there really no consensus of any kind?  God knows what I'm getting when I order a "bhuna" then - could be a rogan!

[livo]

Grasshopper, you must snatch the pebble from my palm.  Oh dear. I think you've got your answer already.   I wanted to know that too.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Grasshopper, you must snatch the pebble from my palm.

"Your tread must be light and sure, as though your path were upon rice paper. It is said, a Shaolin priest can walk through walls.  Looked for...he can not be seen.  Listened for ... he can not be heard.  Touched ... he can not be felt.  This rice paper is the test.  Fragile as the wings of the dragonfly, clinging as the cocoon of the silk worm. When you can walk its length and leave no trace, you will have learned."

[mickdabass]

depends how sweaty your feet are too lol

[Peripatetic Phil]

is there anywhere which sets out whatever consensus there is as to what constitutes a "tikka masala", a rogan josh, a bhuna, a balti et al?

I'm sure there is, and Wikipaedia would be my first thought (I haven't tried it), but from my perspective (let's see if there is consensus) :

A (chicken) tikka masala is the BIR take on the classic chicken makhani, comprising pieces of chicken tikka in a mildly spiced creamy tomatoey buttery sauce, often with ground almond or similar being added.

A rogan josh is a classic dish adopted to BIR taste; normally made with lamb, goat or mutton rather than chicken, it comprises meat in a red (from the Kashmiri chillies used) medium-hot sauce containing a little yoghurt; the modern BIR version tends to add onion and tomato.

A bhuna is again a classic dish which uses little or no base, the whole essence of the dish being that the meat, onion, etc., juices provided the necessary moisture; it is a mild dish (but not as mild as a korma) in which the meat, onions, tomato and spices are gently cooked in oil until nearly ready, then "bhooned" (cooked at an elevated temperature) to accentuate the flavours and bring the dish to its final state.

A Balti I have never eaten; it is, in theory, cooked and served in a balti dish, but in practice it is often cooked in a conventional pan and then decanted into a hot balti dish for serving.

** Phil.

[Robalti]

Thanks Phil - I also found this:

http://www.curryhouse.co.uk/glossary/curries.html

and it's pretty much in accord with what you've said.  It'll be interesting to see if there's a consensus on the board...  Think all I was after was "creamy tomatoey", "red chilli medium-hot"  and "quite dry" for the first 3; balti, like karahi/korai seems like calling a dish "frying pan" so it's anyone's guess what's in it!  I kind of got the idea that it was typified by spices added late on it cooking to create aromatics but for all I know that could apply to them all!

[macferret]

That was pretty good Phil!
I have always been a bit baffled by Balti, as I have often compared "balti" and "not balti" dishes at the same table when eating with a group, and I swear that in a blind tasting there'd be no difference. There are however quite a few recipes around for balti gravies and they tend to have more diary products and possibly tomato than you might find in a more traditional BIR Bangladeshi gravy, which indicates more of a Pakistani origin. So it's possible that the whole Balti thing represents an increasing influence of Punjabi cooking on BIR, starting in the Birmingham area and radiating across the UK. (And it is probably fair to say that the further it radiated the more it became just a normal curry served in a different dish and listed under the BALTI section of the menu.)  A lot of speculation there I admit - maybe someone who has studied Balti cooking could give a better view.
Cheers,
Tim