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

[livo]

I don't think I paid very close attention to my evaporation rate or the intensity of colour when preparing the akhni stock on the first go.  I know I followed the directions and strained it into the onion mix pot at the appropriate time as per instructions.  Anyway, I've done it again. 
27/28g of Cassia Bark. (fresh / new)
2 large and 1 smaller Tej Pat (not fresh / new, but not old and I used the really big ones.)
1 large full and 1 half broken Star Anise (fresh / new)
5 Cloves (fresh / new)
6 Green Cardamom pods (pierced and there's 6 instead of 5 because they are smallish.  I can't buy the really fresh new big bright green pods here, so I use extra.)
285 ml (1/2 pint) of water (last time I just guessed at a cup and a bit.  Doubtful if it made any difference.)

I was hoping to do an exactly timed 1 hour boil but unfortunately, I was called away so there was a 20-minute period, right in the middle, where I just had to turn it off and allow it to sit and steep.  This will only strengthen the flavours, so I don't see a problem and I reduced the total boil time to 55 minutes to compensate.

Here are the results.  My akhni stock looks as dark in colour as Robs, with some fine grains that have passed through the strainer.  My liquid volume has actually reduced even further than his.  285 ml of water has reduced down to a measured 66 ml.  The strained whole spices have exactly doubled in mass from a combined 33 grams to 66 grams, so they have absorbed 33 grams of water.  This means that 186 ml of water has evaporated in the boiling process.

Tomorrow I will use this in making another half quantity of Balti Base Gravy, followed by another Balti Chicken.

[livo]

My second attempt at MDB's Base Gravy is almost done (half quantity again). I just need to add the coriander and blend, then I'll be cooking a Balti Chicken.

How good is the aroma when you dump the spice mix into the oily fried garlic and ginger?  I added a splash of water just before doing it to prevent burning but it is 100% that Indian restaurant aroma for sure.  Regardless of how I find the Balti dish cooked to spec, I love this gravy.

Some things to note:

This time I paid close attention to really reducing the Akhni stock, not that I think that was the problem last time.
I was very generous with the spices so if it's bland this time, I have no idea.
I was also generous with the oil this time.  That seems to be the Balti thing to do.
I used a different "Curry Powder".  This time Clive of India instead of Mother's Recipe.

Taste test to follow soon.

20 minutes later:

Well even though I felt this was better, as in not bland, I'm still not a convert to this dish.  However, in saying this I think there are several enjoyable things here and I don't dislike it at all.  First off, I really do rate this Base Gravy.  I just ate lunch of Balti Chicken, and I enjoyed it.  I'll probably cook another curry or 2 for our dinner tonight.  Off to the shop to buy some prawns in a minute.

This batch of gravy benefited greatly from being "generous" with the spices. Try it again Santa but bump it all up a bit according to your own preferred spices. ^{*See Note}  I still think that it does need additional salt and even more so, additional flavour. I'll be adding my balti paste, madras paste or mild curry paste to all further dishes.  Not much.

The good things.  What I really noticed, and like, about this dish is that you can actually separate the individual ingredient flavours and also enjoy it as a whole.  You can definitely taste fresh coriander.  The tomato is there with a nice tanginess and there is sweetness and savoury from the onion and garlic.  The chicken really takes on the curry powder, and there is a general fruitiness about the sauce, which I couldn't quite pinpoint at first.

Unfortunately for me at the moment, I couldn't enjoy this dish with a soft buttery naan, so I had to suffice with a buttered slice of mixed grain gluten free toast.         I think the naan would be a huge improvement.

* Note: Don't use too much Turmeric. I think I did, and it can be tasted a little bit too much.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi livo.  The aroma is proper isn't it?  When I last made Mick's base it was a hot and sunny day.  Kitchen windows open.  My extractor vents into the back garden. The elderly next-door neighbours were pottering around in their garden.  The lady is quite deaf and sometimes speaks loudly.  I heard her say "Rob's cooking spices again".  Her other half grumbled something I did't catch.  "It smells like musk!", she said.  Made me smile, but I sort of knew what she meant.  What it actually smells like is Manchester's Curry Mile on a Saturday night in the early 90's.  It takes me back.  I lived on Wilmslow Road for a while (student residence).  Walking distance from Rusholme.  Those were the days.

I am behind schedule making Mick's base gravy.  Scored a hefty amount of reduced price fresh chicken at my local supermarket yesterday.  Mainly breast fillet, that has gone in the freezer.  There was also some diced so decided to pre-cook it last night.  Made a goodly amount of garlic /ginger paste and Mick's spice mix (dry ingredients including the chilli powder option).  Did a taste-test of the latter, which was interesting.  Crikey!  It has a right old kick to it. It's lovely stuff (with the warming spices too).  I used it to make the pre-ccoked chicken, nice!  I also got a fresh Japanese style pork stir-fry concoction (88 % pork loin) reduced price on my visit to the supermarket.  Was going to have it last night, but the chicken pre-cook was so good i had this instead, finished off in my trusty stainless.  The pork has gone in the freezer and will probably be forgotten about.

On bumping up the spices.  Still not for me.  The amount of oil I use for Mick's recipes is also to spec.  That's already a decent amount for a 1 kg base and, a pretty standard cs for the final curry.  Your photos look good, but I would like to see some oil separation, especially if you are planning to add more.  Gives the option of spooning-off, if wanted.  If you start mopping-up the baltis with naan breads there is a good chance you'll pile on the pounds.  I have been on a keto diet for years, so the oil doesn't bother me; that's what I tell myself anyway.

Rob

[livo]

For some reason I could not get the same oil separation in the steel wok, even though I had more oil in the gravy and for starting the dish.  I was reluctant to cook it harder for fear of over-cooking the chicken.  I did shake the pan around over the gas and had some ignition and flaming though, particularly on the first addition of gravy.  It really ignited into nice orange flame which was something new to me on my cooker.  It was a huge improvement with the bump up of spice (for me anyway).  Maybe I was a bit light on with the first one.

Now, for tonight's dinner I had Balti Red Schnapper and Crystal Bay Prawns.  Wow.  Only 1 teaspoon of Balti Paste and a squirt of LJ.  The Balti Paste is not Pataks, but my own home made.  I'm glad to share because it isn't my recipe anyway.   This is the real deal.  I'm nearly out and my jar is almost empty, so I'll be doing a new batch soon.  It lasts for 2 years without issue in the fridge.

You are absolutely on the money with the aroma of this gravy.  I bet my neighbours are going crazy. Unfortunately, you become a bit olfactorily challenged in the kitchen, but when that spice mix hits the oil with the G&G it is the one.

[livo]

Honestly guys, I've posted this link before.  It is one of the only recipes out there for a Balti Paste made at home.  Surprisingly, it is from Australia, but take my word for it, I've been using this for over 10 years, and I swear by it.  It is actually really easy to do and a lot of fun as well.  I love it and I've rescued some very ordinary curry, after the fact, by adding a bit of this.  It is easy to do, lasts for ages and is absolutely delicious, particularly with lamb.  Add some of this to your next Balti and you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

I use vegetable oil instead of Olive Oil and then add a good covering over the jarred paste as well.  The last 2 TBSP of my current batch has gone a bit dry.

https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/balti-paste-scratch/n805h9rv

Don't be put off by the procedure.  You can do all that if you want, but, you don't have to go through the Mortar and Pestle pounding.  Just get the spices all powdered up and mix it all together or use a blender / grinder.  I've never been to Birmingham but believe me, these are the Balti Spices in a jar.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Nooo!  No balti paste!  Very naughty. This is the Birmingham Balti we are talking about here.  For heaven's sake livo, I have a good mind to tell Andy Munroe about you,   No spice grinders needed either.

Just looked at your link.  All of the ingredients in the recipe (and more) are already in the MDB base  (there is fennel in East End curry powder).  Hmm.  I wonder if you are not giving it enough wellie.  Turn the heat up man.  Live life on the edge! 

Rob

 

[Robbo141]

I’ll give that paste a go. I’m not looking to replicate the Birmingham balti exactly, but anything that gives me a great result is worth trying. Just need to find decent cardamom seeds to eliminate the need to split so many pods, which is a right royal pain.

Lahore Bob mentioning Rusholme takes me back. My then girlfriend was at Manchester Uni, and I used to bus down to stay with her in Ashburne Hall back in the late 80’s.  Some great curry houses down there.

Robbo

[mickdabass]

Hi Livo

Thanks for persevering with my recipe. Just 2 things really:

the whole idea of the lid for the akhni stock is to stop reduction and keep the aromatics.
I would have thought that If youre losing steam then you'll also be losing aromatics

The second thing is that the simplified recipe adds the g&g pure straight to the onions at the beginning of cooking, and the toms & powdered spices are added almost at the end of cooking. I am hoping that by doing this there will be more consistency with the final gravy. (See Post #140)

My five "lab rats" have confirmed this lol

Regards

Mick

[livo]

Unless you're using a sealed pressure vessel it's pretty hard to avoid evaporation (steam escape) from even a lidded pan.  My saucepan lid only has 3 little holes on the side, but I was surprised by the total loss of volume over a 1-hour boil.  I actually cooked a stock last night in my pressure cooker.  About 20 chicken thigh bones, all of the Balti whole spices but not the full amount of Cassia, some Panch Phoran and a little Shah Jeera in roughly 2 litres of water.

I'm rating the base gravy and the Balti Chicken I had for lunch yesterday was totally enjoyable.  The seafood Balti I had for dinner was better.  Most everything the same with just that 1 tsp of paste added with the garlic once the onions are done.

Rob, I understand that from a purist's perspective the Birmingham Balti is sacrosanct, but if I add 1 tsp of my home-made Balti Paste and it elevates the dish for me, then you can guess what I'll be doing.  Your correct in saying that all of the spices are already there but somehow the addition of this paste lifts the flavour profile immensely.  Why would you nor do it?  Please don't report me to Andy! 

[Kashmiri Bob]

Unless you're using a sealed pressure vessel it's pretty hard to avoid evaporation (steam escape) from even a lidded pan.  My saucepan lid only has 3 little holes on the side, but I was surprised by the total loss of volume over a 1-hour boil.  I actually cooked a stock last night in my pressure cooker.  About 20 chicken thigh bones, all of the Balti whole spices but not the full amount of Cassia, some Panch Phoran and a little Shah Jeera in roughly 2 litres of water.

I'm rating the base gravy and the Balti Chicken I had for lunch yesterday was totally enjoyable.  The seafood Balti I had for dinner was better.  Most everything the same with just that 1 tsp of paste added with the garlic once the onions are done.

Rob, I understand that from a purist's perspective the Birmingham Balti is sacrosanct, but if I add 1 tsp of my home-made Balti Paste and it elevates the dish for me, then you can guess what I'll be doing.  Your correct in saying that all of the spices are already there but somehow the addition of this paste lifts the flavour profile immensely.  Why would you nor do it?  Please don't report me to Andy! 

I made Mick's base again last night livo. To spec, original recipe (but see later). It's in the fridge, I haven't blended it yet.  Looks good.  Agree with your comments on the stock.  The lid I use also has 3 little holes.  I blanked them off this time.  Made no difference, the steam still found a way out.  I got the same amount of reduction as before. Reproducibility is a fine thing. I wonder if Mick was thinking to limit the loss rather than completely prevent it.  Mick? Could be my burner is too much even on the lowest output.  I don't know. Still confident another batch of spectacular dishes will follow though.

Why would I not add the paste to the balti?  From my perspective there is already no room for improvement in the recipe; happy to be proven wrong.  You can of course add whatever you like to your dishes if you feel it improves/lifts them.  However, in this context there is potential for a cock-up.  Don't get me wrong, I've done this in the past, many times, I bet many of us have.  It's a trap.  So, if a BIR recipe (any) doesn't deliver (e.g. it's bland),  we tend to bump-up the spices.  If that doesn't work, add some more.  It's OK now, but the result/recipe are nothing special.  I cottoned on to this some time ago when making traditional style efforts.

Setting the stock aside, I would next check you are happy with preparation of the spice mix, specifically the amount of tempering.  This is important and can be tricky with powdered spices.  I think we can often under-do it; worried about burning.  I give it about 20-30 seconds for Mick's recipe, I think; will check this.  Then the tomatoes go in and I carry on until a lot of the oil separates.  It doesn't take long  This should be your oil separation sorted for the base, and the final dish.  The balti needs this, imo.  Also recall the Shababs videos; adding the spices late on. 

I am staying with Mick's original recipe for the foreseeable.  The prep of the spice mix I feel is very trad-style.  I love frying the ginger/garlic/spices.  The method allows you to give it your full attention.  Get up close (not too close)  to see and smell what's going on.  The G/G should sting your eyeballs for a while, and then subside.  When the tears stop completely it's not too long before the spices go in.  Have fun!  If it doesn't work and the balti turns out bland, chuck some paste in

I made a little tweak to the recipe this time.  A little paprika powder.  Purely aesthetic, hoping to get the oil looking like the Al-Frash extra-dry "for ref" photo.  It shouldn't affect the flavour; I hope it doesn't anyway.   

Mick.  Just noticed the 100 ml oil is missing from post #140.

Rob