The word "balti" actually refers to the serving dish rather than to an individual recipe. It's popularity grew during the 80's after it was introduced to the UK in Birmingham. Below is a great tasting, reasonably spicy chicken curry recipe.
Serves four, ready in one hour, fifteen minutes.
Curry Sauce Ingredients: Olive oil, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4cm piece of ginger, 2 green chillies, teaspoon turmeric powder, teaspoon cumin seed, teaspoon coriander seed, 1 teaspoon tomato puree
The Chicken Balti Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, 2 green peppers, 2 red peppers, 2 onions, 3 green chillies, 2 red chillies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoons paprika powder, 1 teaspoons tumeric powder, teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon tomato puree, 1 teaspoon garam masala, salt.
For ease of preparing I have split the method in two - the first stream for the preparing of the curry sauce, and then the second for preparing the meat and the main body of the curry. I hope this works for you.
The Curry Sauce:
1. Put a small saucepan over a high heat and drizzle in some oil. Chop the onion into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir for a couple of minutes until the onion is soft.
2. Take the green chilli and remove the seeds, and then chop into small pieces. Add this to the pan with the onion and then crush in the garlic cloves (don't bother removing the skin, I find they crush better). Stir the chilli, onion, and garlic and then grate in the ginger.
3. Lower the heat and continue to stir for another 15 minutes.
4. Now add the teaspoons of spices (turmeric powder, cumin seed and coriander seed) and stir for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Take a blender and add 125ml of cold water to it. Once the mixture has cooled sufficiently add to the blender with the tomato puree and blend until you have a fine, smooth puree.
6. Tip the paste back into the saucepan and turn the heat to low. Now, you're ready to start preparing the main part of the meal, but as you do ensure you stir this sauce occassionally. It should turn a dark orange colour as it slowly heats.
The Balti:
1. Prepare the veg by chopping roughly the onion, peppers and chillies (remove all the seeds from the chillies too)
2. Cut the meat into handy mouthful sized cubes.
3. In a large wok heat a little oil over a high heat. Throw in the peppers and fry for a couple of minutes - just as they begin to brown remove the peppers and leave aside for the moment.
4. If you're running low add a little more oil to the pan. Add the cubes of chicken you prepared earlier and a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Fry the chicken (in batches if there's too much) until you're happy they are cooked through and remove them for later too.
5. Lower the heat to medium and again, if necessary add a little more oil to the wok. Add the vegetables (onions and chillies) as well as the cumin seeds. Stir in the wok well until the onion is soft, not brown!
6. When the onion is soft add the paprika, turmeric and cinnamon and then continue to stiry fry for another 45 seconds or so.
7. Now you can pour the sauce you've been tending to for the last 30 minutes or so into the wok. Also add some tomato puree, and the cooked chicken cubes.
8. Bring the mixture to the boil, add a little more seasoning if you wish, and then turn the heat to low and allow the curry to cook for another 15 minutes or so.
9. After 15 minutes or so add the peppers and garam masala into the curry and stir.
10. Cook for a further 15 minutes. Add hot water if the sauce is becoming too thick.
Serves four, ready in one hour, fifteen minutes.
Curry Sauce Ingredients: Olive oil, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4cm piece of ginger, 2 green chillies, teaspoon turmeric powder, teaspoon cumin seed, teaspoon coriander seed, 1 teaspoon tomato puree
The Chicken Balti Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, 2 green peppers, 2 red peppers, 2 onions, 3 green chillies, 2 red chillies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoons paprika powder, 1 teaspoons tumeric powder, teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon tomato puree, 1 teaspoon garam masala, salt.
For ease of preparing I have split the method in two - the first stream for the preparing of the curry sauce, and then the second for preparing the meat and the main body of the curry. I hope this works for you.
The Curry Sauce:
1. Put a small saucepan over a high heat and drizzle in some oil. Chop the onion into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir for a couple of minutes until the onion is soft.
2. Take the green chilli and remove the seeds, and then chop into small pieces. Add this to the pan with the onion and then crush in the garlic cloves (don't bother removing the skin, I find they crush better). Stir the chilli, onion, and garlic and then grate in the ginger.
3. Lower the heat and continue to stir for another 15 minutes.
4. Now add the teaspoons of spices (turmeric powder, cumin seed and coriander seed) and stir for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Take a blender and add 125ml of cold water to it. Once the mixture has cooled sufficiently add to the blender with the tomato puree and blend until you have a fine, smooth puree.
6. Tip the paste back into the saucepan and turn the heat to low. Now, you're ready to start preparing the main part of the meal, but as you do ensure you stir this sauce occassionally. It should turn a dark orange colour as it slowly heats.
The Balti:
1. Prepare the veg by chopping roughly the onion, peppers and chillies (remove all the seeds from the chillies too)
2. Cut the meat into handy mouthful sized cubes.
3. In a large wok heat a little oil over a high heat. Throw in the peppers and fry for a couple of minutes - just as they begin to brown remove the peppers and leave aside for the moment.
4. If you're running low add a little more oil to the pan. Add the cubes of chicken you prepared earlier and a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Fry the chicken (in batches if there's too much) until you're happy they are cooked through and remove them for later too.
5. Lower the heat to medium and again, if necessary add a little more oil to the wok. Add the vegetables (onions and chillies) as well as the cumin seeds. Stir in the wok well until the onion is soft, not brown!
6. When the onion is soft add the paprika, turmeric and cinnamon and then continue to stiry fry for another 45 seconds or so.
7. Now you can pour the sauce you've been tending to for the last 30 minutes or so into the wok. Also add some tomato puree, and the cooked chicken cubes.
8. Bring the mixture to the boil, add a little more seasoning if you wish, and then turn the heat to low and allow the curry to cook for another 15 minutes or so.
9. After 15 minutes or so add the peppers and garam masala into the curry and stir.
10. Cook for a further 15 minutes. Add hot water if the sauce is becoming too thick.
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