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

[livo]

I have black salt and it may well be something for the future Phil.  In this instance I purposely didn't want to stray from the original recipe as it was a test of flavour to spec.

[Peripatetic Phil]

There is one important instruction missing (3 times).  Don't just reduce the gravy at each stage.  Really cook it. Complete oil separation and caramelisation happening around the pan.  The caramelisation around the pan will get darker and darker with each addition of gravy and you should end up with what can be considered a fairly dry(ish) curry in a puddle of oil. (Photos to follow.)  The gravy ends up being quite thick and you'll be thinking you're about to burn it.  This could be the difference between that high heat in the commercial kitchens and my burner on the stovetop.

Do you think, Livo, that if one were to adopt the same approach with other (non-balti) recipes, one might see a similar improvement in quality/taste ?
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** Phil.

[Kashmiri Bob]

In my opinion it is still a fairly dull affair compared to really tasty curries, however you can always pep it up to your liking with pastes or powders, as I've already done.

I think we have two different things in front of us Livo.  Polar opposites.  I wonder if it's the timber.  Are you sure you are using cassia?  The picture you posted earlier of your spices doesn't make it clear to me.  It looks a bit iffy.  What is it exactly?

Rob   

[livo]

Do you think, Livo, that if one were to adopt the same approach with other (non-balti) recipes, one might see a similar improvement in quality/taste ?
--
** Phil.

Quite possibly Phil. I hadn't considered it but it certainly makes sense.

I don't usually like to get that oil separation in a finished dish but I wanted to see if this just needed extra heat to bring the flavour out, which it did, to a certain degree.

[livo]

I think we have two different things in front of us Livo.  Polar opposites.  I wonder if it's the timber.  Are you sure you are using cassia?  The picture you posted earlier of your spices doesn't make it clear to me.  It looks a bit iffy.  What is it exactly?

Rob   

Most definitely 100% positive Cassia Bark. My old stock, used in my first batch of gravy, came from Udaya Indian Grocery, Wentworthville, Sydney, and the bag was labelled Cassia bark.  Wentworthville is the centre of the most densely Indian populated area in Australia.

The small bag I photographed is labelled cinnamon but it is Cassia Bark for sure. The guy at Namaste Indian Grocer (local) tried to sell me round cinnamon quills but I told him I wanted flat Cassia bark. He fossicked around the shelves and produced that bag.  It does also have the botanical name of the tree on it which I'll report later.

Both bags, as with most Indian spices, were imported from India.

I have just made another half batch last night.  Don't get me wrong. I like it, but it just needs more than cooking on its own, with just raw chicken anyway.  I can see how spiced pre-cooked lamb or prawns would work better than chicken. Spiced pre-cooked chicken will be the next thing to try.

Edit:  Correction. 

The new bag I bought just the other day, after being very specific in what I wanted with the little Indian boy who served me, is in fact Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, or Ceylon Cinnamon.  It is not in the usual quill form but more resembles small Cassia bark pieces.  I've never seen Ceylon cinnamon in this form before and I already have plenty of Cinnamon quills.  I didn't use it last night.  I just again used the broken up small pieces left in my container of proper Cassia Bark (which was the real deal).  I will now be on the hunt for some more proper Cassia Bark.

There is no doubt that the bark I have used so far is Cassia.  Had I used Ceylon Cinnamon in that quantity, I would certainly have been able to tell.  Whether it's freshness is an issue remains undecided.

[Secret Santa]

I think we have two different things in front of us Livo.  Polar opposites.

Stop flogging a dead horse BB. We are making the same thing (give or take a few ladles of base sauce) the problem is, as I've stated several times now, a difference of expectation. You are happy with bland whereas livo and I are used to standard tasty BIR and so bland balti just doesn't cut it.

I do wish others would try this so that we could form a better consensus though.

Have your mates tried it yet Mick?

And George, come on mate, get your pinny on and get in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure that as a korma lover this rather mild balti would be just up your street.

[Secret Santa]

All I am getting is Balti perfection.  To spec, with 2 tsp regular chilli power in the base spice mix, it's nice and spiky too, close to madras strength.  Perfect, seriously.

Rob 

I was reading back to see if there was anything I might have missed  and I read the above.

So to you 2 tsp of chilli in the base sauce makes a madras level curry? Say what?! 

A proper madras has at least one teaspoon of chilli powder at the curry making stage. Two teaspoons distributed in a batch of base and none added at the curry stage wouldn't even register on my tastebuds, as proved to be the case in practice.

I do wonder if you're not one of these fabled supertasters BB. It might explain the extreme difference in opinion of this base and curry.

[Kashmiri Bob]

All I am getting is Balti perfection.  To spec, with 2 tsp regular chilli power in the base spice mix, it's nice and spiky too, close to madras strength.  Perfect, seriously.

Rob 

I was reading back to see if there was anything I might have missed  and I read the above.

So to you 2 tsp of chilli in the base sauce makes a madras level curry? Say what?! 

A proper madras has at least one teaspoon of chilli powder at the curry making stage. Two teaspoons distributed in a batch of base and none added at the curry stage wouldn't even register on my tastebuds, as proved to be the case in practice.

I do wonder if you're not one of these fabled supertasters BB. It might explain the extreme difference in opinion of this base and curry.

I was wondering when someone would comment on this.  Agree, it doesn't make any sense.  But this is what I got.  Was thinking of reducing it, by half.  I am just making a second batch of the gravy now.  Changed nothing. 2 tsp chilli powder option. Will report back.  Considering making a Balti Chicken Jalfrezi next.  To use up the left-over peppers. 

Rob

[Kashmiri Bob]

For reference.  Al Frash takeaway.  Balti Chicken.

Al Frash then





Balti chicken (requested extra dry)





Rob 

[Secret Santa]

I don't know how much you can believe what he says but the Sababs' chef reckons he puts the whole garam masala in the main onion pot and blends it all in at the end. So no akhni stock used.

https://youtu.be/drX0bqXdc3c?t=51