Topic: ?The BIR style wagon?

[Peripatetic Phil]

It's interesting to know that some pastes were around in the 80s

I think that Fern's pastes (with their distinctive green tops -- plastic in those days, now metal I see : I still keep my MSG in a plastic-topped Fern's jar !) were around even earlier than that; certainly they featured very early on in my curry experiments, which date back to around 1975.

** Phil.

[mickdabass]

Hey Phil - think i need to reevaluate my curry making philosophies and start using some pastes.
I wonder if they were originally aimed at the commercial market place i.e. birs or for home use.
My gut instinct tells me its not what they used in the "Vintage BIR" days though

[abdulmohed2002]

Hi Everyone, sorry I have taken long to post a recipe as I have been quite busy. I hope you enjoy cooking this recipe and please let me know what you think 

Chicken/Lamb Balti

Ingredients

Chicken/Lamb  20 pieces precooked
Oil  3 tbsp
Onion  finely chopped half a chef spoon
Garlic and ginger mix 1 tsp
Capsicum  finely chopped 1 tsp
Salt  a pinch (according to taste)
Balti paste/sauce  1 tbsp
8 Spice 1 tbsp
Tomato puree 1 tsp
Gravy  1 ladle spoon and 1 pint

Garnish
Coriander
1 capsicum ring

Method

1.   In a frying pan, add the oil, onion, garlic ginger mix and capsicum; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
2.   Add balti paste, 8 Spice, tomato puree and 1 ladlespoon of gravy; stir for 2 to 3 minutes to ensure the masala is cooked properly.
3.   Then add the chicken and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes.
4.   Finally add 1 pint of gravy and cook for 5 to 10 minutes; ensure that it is nicely cooked.
5.   Garnish with coriander and a ring of capsicum.

[haldi]

Thanks Abdul
I've seen this dish cooked many times but it's really good to have all the ingredients from one person
I shall be making this with your spice mix and base
Do you use Pataks Balti paste?

[mickdabass]

Yes thank you Abdul I really appreciate it. Cant wait to try this one

[JerryM]

Abdul,

have found matching balti taste difficult (alum rock road). having tried the dish from several North West BIR's it's clear the professionals struggle too.

the nearest i've found are Dipuraja's - with paste (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4520.0) and Razor's - no paste (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4297.0). i still keep a yellow sticky recipe of razor's but have ditched dipuraja's down to the pataks taste.

the real question for me is about the paste ie is it needed, can you make your own, if no paste then how is the taste gap bridged from standard BIR. i know the base is supposed to be different but can't see this being the whole of the story.

[daddyL]

Hi Abdul,

Having recently relocated to Pembrokeshire from just outside Birmingham I am missing my local restaurants so much, the restaurants here are few and mostly cater for tourists or are of poor quality, I have been cooking BIR and home style dishes for 20 odd years with help from friends in the restaurant trade, pestering my mates moms for recipes and forums such as this one.
With the absence of a good local restaurant I am all alone with my pans and spices 
anyhow enough of the 
I would like to know in your 8 spice mix: what brand do you use? do you grind any fresh? and what type/strength of chilli powder?

Thanks Abdul and keep up the good posts it is much appreciated 

Leon

[Razor]

Hi Leon,

Not sure if Abdul has ever specified his preferred brand on here, but in his book he does specify Rajah.

Hope that helps mate,

Ray

[daddyL]

Hi Ray

I suppose some would argue the brand is unimportant but wanted to give the recipes a true as possible test,
If Abdul specifys Rajah in his book thats  , as for grinding fresh I would assume he would specify this in the recipe and the chili powder i assume is the standard not extra hot.

Cheers

Leon 

[abdulmohed2002]

Dynamite Hot Chicken/Lamb

Ingredients

20 medium pieces of chicken/lamb
Oil  2 tbsp
Very finely chopped onion  1 chef spoon
Garlic Ginger mix  1 tbsp
Salt a touch (according to taste)
Red chilli seeds  1 tbsp
Blended green chilli  1 tbsp
Black pepper  1 tbsp
8 Spice  1 tbsp
Tomato puree 1 tsp
Gravy 1 ladle spoon and 1 pint

Garnish
Coriander

Method

1.   In a frying pan add oil, onion, garlic ginger, salt and blended green chilli; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
2.   Add the chicken/lamb and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes.
3.   Add 8 spice, tomato puree, red chilli seeds, black pepper and 1 ladle spoon of gravy; stir for 3 to 4 minutes to make sure the masala is nicely cooked. (there should not be any raw smell of the masalas).
4.   Finally add 1 pint of gravy and cook for 5 to 6 minutes; once it is cooked there should be a nice and thick sauce.
5.   Garnish with coriander.





NOTE: THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HOT DISH. IF YOU CANNOT CONSUME HOT CURRIES SUCH AS VINDALOO AND PHALL, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS.