Cauliflower, Spinach and Chickpea Balti
Balti is a stir-fried curry invented by the Pakistani community the English Midlands.
Unlike curry, it's usually eaten with naan bread rather than rice. The first part of the recipe
(making balti sauce) is more or less standard for all baltis; you can substitute almost any
vegetables in the second part. I tend to build up a stock of balti sauce in the freezer, and use
up any leftover vegetables by making baltis.
Originally from: High Quality Balti, Birmingham, England
Printed in: 100 Best Balti Curries, Diane Lowe and Mike Davidson
Serves 4
Matt Bishop
Part 1
Heat the oil over a moderate heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Add the onions and
stir-fry until they are translucent. Add 9 fl oz water and bring to the boil. Add everything
else, cover and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and
cardamom pods, and liquidize the rest in a blender. This will make about 2 pints of
balti sauce.
Part II
Heat the oil in a large wok (or a frying pan) over a medium high heat. Fry the onions
gently until they begin to turn brown. Add the ginger and garlic, stir well, and cook for
one minute. Add the spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas, salt and enough
balti sauce to coat all the vegetables (4-6 ladles of sauce). Turn the heat to low, cover and
simmer until the cauliflower is just tender. Add the green chillies and stir-fry for 3 more
minutes. Stir in the coriander.
Just before serving, sprinkle the garam masala on top.
Serve with naan bread or chapatis.
From the Dinner Co-op