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Balti Style Chicken {Chicken Cooked In A Spicy Masala}

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Balti Style Chicken {Chicken In A Spicy Masala}

Do you know what Balti cuisine is? I did not, till recently. It is believed to have originated around Baltistan, north of Pakistan and Kashmir, and migrated to Birmingham, where it enjoys a sort of cult status. I found a bunch of Balti style recipes in a new cookbook I got. Having never heard of it before, my interest was piqued.

The more I read, one thing was becoming clear to me. And that was, there really is no clear consensus on what actually constitutes Balti cuisine. Balti recipes are simple, the flavors are down to earth, making use of mostly meat and hearty vegetables cooked with simple spices, just like you would any typical North Indian curry. The cooking utensil of choice is a flat-bottomed kadai/karahi, a wok-like utensil.

Balti Chicken {Spicy Chicken Masala}

But in almost all the recipes, I began to notice a trend. Balti dishes are cooked slowly, evaporating off most of the cooking liquid, leaving behind an incredibly flavorful semi-gravy like dish.

Balti Chicken {Chicken in Spicy Masala}

I decided to try a classic balti style chicken dish. The ingredients are similar to a regular Indian style chicken curry. But it is the preparation that makes all the difference. Once you have sauteed and browned the holy-trinity of curries (onion, ginger and garlic), added the tomatoes and spices, it is time to add the chicken and gently combine them together so that the pieces are all coated with the lovely masala. If you are using small pieces of chicken, it doesn’t need any water at all and can be cooked in its own juices. But I used large drumsticks this time and sprinkled just a little bit of water to prevent it from burning or sticking at the bottom.

Once the chicken is cooked, you will see the gravy is reduced to this dark, thick coating on the chicken. Each bite of chicken is therefore, extremely flavorful. Finish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with rice, pulao or Indian flat breads like naan or rotis. Add a side of cool pomegranate raita, and you have an amazing meal!

Spicy Chicken Masala

BALTI STYLE CHICKEN {CHICKEN IN A SPICY MASALA}

You will need:

For marinating,

  • Chicken – 2 lbs (5-6 drumsticks)
  • Yogurt – 2 tbsp
  • Salt – 1 tsp
  • Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

For the chicken masala,

  • Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
  • Onion – 2 medium-sized, finely chopped
  • Ginger – 1 tbsp, grated
  • Garlic – 1 tbsp, crushed and chopped
  • Green chili – 1, chopped
  • Tomato – 2, chopped
  • Whole spices – 1″ cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 1 dried bay leaf
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder – 1 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander powder – 1 tsp
  • Cumin powder – 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
  • Water – 2 tbsp or as needed
  • Salt – 1/2 tsp
  • Cilantro leaves – to garnish

How to:

  • Remove the skin from the chicken drumsticks, wash and pat dry. Combine with the marinade ingredients and refrigerate for half an hour.
  • In a kadai or other deep-bottomed pan, heat the oil or ghee.
  • Add onions and saute till they are golden brown. Add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute for a couple of minutes or till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes turn soft. Then add the whole spices, masala powders and saute for a couple of minutes more.
  • Now add the chicken pieces (without the marinade) and combine well with the masala base. Fry the chicken pieces on medium heat for 5 minutes, turning them over, so all sides are lightly browned.
  • Sprinkle a bit of water, season with salt and mix well. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Check once in a while to see the masala is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, open the lid and reduce the gravy till there is just a thick coating on all the chicken pieces.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with rice or your favorite Indian flat bread and a cool raita.

Notes:

  • It is best to use ghee instead of oil in this dish. The flavor and aroma just cannot be beat. But you can use a neutral oil to make it less calorific, and sneak in just a little bit of ghee to get the flavor.
  • Use paneer or potatoes for a vegetarian version.

Balti Chicken {Chicken In A Spicy Masala}

I served this chicken dish with some buttery naan and a simple pomegranate raita.

For the raita, I lightly whipped some thick yogurt, seasoned with salt and chat masala (tangy and spicy Indian spice mix) and added some fresh pomegranate arils.

Balti Style Chicken Masala

I hope you will try this lovely chicken recipe. It works well as a simple week-night dinner or for parties when you need to feed your guests a nice, homely meal.

Have you come across Balti cuisine? What other dishes have you tried? Do share.

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Comments

  5. I have never heard of Balti cuisine. Even my interest is piqued now, I will try to look up more recipes from there. Thanks for sharing Anjana. It looks a lot like the chicken curry from Andhra region. The flavors and the ingredients too. But as you said I think it is the cooking process that makes the difference.

    Reply

  8. You have a very lucky family eating your gorgeous food! These chicken legs looks fantastic, so delicious 🙂

    Reply

  10. I love the way this dish is called ‘Balti’, when it probably should be called ‘Brummie’ 😉 Thanks for your curiosity – I really enjoyed the post!

    Reply

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