Topic: ++++MDB’s Birmingham Balti Gravy 100% Clone Al Frash Balti Restaurant ++++

[Kashmiri Bob]

£4.20 for 10 ml, or was at the time this listing appeared.  The one that KB depicted is not food grade (which would not stop me consuming it, but a word to the wise ...).

I think the only practical use Phil will be to identify the aroma of an actual sample of "pure" cassia oil.  Not suggesting it could be used to make a curry.  Was just interested to see what it smells like,  so I might know what to look for when making the stock.  One sniff was enough.  One or two pennies sort of dropped and I have some ideas.  I may be talking absolute rot though, so will report back when/if there are any useful findings. 

The product itself is marketed for use in aromatherapy, diffusers etc.  Apparently, according to the instructions, 5-6 drops is adequate when added to a bath tub.  Reckon I will probably give this a miss.

Rob

[Kashmiri Bob]

Last night's Balti pork and mushroom (vindaloo)





Rob

[Kashmiri Bob]

Balti pork (vindaloo).  Different.  Stunning and sophisticated.





Rob

[Kashmiri Bob]

Found a 2016 video of the chef at Al Frash making a balti (lamb).  The usual demo style; balti dish cook, but very interesting. Lots to see.  I can't seem to find a direct link for it.  Google "How to make a quick restaurant style balti".  Make sure you view the results of the search in "Images".  Now look for a BirminghamLive photo of a chef  proudly displaying his balti, and click on it.

Rob

If anyone does know how to get a direct link please do post it.

[mickdabass]

Hi Rob

Good Find!

I copied the link directly off the Birmingham Mail page which is:

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/how-to-make-a-balti-11448351

Regards

Mick

[George]

I see there's a large pan of base sauce on the stove but I don't think he uses any. Is this credible for cooking a balti? Perhaps it is, and maybe it's a reason why I found the Shababs balti interesting the first couple of times I tried it. More like, swimming in oil.

There's no way I believe any balti house would prepare dishes in a small bowl. It would be too inconvenient and slow everything down.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi Rob

Good Find!

I copied the link directly off the Birmingham Mail page which is:

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/how-to-make-a-balti-11448351

Regards

Mick

Thanks Mick.  Still getting the hang of my BlackView Tab 9 gadget.  Have realised it's just a fancy phone and things like links are hidden, presumably to make space for more advertisements. 

Rob

[Kashmiri Bob]

I see there's a large pan of base sauce on the stove but I don't think he uses any. Is this credible for cooking a balti? Perhaps it is, and maybe it's a reason why I found the Shababs balti interesting the first couple of times I tried it. More like, swimming in oil.

There's no way I believe any balti house would prepare dishes in a small bowl. It would be too inconvenient and slow everything down.

There's been quite a bit of editing George and the video does date back to when most balti houses were not saying/showing a lot. Although,  that is indeed a fine looking pan of MDB MKI base on the hob,  next to an equally impressive pot of dark oil.  My guess would be that some of the base will have gone into the dish.  The balti houses usually have/had at least one desi lamb karahi ( a very dry curry) on their menu, along with the baltis.  Expect the pre-cook for both would be very similar, but with added base when making the balti.  I keep rewatching the video.  Is that a container full of pre-cooked chicken, near the chopped onions? 

Yes, the traditional micro fibre square cloth balti method.  I have bought a couple of stainless steel kadai pans.  Judge brand.  Been using them for about 6 weeks.  Will post a short review of them tomorrow.   Sort of a big balti dish.
With plastic handles, although this was not the reason for me getting them.  I have discovered yet another 10/10 balti house, but in this one can actually see the chef in the back making the dish.  He uses a big old standard aluminium pan, with a wooden handle.  It's fairly deep and seriously caved in on the underside.  With this modification (it's not got this way by itself) he is able to wedge/tilt the pan on the hob grates at about 45 degrees.  This, in effect, makes the pan even deeper, at the front.  He does this after all the main ingredients have been mixed in.  There is no showboating with flames here.

Thought to give it a go myself, but figured setting about a pan with a lump hammer may not end well.  So went with the kadai pans.  Deeper than my usual stainless frying pan and with much thinner sides.  To allow tilt on the hob I just use a large bulldog clip on the grate.  Very stable with the smaller kadhi.  I think two clips would be advisable for the larger (24 cm) one.  Dishes come out the same, but the reduction is much faster.  Just my thoughts. Next must see if there is an empty Utterly Butterly pot knocking about in one of my cupboards.  Proper BIR style

Rob

[pap rika]

Done a search ref Al frash balti, and unearthed the following, He claims it is the closest to the Al frash balti that you'll find on the web.
https://youtu.be/Oqni0eorRFY?si=w95qR5yPFQ8wK0dl
https://youtu.be/iXtsP0LeKuE?si=RWzuA0hTrNSs-3_K

Regards pap rika

[Kashmiri Bob]

Done a search ref Al frash balti, and unearthed the following, He claims it is the closest to the Al frash balti that you'll find on the web.
https://youtu.be/Oqni0eorRFY?si=w95qR5yPFQ8wK0dl
https://youtu.be/iXtsP0LeKuE?si=RWzuA0hTrNSs-3_K

Regards pap rika

It's Mick's recipes pretty much word-for-word.  So yes, "best on strip".  I wonder who made/endorsed the video.   I am now suffering from stick-blender envy.

Rob