Topic: Three baltis

[Micky Tikka]

Just tried heating oil high then putting spices etc  in the pan       no base  just the spices and tomato to see if I could get that smell
Got the flames   But not  the smell        Ive definitely had that smell in my kitchen though

[DalPuri]

Here's another for the smoky theories.
Had a TA a few weeks back and out of all the dishes ordered, one stood out on flavour.
It was called Baygum Bahar, Chicken tikka in a dry keema based curry. Delicious and very smoky. 
It was the only dish that had the smoky flavour.
Last week i had another TA from the same place (all different dishes were ordered) and there was no smoky flavour at all in any of the dishes.

BUT.... it was there in the poppadoms...... 

[Kashmiri Bob]

From last night.  Got this one wrong.


Balti chicken











Used a bit too much onion, base gravy slightly too thick (needs to be very thin) and the phone went whilst cooking.  Nice curry, but the flavours segued into one.  All the fresh balti aromas vanished.  Not saucy enough.  Basically overcooked.  Another chicken tonight; itching to have a go at a Balti lamb.  Think I'll cook in a bowl and see if we can't get a few proper flames thrown in to boot.

Rob   

[JerryM]

lemon dressing - realised from Bengali Bob's post about same that i think i will have added too even though my notes did not list. i add it (5 sec squirt) to all dishes and it's become second nature to me.

on the smokey flavour - it was only strong in the meat balti. i felt it was different to the stock taste. i can produce the smokey taste (see CA's post on it). how it's done on Balti though might be related to the black bowl. i don't believe balti is cooked in the serving dish. i think the serving dish is heated in an oven or over a hob flame to a very hot temp with a little oil in it. chris303 described the process some years ago. the DalPuri Taste Nottingham video (mogal-e-azam) shows a garlic "tarka" version.

the lamb and stock is the next up for me.

really good report and side by side testing by Bengali Bob - much appreciated

[George]

The Birmingham balti is served in the same dish it is cooked in. 

I think I'm probably in agreement with Jerry on this one. I find it very hard to believe they don't cook the curry in a bog standard frying pan and then pour it into a Balti bowl afterwards.

[okmate]

Looks like a very nice curry indeed, Jerry.

Is the version of the GM you mention from this post?

I'm keen to try this out and I've planned Mick's Garlic Chilli Chicken Dopiaza to experiment on tonight.

So sorry for being so dumb ! but is there any way the recipe can be explained a little simpler as i'm not sure what to make of it
sorry guys ' so looking forward to dipping my nan in that

[JerryM]

okmate,

the balti mix powder is at the Naga link ie for the curry powder i used bassar but any would do to start with



the GM or chef garam at the Naga link has now been revised to:


the dish recipe is still in work but currently is here http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12276.msg102622.html#msg102622

say if things still don't make sense

[JerryM]

been chewing over Bengali Bob's in depth report.

base - i am using "BIR" base for the Balti dishes. the "balti" base that i started with was poor in comparison and needed much work. i do think though to get Balti 100% there we will need to get a "Balti" base. a taster session next year at the adil would fit the bill.

roasting the chef garam - i was not sure from the adil if they roast the GM or not. it did not taste like it had been roasted. so far i've just ground the seeds "lightly" as Bengali Bob outlined.

i've had a go at making pre cooked lamb (1st time) - i ended up using the IFFU pre cook chicken recipe but aligned with Mickdabass recipe and method. in short i left out the turmeric and added in black cardamom and pimento "clove". aiming to cook meat balti tonight.

going to add 1 chef of the stock into the dish. it's very hard to judge how the stock should taste as we only know the finished dish taste. i felt it needed ajwain in the stock but that may well find it's way via the GM.

quite enjoying the journey and see it keeping me busy for the next year. still waiting for my 100 Balti book. the jewelry scales from ebay are naff too so will need to buy different.

[fried]

Thanks for taking the time to piut this up Jerry. I was just about to ask for the spice mix recipe, and there it is. I'll be having a try at my first ever balti this evening.

[Micky Tikka]

Right this smokiness I have come across before and its bugging me 
Now yesterday I was walking through my local town to replace two bunches of parsley that I thought was coriander yes school boy error and I could smell the smokiness
I looked across the road and a West Indian barbecue stall was set up and a big oil drum on its side used to cook the food   
Now this oil drum was closed so it looked like a whole drum apart from a pipe ( chimney ) coming out of it
to release the smoke
Then the second part of this story I got home and was looking at a few recipes in the India cook book
and one recipe said to impose a smoky flavour light a bit of charcoal  put it in your dish on a onion skin and let it smoke with the lid on
I'm not saying they do this in the kitchen but I would say its worth a go