Balti

also called balti chicken · chicken balti · balti gosht · baltee

The table

1 1/2 lb(680 g; cut in 1-in pieces)boneless chicken thighssear 6 min over high heatfry in 4 minsimmer 10 min, until the peppers soften and the sauce clingsstir in off the heat and send the bowl out
3 Tbs(45 mL)neutral oil
1 tspkosher salt
1 cup(240 g; the base recipe)onion-tomato masala
3 cloves(sliced)garlic
2 tspground coriander
1 tspground cumin
1 tspKashmiri chile powder
1 tsp(crumbled)kasuri methi
1(in 1-in squares)green bell pepper
1 large(chopped)tomato
1/2 cup(120 mL)water
1/4 cup(chopped)cilantro
1 Tbs(chopped)mint
1/2 tspgaram masala
2 tsplemon juice
Balti is from Birmingham not Baltistan whatever the menu says — a pressed-steel bowl with two handles cooked fast over a high flame carried straight to the table and eaten out of the middle with naan instead of forks. The bowl is the recipe: thin steel over a hot ring is what lets a curry finish in ten minutes. The mint at the end is the other tell it is the one thing here that no other line on this list does
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1sear 6 min over high heat

2fry in 4 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3simmer 10 min, until the peppers soften and the sauce clings

goes in with what step 2 made

4stir in off the heat and send the bowl out

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 20 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
10 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 4 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 40 min.

  1. sear 6 min over high heat

    6 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. fry in 4 min

    4 minneeds you6 min in

  3. simmer 10 min, until the peppers soften and the sauce clings

    10 minwalk away10 min in

  4. stir in off the heat and send the bowl out

    not timed20 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need balti bowl

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Balti
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, indian, peppers, birmingham, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: balti chicken, chicken balti, balti gosht, baltee
>> pairs-with: onion-tomato-masala, naan, kachumber
>> servings: 4
>> time: 40 min
>> step.1: sear 6 min over high heat
>> step.2: fry in 4 min
>> step.3: simmer 10 min, until the peppers soften and the sauce clings
>> step.4: stir in off the heat and send the bowl out

Sear @boneless chicken thighs{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; cut in 1-in pieces) in @neutral oil{3%Tbs}(45 mL) with @kosher salt{1%tsp} in a #balti bowl{} over high heat ~sear{6%min}.

Fry @onion-tomato masala{1%cup}(240 g; the base recipe), @garlic{3%cloves}(sliced), @ground coriander{2%tsp}, @ground cumin{1%tsp}, @Kashmiri chile powder{1%tsp} and @kasuri methi{1%tsp}(crumbled) into @&(~1)seared chicken{} ~fry{4%min}.

Simmer @green bell pepper{1}(in 1-in squares), @tomato{1%large}(chopped) and @water{1/2%cup}(120 mL) with @&(~1)pan{} ~simmer{10%min}, until the pepper has given up its squeak and the sauce clings to the chicken rather than pooling under it.

Stir @cilantro{1/4%cup}(chopped), @mint{1%Tbs}(chopped), @garam masala{1/2%tsp} and @lemon juice{2%tsp} into @&(~1)balti{} off the heat, and send it out in the bowl it was cooked in.

Balti is from Birmingham, not Baltistan, whatever the menu says — a pressed-steel bowl with two handles, cooked fast over a high flame, carried straight to the table and eaten out of the middle with naan instead of forks. The bowl is the recipe: thin steel over a hot ring is what lets a curry finish in ten minutes. The mint at the end is the other tell, and it is the one thing here that no other line on this list does.