This recipe comes from the "Authentic Balti Curry" cookbook  ISBN 141205592 - X

This will make around 4 -5 portions which - like the base sauce - will be used in future dishes.

1kg of lamb, leg is best - cut into 1 inch cubes
200g tin of copped tomato
6 tbsp (90ml) vegetable oil

15-20g (about 4-5 cloves) garlic
20g fresh peeled ginger (similar to the amount of garlic)

1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
3/4 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala

1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar

Using a blender, puree the garlic and ginger with 2 tbsp of water.  Add this to the lamb, and mix well with your hands, as if you're "massaging" it into the meat.

Add the salt, sugar, and then the vegetable oil.  Continue this "massaging" process to really tenderise the lamb.  Add 100ml cold water.  Stir well.

Put the mixture into a large saucepan, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the spices and tomato, and mix well.  Keep stirring, so the spices don't burn.  Once it's thoroughly mixed, boil for five minutes - uncovered, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat and simmer for a further five minutes, stirring occasionally.

The base lamb is now ready and once cooled can be refrigerated.  It can be eaten on it's own as a very mild dish (although it's not a complete curry) and is particularly popular with children.

My observations:

I personally dice the lamb larger than the suggested recipe and don't simmer for the last five minutes, leaving the lamb to finish off in the residule heat of the pan.

Ray

This recipe comes for the "Authentic Balti Curry" cookbook ISBN 141205592 - X

1 kg of chicken breast fillet, cut into 1 inch cubes.

15-20g (about 4-5 cloves) garlic
20g fresh peeled ginger (similar to the amount of garlic)

1/4 tsp chilli powder
3/4 tsp tumeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp (90ml) vegetable oil
A 200g tin of chopped tomato.

Take the chicken breast fillets and cut into one inch cubes and set aside.

place garlic and ginger into a blender, and reduce to a paste using around 2 tbsp of cold water to help make it smooth.

Set this aside.

Then into a seperate bowl place all the powdered spices - along with the salt.

Give this a very thorough mix to make sure they're all combined.

Set aside.

Pour the vegetable oil into a large saucepan or wok, and place onto a high heat.

Add the garlic and ginger, and fry until it's golden brown, stirring regularly.  It may spit to start with.

Take it off the heat and add the spice mixture.

Again, put it back on a LOW heat, and stir constantly for a few seconds, so the spices don't burn.

Add the tomatoes, and bring back to the boil, while stirring.

Add the chicken, and mix well.

Simmer for five minutes stirring regularly.

Then cover and simmer for a further ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take off the heat.

The pre-cooked chicken is now ready, and once cooled, can be refrigerated.  It can be eaten on it's own as a very mild dish (although not a complete curry) and is particularly popular with children.

My own personal observations: 

This has a very moorish taste and a sweetness that adds to the final dish.  I personally dice the chicken larger than suggested in the recipe, and I dont simmer for quite as long, perhaps about 6 minutes.  This produces really juicy peices of chicken in the final dish.

Ray

For ?40 a curry, I'd expect to be able to take home the plates, cutlery, curry bowls tablecloths and some complimentary mints ;D

It's a very interesting question. 

There is a top notch, award winning Indian restaurant near me (The Indian Ocean) that is actually owned by a white, English chap and yet, ALL his staff are Asian!  Now he obviously has a handle on what is expected from a customer perception, and for this reason, only employes Asian's.

At weekends, the restaurant puts on entertainment such as, singers, kareoke and so on,  sounds tacky, but it works.  The place is packed out all the time.  Im guessing this is purely down to the owner as I couldn't imagine Asian owners would put on such performances.

I personally, would prefer to be served by an Asian in my local BIR, but then again,  I prefered it when all BIR's were decorated with red velvet wallpaper and had some good old indian folk music going on in the background ;D

Ray

Quote from: joshallen2k on February 13, 2010, 03:34 AM

It looks like a fairly regular base to me, with the exception of the spice bag. I've never tried one in a base, but am curious what it adds.

Hi Josh,

Maybe it's the addition of the spice bag that makes that makes this a Balti base, I don't really know if I am being honest.  I have asked the question a few times on here as to what the difference between Balti & BIR.  My own personal obsevations are, there is very little difference, maybe the Balti's are slightly more spiced, with a thicker sauce?

Yeah, there are lots of recipes to go with this base but I suggest that you knock up a batch of the Kushi spice mix first.  I don't know how to put up the link, sorry but you should should be able to find it easy enough, if not, let me know and I will post it.

Interesting to hear that when you last had a Balti in the UK, it was the only dish on the menu offering a naan!  Am I correct in thinking that the dish was described specifically as "Balti"?  The thing is, I can't see how they can just put out a dish called "Chicken/Lamb Balti"  The recipes I have are quite specific in that they are,  everything from,  Chicken/Lamb Balti Bhuna,  Balti Madras, Balti Pathia.......all the usual dishes but with the addition of the word Balti.  Which brings me to the conclusion that a Balti, is nothing more than a BIR but cooked in a Balti pan (Karahi) and served in a Balti bowl.

If people are interested, I will post as many as the recipes as possible but I think it would be easier to have its own section, unfortunately, I dont know how to do this.  Maybe Jerry or CA could point me in the right direction?

Ray

Hi Jerry

Just to point something out before you give this a go,  most other bases I have done have a tomatoey note to them whereas this doesn't.  It's quite a strange taste to describe but the books author describes it as tasting "soapy".  I wouldn't describe it quite like that myself and I don't think he is doing himself any favours with that decription, but you certainly know that you have used whole spices in there.

Which gets me pondering, once again, what is the difference between Batli & BIR?  Is it the addition of whole spices in the base and the considerable variety of spices in the spice mix?  Still haven't worked this one out yet

Ray

Hi Jerry,

I've tried a couple of different bases, SS's, KD's and the BE ones but I always end up back with this one for some reason.  I think it's because I use the Kushi spice blend, they must just compliment each other as you would expect.  It's quite versitile but if your thinking of using it for a CTM, I personally would leave out the chilli powder!  Likewise with the Kushi spice mix.

Interestingly, The Kushi restaurant don't use this base for their Korma, they have a specific base that they use for Korma's alone!!

I bet your gonna ask me for that one now arn't ya  ;D

Ray

Thanks CA 

Quote from: Mikka on February 11, 2010, 09:27 PM
Very interesting recipe Razor.
Nice one. 

Thanks Mikka but not my recipe, it comes from the "Authentic Balti Curry" cookbook.  I just posted it for Jerry as he was asking about it.

Ray

Quote from: JerryM on February 10, 2010, 07:14 AM


ps which is the kushi base - can't recall it yet i use the mix powder quite a lot (it's 1 of 3 i keep stocked LB & aka being the other 2).

Hi Jerry, it's from the "Authentic Balti Curry" book.  Actually, someone may want to move this but here goes!

Recipe moved to recipe section here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4283.0

Hope that helps Jerry, it took me fekin ages to type