Topic: In search of a Chicken Balti recipe

[Kashmiri Bob]

Grateful for help/advice chaps.  The recipe I am looking for is for a very dry chicken balti.  No sauce as such, more paste-like.  I had such a dish many times at a restaurant in Birmingham about 8 years ago.  The place is no longer there.  Served in a hot black iron karahi, the taste was divine!  Heavy on roasted/caramelized garlic and a sweet aromatic spice blend.  No idea what spices, but I have never eaten anything as good before or since.  It wasn?t overly hot, pepper-wise, and used to come with a separate little bowl of fresh chopped green chilli. The balti dishes from everywhere now seem to be pretty much basic curries, served in a balti dish.  I am convinced the balti I want is cooked partly (possibly completely) in an iron karahi, in an oven.  Not got a copy of the Kushi book yet, but hoping something similar will be in it, or at least some info on technique.  I did have a look at Kushis earlier this week, but it wasn?t open and didn?t fancy walking around the Lidl opposite for hours until 5.30.   Hopefully will get back there on Sunday for the book and a takeaway, but really grateful if anyone has any ideas on this.  I am currently restoring/seasoning a couple of fine looking old iron karahi dishes.  The heat retention of these things is unbelievable!  Cheers,

Rob       

[Graeme]

Hi Rob,
Just double checking was it plain chicken or tikka?
Was it heavy on the onions, green ball pepper maybe a little red ball pepper
with some of the above caramelized on the bottom of the iron karahi and topped
with corriander leaves and served smoking hot?

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi,
Just double checking was it plain chicken or tikka ?

I always ordered plain chicken Graeme.  They also did a plain lamb one, which was also great, but the chicken was the best by a long way.  There was a lot of onions, finely chopped I think, not big pieces anyway.  Can't place the peppers, could have been.  The consistency was so thick though. One of those dishes that you just had to eat scooping it up with a piece of naan. The karahis were quite large and this gave the impression of a small portion.  There was actually more than enough.  It was garnished with plenty of coriander.  Seriously mad hot pan temperature.  When served you could feel the heat on your hands 6 inches away from the karahi.  Had to wait a while before eating.

Rob

[Unclefrank]

I love a good Balti, you could try adding a splash of Kewra water into a Balti recipe say the Kushi Chicken Balti here
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4297.0

I try to get the Kushi Base a little bit thicker than normal then fry it until the dish becomes dry.

 Also i use one of these the 16 inch one
 http://dadibhais.com/index.php/kitchen/cookware/indian-oriental-woks/indian-karahi-woks/round-karahis.html

The next time i make a Balti will post pictures on here. Another thing quite a few restaurants nearly always serve their Balti with chunky pieces of green and red peppers along with chunky pieces of onion and tomato, so what i do is a Bhuna style recipe.

[Kashmiri Bob]

I love a good Balti, you could try adding a splash of Kewra water into a Balti recipe say the Kushi Chicken Balti here
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4297.0

I try to get the Kushi Base a little bit thicker than normal then fry it until the dish becomes dry.

 Also i use one of these the 16 inch one
 http://dadibhais.com/index.php/kitchen/cookware/indian-oriental-woks/indian-karahi-woks/round-karahis.html

The next time i make a Balti will post pictures on here. Another thing quite a few restaurants nearly always serve their Balti with chunky pieces of green and red peppers along with chunky pieces of onion and tomato, so what i do is a Bhuna style recipe.

Thanks Unclefrank. Looks a good recipe, but I think there was more a lot more garlic.  Can you get your balti sauce ingredients really well caramelized?  Was thinking of making the balti in a pan on the hop and then transferring it to an iron karahi in the oven at high temp for half an hour, or so. Bet it is not as simple as that though. Will probably end up burning it!

Rob

[Unclebuck]

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2542.0

dont know if that will help?

[Unclefrank]

I have cooked a Balti in a normal omelette pan http://dadibhais.com/index.php/kitchen/cookware/frying-omelette-pans/black-iron-omelette-pans-with-tubular-handles.html

Try the recipe first then add what ever you think might transform it towards your desired dish, so if more garlic is needed or more green pepper or more or less red pepper.
What i do if i am making a dish from a restaurant somebody wants me to replicate is build the dish up in stages.
 If you can tell me what else was in the dish would be a great help, if i can help i will.
So far one of my locals, Sanam Tandoori Restaurant, i have made 6 dishes from their menu.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Cheers guys.  Made quite a bit of progress tonight.  Did a Lamb Karahi.  Been planning to do the recipe for some time.  Very pleased with the result.  I?d doubled up, so started experimenting to see how it would behave in a cast iron karahi.  Had been expecting to need really high oven temp.  Not needed.  280-300 degrees C burns stuff.  Should have twigged this already, as this is the temp I have been using to polymerize seasoning (lard) on to the karahi bowls!  Dropped the temp to 230 for 20 mins or so.  Well pleased with the outcome.  Learned a lot.  Probably 60 per cent towards what I am looking for.  Reckon the meat needs to go in later in the cooking process; it falls apart at higher temperatures (tastes amazing, but I want chunks of meat in the finished dish).  Also, no where near enough sweetness, caramelized onion, roast garlic taste.  The latter was getting there. Conclude that more work is needed at the hob stage.  I need to get my arse into gear with a bunjarra of some description. That will sort it and give the depth of taste that was also missing.  Adding sugar may also be worth a go.  That is the plan anyway!   

Rob

[curryhell]

Sounds as though there'll be a good curry coming out of your work Rob.  Look  forward to the final recipe  with pics once you think you're there

[Unclefrank]

I do add a little sugar towards end of cooking, like you say, it just lifts the dish a little, don't forget you can also add jaggery instead of the sugar.