Chicken Balti Recipe | Restaurant Style | Hint Of Helen (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a curry and a Balti? ›

The truth is that the Balti actually refers to the dish that the curry is cooked in rather than the curry itself. The dish that it's cooked in is an Indian cast iron, round-bottomed wok with two handles calle a karahi. The curry is characteristically a meat (or veg) dish with a thick, spicy tomato-based sauce.

A tomato based sauce with peppers, cumin and coriander.

This off-the-bone preparation of meat sets the Balti apart from the more traditional "on-the-bone" meat used in the "one-pot" style of cooking from the Indian subcontinent. While "one-pot" curries might take hours to cook all the ingredients, Balti chefs add meat and vegetables to the dish one ingredient at a time.

Although many argue that the dish is called Balti due to the fact it's cooked in a pan resembling a bucket, some others believe that the origins of the word and dish can be traced right back to a place called Baltistan, in Northern Pakistan.

The Karahi curry is a spicy dish and is a particular favourite in Northern India and Pakistan. It is related to the Balti and Jalfrezi as all of them are stir fried dishes. A Karahi is actually the name for a type of Indian iron round bottomed wok in the same way that a Balti is a flat bottomed metal dish too.

Most standard baltis however are cooked to a medium level of spice, hotter than a korma or a pasanda, but less spicy than a jalfrezi or madras. Restaurants are usually flexible however, and you can ask them to dial the spice up or down if you prefer, or choose one of the other traditional styles.

It is a mild, tomato based curry made with a fresh blend of many aromatic spices, and it is a very 'wet' curry, with lots of tasty gravy. It is usually cooked with chicken or lamb, with the addition of fresh garlic, ginger, onion, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and 2-3 tsp of the Balti spice mixture.

The combination of both spices, allium vegetables and tomatoes used in a typical Balti, gives the dish some fantastic health giving properties! Balti's are particularly good for boosting your body's natural immunity and fighting off colds, thanks to the beneficial ingredients onions, turmeric, paprika and garlic.

Origin, history and etymology

Balti, as a food, is named after the steel or iron pot in which it is cooked, similar to a karahi from the same region.

How to eat a balti dish? Balti is a classic curry main cooked in round bottom cast iron woks. And also served in stainless steel Balti bowls for a different look. The most suitable side for enjoying a hearty balti is rice, but an addictive garlic naan as a companion with balti does not disappoint you.

Do Balti dishes come with rice? ›

Balti dishes are typically served hot, straight from the pan they were cooked in, and often accompanied by rice, naan bread, or roti.

The chicken balti recipe is prepared into a spicy, tender, delicious, thick, tomato-based, saucy, tangy, flavoursome curry that contains onion, ginger and a lot of Indian ground spices like garam masala and chilli powder sauteed with tender chicken pieces that absorb all the heat and flavours of the spices, enhancing ...

Balti is a deep dish in which the food is prepared. The curry differs from normal curries because the exotic collection of fresh spices and herbs are used, creating a thicker richer and distinctive flavour.

A traditional balti is served in the dish it was cooked in, a round bottom cast iron wok; some sides frequently come with the dish; you can order either rice or naan bread. Traditional flavours usually include tikka masala, tandoori, rogan josh and korma, all of which can be cooked in a balti style.

When it comes to the top of the list of hot curries, nothing sits above the Phall. Made with a mix of ginger, fennel seed and a combination of dried chillies, the British Asian dish actually originated in Indian restaurants in Birmingham – the city that's well-known for its versatile curry offering.

There are three main types of Thai curries—red, yellow, and green—which are categorized by the color of the curry paste. The color of the chilies and other ingredients gives each curry its distinct hue. Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chilies.

A balti curry is first cooked over a high flame with spiced fresh meat and vegetables; then cooked again with extra spices; before being served in the traditional round-bottomed balti dish. There are so many ways of preparing a Balti Tikka Masala and this version is perfectly wonderful and memorable.