Quote from: Secret Santa on June 18, 2022, 09:50 PM
So is it a 100% clone because you've eaten at Al Frash and your version is exactly the same?

Yes SS it is. Its been a couple of three years since I ate there, and I have done so probably half a dozen times but the last time I went it was

pretty moody and we didnt feel at all safe, but I honestly believe it is a 100% clone.

Unfortunately Al Frash is now long gone so...

Regards

Mick

Quote from: Bengali Bob on May 02, 2022, 11:06 AM
This is Great!  Good luck finding that 100 % again mickdabass.  I went to Al Frash once or twice.  It was very good as I recall.  The Kushi could also turn out some spectacular balti.  My personal favourite was always Adil's.  It was quite different to the others, I felt.  Your work has got my cogs whirring again. Must get some ajwain seeds in; and dried rose petals

Bob:
Just to let you know I have finally cracked it. The recipe is in the Base Gravy section.
I couldnt find any rose petals but a pinch of ajwain seeds seeds in with the onions might be worth a try 
https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=47533.0

Kind Regards

Mick

MDB's Birmingham Balti Gravy 100% Clone Al Frash Balti Restaurant and simple Balti Recipie

For the Gravy you will need:
•   Stick Blender
•   A fine sieve
•   Weighing Scales
•   1 Large Pan with lid for onions
•   1 Small/Medium pan with lid for Akhni Stock
•   1 medium pan for garlic ginger, chopped tomatoes & spice mix

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil – not olive oil
1 kg onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
small pinch Ajwain seeds
1/2 green and 1/2 red pepper, chopped
125g fresh carrot, roughly chopped
Whole Spices:
Weigh 55g pieces of cassia bark (I know it sounds a lot but trust me...)
5 cloves
10 green cardamom pods pierced
3 star anise
5 tej patta (Indian bay leaves) dried DON'T use normal bay leaves – omit instead

Spice Mix:
2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
2.5 tsp coriander powder
1.5 tsp cumin powder
3 tsp turmeric powder
2.5 tsp curry powder
a good pinch kasuri methi (dried Fenugreek Leaves)
2 tsp garam masala powder
Large handful fresh coriander
30g peeled fresh garlic
30g peeled fresh ginger
250g of chopped tomatoes

Note from MDB: powdered spices are rounded teaspoons, and the cassia is in 1" pieces maximum.

Method:
Take the large pan and add:
1 chefs spoon vegetable oil
1 kg onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1pint cold water
1/2 green and 1/2 red pepper, chopped
125g fresh carrot, roughly chopped

Bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer for 1 hr stirring frequently

While the onions are cooking:
take:
whole spices,
Drop these into the second pan, along with 1 pint of water and simmer with lid on for an hour stirring occasionally to make an Akhni Stock

While that's simmering take:

30g peeled fresh garlic (bash with side of knife to make peeling easy)
30g peeled fresh ginger (I peel with teaspoon)

Using a blender, make into a paste with a small amount of oil.
Add to the third pan: with 100ml of vegetable oil.
Heat on medium and stir until it becomes lightly golden in colour.
If it starts to catch on the bottom of the pan, SLOWLY pour a small amount of hot water from the kettle into the pan and stir well to loosen.
This process takes about 10 -15 minutes.

Take off the heat, leave it to cool for a minute and add the spice mix.
Stir well, and return to a very low heat.
Add the chopped tomato, add approx. 300ml (1/2 pint) of hot water into the mixture, and bring back to the boil, stirring constantly.

Once it has boiled for about 1-2 minutes pour into large pan of onions


Strain the Akhni Stock from the second pan through the fine sieve directly into the large pan of onions
discard the whole spices.
stir well
boil for around 5 minutes.

Leave to cool before adding the coriander leaves, and then blend well
Add additional water to desired gravy consistency.
The Gravy is now ready to use.
Once cooled, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days without any problem


To make balti:

No need for additional ground spices or extra salt!

Ingredients:
Cooking Oil - any will do except olive oil
¼ medium onion Finely chopped
¼ medium tomato Finely chopped
Garlic Paste
Roughly chopped fresh coriander (to taste) I use quite a lot!!
Naan (I really like Riyas ready cooked naans from Asda. I drench them under a tap and then place in a pre-heated oven at 200C for 3 minutes)
https://groceries.asda.com/product/naan-breads-chapattis/riyas-original-recipe-3-garlic-coriander-naan-bread/910002370521

Method:

In a frying pan on medium heat add 1 chef spoon oil
add onion
When just starting to go brown around the edges
add 1/2 tsp minced garlic

Once the spitting has stopped

Add 1/2 large raw chicken breast diced into 1inch cubes (pre-cooked chicken can be used but add after 3rd reduction to avoid overcooking)

Turn up heat

Add 1st ladle gravy

Reduce well until oil starts to separate

Add 2nd ladle gravy

add the chopped tomato
Reduce well until oil starts to separate

Add 3rd ladle gravy, stir in chopped fresh coriander and reduce to desired consistency

finish on low heat until chicken is cooked

Leave to stand for a few minutes and serve with hot naan.

Thats a shame Phil. I had the same experience at Christmas.

It also no longer has the T**** o* I**** - more like the T**** o* Blandness

Regards

Mick

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=11.0

Hi Robbo

for Chinese curry you could look at https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=12760.0. I made it a long time ago but found it too gloopy, but the recipe definitely had potential. There are other curry recipes in this section too

Regards

Mick

Thank you both for the info

Quote from: Unclefrank on April 25, 2022, 09:14 PM
Mick from your list of ingredients on page one you haven't added the Kushi spice mix 1/4 onion finely chopped and also a garlic clove finely chopped and you missed out the 1/2 tomato finely chopped in the actual Balti dish, plus the base should be quite thickish, not too thick say something like cream.
Made this base and recipes from the book for some years now.
Hope this helps to achieve your goal.

Thanks UF. I have only the gravy recipe from the link at the start of this thread. Perhaps Ive overlooked it?
Fyi Im on MK5 version now. The resutant balti was ok - just a little bland so Im going to increase the powdered spices directly into the pot of gravy Ive made. I did that before in mk3 version and it worked a treat. Im also wondering if the powdered spices would be better off adding just prior to blending without any pre- boiling. To be honest I cant really understand the point of pre boiling the spices anyway. After all the gravy is going to be fried anyway releasing the flavours from the spices etc.
Im keeping a careful note this time of the weight of spices added.

Robbo - I know that sounds sad, but I think in the case of a subtly spiced dish like a balti, then measurements of spices needs to be as accurate as I can measure. Thats why (for now anyway) Im weighing the spices.  Im sure plenty will disagree with that comment as there are plenty of other variables ie freshness of the spices  etc which will impact the finished flavours of the dish.

Perhaps I should use a proper tsp measure thingy. Ive got one somewhere.....

It now seems obvious to me that my first attempt was a complete fluke. Oh how I wished Id kept a better record of what I actually did, but hey-ho thats the fun of making curries I guess!!

I do however have a couple of litres of my original "fluke gravy" in the freezer........

Update - dont use the grammage for the spices  -  its way out. I stupidly didnt realise the different densities of spices

I need to experiment a little more as I  am still getting variable results.

I realise now I should have spent more time getting a more uniform balti before posting my claims

Sorry to mess you all around.

As soon as have it  nailed 100% I will post an  update

Quote from: livo on April 20, 2022, 12:15 AM
I've seen recipes for biryani and a few kormas with ridiculous ingredient lists. Rose water, petals, pandan leaf or juice, and gold or silver foil. The truth mick, is that most delicious curries are made using a few of less than a dozen common spices.  Then there are a few other things occasionally added for particular flavour.

As for "Balti", I'm yet to be convinced that it is actually a defined dish.  Frequently discussed, " What makes a balti a balti?"  There are several different notions but no correct answer.  It appears to me that a balti is, or could be any one or more of the following.

A dish using the balti spices.  What are they?
A dish prepared and served in a particular bowl. Any curry could be a balti.
A meat dish cooked with vegetables. Add capsicum and a piece of tomato to chicken curry = balti.
A dish served with and consumed using a naan,  sometimes huge and shared.
A dish only available in Birmingham UK. The champagne / bourbon argument.
Just a word attached to dishes for marketing or perhaps differentiation.

If I cook a dish using my home made balti paste I usually enjoy it, whether it is a balti or not.

I just did an instant pot version (adaption) of the kushi balti. Very nice.

Livo I have tried many many baltis over the years. It seems to be a fashionable name for some kind of mish mash curry. Many years ago in the mid 80s when baltis seem to suddenly become popular, I went in to a new t/a called "the Balti Hut" near to where I live. It was next door to an old established t/a I had used a few times before and was owned by the same family. I asked the guy in the Balti Hut why they dont sell Baltis next door and he told me that a balti is made from a different gravy compared to any other curry. My personal theory is that most t/a today cant be arsed making a different gravy because they probably dont sell enough baltis to warrant the different pot of gravy, so instead they try to rehash one using their usual gravy. I never went back to the balti hut again so it couldnt have been much good. Its still there today but checking the menu it appears to be the same generic menu you see at most Indians around this neck of the woods which I think is more to do with on-line ordering apps than anything else and the lack of decent chefs