Topic: Video demonstrating cooking of Balti in Birmingham

[Malc.]

Jerry it might be that you have too much heat in the pan. 2 mins cooking might be all the difference you need. It will certainly make alot of difference to the onion.

[JerryM]

Axe,

i think the heat is right (gut feeling what my local TA use). what it would mean though is that the base is not as thin as it should be. going to be quite interesting as i intend to try out a few of the ideas when i next have base - salted, splash of water to coat, leave to sit, my std cut & use.

gut feeling is that my local TA generally cook in 5 mins. the majority of maliks dishes using onion are cooked in 3 to 4 mins with only a few at 6 mins and these appear to be when they've forgotten about them.

[JerryM]

Axe,

just a thought.

just been watching Dipuraja's biryani video. in this he heats the oil and adds fresh onion - no flame. exactly what i would find happen if i did same. the flaming must perhaps be down to a balti difference perhaps.

[Malc.]

Looking at the video in this topic I notice a couple of things. The pan is sittign pre-heating on a low flame. Prior to the onion going in there is no smoke from any oil. The onion is added and a lot of oil smoke is seen. Does this suggest the onions are soaked in oil to start or is that they just react with the very hot pan and oil in it before hand.

The one thing you do understand, is that the pan is very hot and holding alot of residual heat. Once he places the bowl of onion back and returns to the Balti dish, he stirs the onion in the oil and the flame is turned up full. The dish does not flame until this point. This is due to the oil vapour being ignited by the flames licking over the side of the pan.

You also notice that in the reporters attempt the flame is left low all the way through. This is important to note as the dish only flares when he adds the tomato and he tilts the pan away to stop being splashed by the spiting fat, which then flares in contact with the flame.

[JerryM]

Axe,

what i've experienced is that the oil on it's own is very difficult to set fire too - even when it's really smoking. put a little water in the pan and whoosh the flames are instant.

if u put fresh cut onion in - it won't flame. let some salt do it's work or refresh them in water and u get this flaming everytime u add to the pan - even at much lower oil temp.

it may well be that this is a "nothing" on the BIR trail. i'm going to give it a little bit more of a try when i have base just to make sure though. if most BIR don't do anything to their chopped onion then it must be just a balti thing - maybe gives the onion a tad more of a fried taste.

[Razor]

Hi SS

We need someone like Andy Munro on this forum as we are sadly lacking in Balti expertise.

I have sent Andy an email, asking if he would care to join the forum.  He has his own website  http://www.balti-birmingham.co.uk/home

I will let you all know on his response (if I get one)

Ray

[Secret Santa]

I have sent Andy an email, asking if he would care to join the forum.

Good stuff Ray. I hope he joins as it would be great to get some balti tips.

[mickdabass]

yeah being a brummie baltis are where its at

[JerryM]

I've asked at 2 off Asian stores about "tomato powder" - both said it's what they call paprika.

i haven't read the previous posts but it's a dead end for me in terms of BIR.

[Razor]

Hi Jerry,

I've also heard of paprika being described as tomato powder, I know and you know, that it isn't but a lot of asian cooks do refer to paprika this way!

Ray