Perfect Chicken Balti Food

PERFECT CHICKEN BALTI

Steps:

• Peel the garlic and deseed the chillies, then roughly chop and place into a pestle and mortar.
• Bash to a rough paste with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Peel, finely chop and add the ginger, then bash to break it down. Peel and finely chop the onions.
• Drizzle a lug of oil into a large non-stick pan over a medium heat, add the cinnamon, bay and cardamom, stir for 1 minute, then add the onions. Reduce the heat slightly and fry for 15 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
• Chop the chicken into 2.5cm chunks and add to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, fry for a few minutes, then stir in the chilli paste. Cook for 2 minutes, add the remaining spices and mix well.
• Halve and roughly chop the tomatoes, then stir them into the pan.
• Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and broken down.
• Add the yoghurt and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced.
• Pick, finely chop and stir in most of the coriander leaves, season to taste, then serve with a homemade naan, brown rice, a dollop of yoghurt and the remaining coriander leaves scattered on top.

BEST EVER CHICKEN BALTI

Steps:

• Blend together the tomato puree, yoghurt, garam masala, chili powder, garlic, mango chutney, salt and sugar.
• Heat oil and add tomato mixture-cook for approx 2 minutes-stirring occasionally.
• Add chopped chicken and a little cold water,and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
• Add chilies, coriander and cream, stir in well and cook for a few minutes more. If the sauce is a little thick just add water to achieve your preferred consistency.
• Serve with boiled rice and/or naan bread.
• N.B-This freezes well-sometimes I just make the sauce up and freeze little tubs of it.

ROB'S CHICKEN BALTI

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan and add the oil, brown off the chicken quickly and reserve to 1 side. Now fry the onions and peppers over a medium heat in the remaining oil until just starting to brown.
• Add the curry paste and fry off for at least 2 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger and frying for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan stirring well along with the cinnamon cumin, cardamom, bay and garam marsala. Boil down for around 3-5 minutes.
• Mix the stock cube with 1/2 pt boiling water and add to the pan along with the coconut cream and the milk, bring to the boil and add the reserved chicken and the grated apple.
• Cook for 30 minutes over a low/medium heat.
• Taste and adjust seasonings adding salt and plenty of black pepper, take off the heat and throw in the coriander, allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.