The following recipe is an alterntive to my original. It is based on a recipe by Brian
Partridge which I've modified to my own tastes. I'd be interested to know which you
prefer.
Tips:
A wok is ideal for cooking a balti.
Keep your spices freshly ground and in small quanties. In particular ground coriander
quickly looses its aroma if kept too long.
A Braun electric coffee grinder is ideal for grinding coriander and cumin seeds.
Sunflower oil is an ideal alternative to the less healthy gee.
Asian stores are an economic place to buy your ingredients.
Fresh ginger can be frozen. Peel and cut it into small chunks first.
Fresh coriander leaf is available from many asian shops but it is easy to grow in large
pots.
Dried coriander leaf is awful but the frozen variety works well. Large supermarkets sell
small quantities at a price!
Ingredients:
4 - 5 tablespoons of cooking oil
Two chicken breasts cut into cubes
Large mild (Spanish) onion.
½ vegetable or chicken stock cube dissolved in a cup of water
Salt
2 cloves garlic, grated
1-2 cm of ginger, grated
Tomato puree
1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh coriander
2 quartered tomatoes
Curry Powder (will make enough for several dishes)
3 tsp coriander seens
1½ tsp cummin seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 heaped tsp of each: gram flour, garlic powder
1 tsp of each: paprika, turmeric, garam masala
¼ tsp of each: dry ground curry leaves, asafoedita, ginger powder, chilli powder, yellow
mustard powder, ground black pepper.
Roast and then grind the first three three spices. Mix all together and store.
Stage 3 ingredients
2 tsp of grated fresh ginger and 2 cloves crushed garlic
1-2 chopped green chillis and 2 chopped spring onions
Balti Masala comprising a mixture of 1 tsp of each: ground turmeric, cummin, 1 bay leaf
and 1 black cardamom.
1 tsp of chilli powder
½ tsp of salt
1 tsp of dried fenugreek (methi)
1 tsp of Garam Masala
Method
Stage 1
Add 2-3 tbl of oil to a hot wok and when slightly smoking, add the chicken and stir fry.
A minute later, add 3/4 of the chopped onion, 2 tbl of the stock, 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp of
the curry powder.
Simmer for 10 minutes until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked and golden
brown. Drain the chicken, keeping the oil and reserve.
Stage 2
Curry sauce
Add the oil from the previous step to a hot wok.
Fry the remaining onion with the grated garlic and ginger. Add 1 tsp
of the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes taking care not to overcook. Stir in the rest
of the stock. Cool, liquidise and return to the wok. Stir in 2 tsp of tomato puree and
simmer for 5 minutes to give the consistency of thick soup. Reserve.
Stage 3
The Balti
Arrange all the ingredients near to the cooker as the process requires almost constant
attention once started.
Heat 2 -3 tablespoons of cooking oil to a hot wok.
At half minute intervals add, in that order, the Stage 3 ingredients listed above and stir
fry taking care that they do not burn. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and curry sauce
and simmer until heated through.
Add the fresh coriander and quartered tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes start to
soften.
If necessary tip the pan and spoon off any excess oil.
Heat to bubbling point and serve immediately in warmed karahis or bowls.
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