Almost any curry can be cooked as a balti. At Shababs, in Birmingham, they seem to have hundreds of combinations that can be ordered. The restaurant was packed when I visited with friend and balti historian Andy Munro. He commented that making baltis correctly was probably best left to the professionals, and after watching chef-owner Zafar Hussain cook a few, I could understand why. Don’t let that stop you from making this one, though!
Authentic baltis are cooked over a high gas flame that is much hotter than is possible on most conventional hobs. As they are cooked, the whole pan turns into a big ball of fire as the oil catches light. You might think that this would burn the other ingredients but it doesn’t. Only the oil is burned off, making the balti healthier and adding a delicious smoking flavour. When they place those sizzling hot curries in front of you, you know you’re in for something special.
Cook it in a large, one-serving balti pan just like at Shababs! A good frying pan can be substituted.