In preparation, toast and grind the cumin, coriander and fenugreek seeds to a powder, and make the special Balti is a fast cooked dish, traditionally over a high flame and served in the very bowl it's cooked in. It is made with vegetable oil and not ghee, producing a lighter tasting and healthier alternative to a traditional slower cooked curry. We believe the freshness of the flavours, due to this cooking process sets balti apart as a curry taste sensation! Cook for a couple of minutes or until the spinach goes soft, and wilts to a fraction of its original volume. Stir occasionally. Top with 1 – 2 tsp of butter ghee just before serving, and mix gently. The ghee will add a rich flavour and give the balti an attractive appearance.

teaspoons of The Birmingham Balti spice pot blend OR 1tsp ground Paprika, 1tsp dried fenugreek leaves, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp ground tumeric.

How to make Vegetable Balti:

Its popularity rose throughout the 80s as more and more restaurants opened first through the West Midlands and then further, throughout the whole of the UK. Today, it’s as popular and synonymous with the country’s takeaway and culinary scene as fish and chips. Of course, you’ll always find the purists who will argue that you can’t get a ‘proper’ Balti outside of Birmingham. Indeed, in 2012, The Birmingham Balti Association (BBA) put in a private bid to have the “Birmingham Balti” name protected by an EU scheme.

a. The recipe for my pre-cooked lamb, mix powder, and base gravy can be found in my Book, ‘Indian Restaurant Curry at Home Volume 1’ No matter which Indian restaurant you’re eating at, we can guarantee Batli is on the menu. You can bet your house on it. We all love to see that beautifully coloured curry coming out fresh and sizzling in the still-burning-hot pan. It’s what makes the whole experience. Indeed, the dish is so popular here in the UK that there are not just Indian restaurants but ‘Balti houses’. So, where did this dish come from? What is it? And why is it so popular? Turn up the heat to high while stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds, or until the sauce has reduced very Next, add the tomato paste, the tamarind/lemon juice, the coriander stalks, and turn the heat up to high.Add a second 75ml of base gravy, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan once when first

I have found that experimenting with leftovers can often be an inspiration for new recipes. This spinach & mushroom balti is a curry that I was pleased to stumble on. The flavours of the spinach and mushroom are brought together and accentuated with a balanced mixture of ingredients. I like using an authentic Birmingham Balti Bowl to cook this curry. The thin pressed steel transfers a lot of heat while cooking, and imparts a distinctive and delicious taste to the balti. Now add in 75ml base gravy, stir once, and leave to cook until the sauce is reduced a little, and small craters form again around the edges of the pan. Heat the oil in a large pan over a moderate heat then add the onions, ginger and garlic, stirring regularly until onions are translucent. Add the tomato and stir into the mixture, then add the water and all the other ingredients, give it all a good stir and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely then blitz in a blender/food processer until smooth. Fry for 20-30 seconds, stirring very frequently. Add a splash of base gravy (e.g. 30ml) if the mixture dries out, to avoid burning the spices and to give them enough time to cook properly.

More Balti recipes below featuring our authentic bowls by leading curry chef and top selling curry author Dan Toombs 'The Curry Guy'

Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes to brown them. It is normal for the mushroom pieces to shrink in size as they release water. Scoop the mushrooms out and set aside. Finally, serve in the pan you cooked it in, garnished with fresh coriander and tomato segments. Serve with naan bread for best results.Also add the Kashmiri chilli powder, mix powder, garam masala, salt, methi, and a small amount of base gravy Now add the first 75ml of base gravy, stir into the sauce, and leave on high heat (not stirring) until the sauce Then to the same pan add the cassia bark, panch phoran, split green cardamom pods, and the ajwain seeds. Fry the whole spices for 30 seconds to infuse the oil with flavour. Next, add the onion and red and green pepper. Fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened, stirring frequently.