Lamb balti (Birmingham balti)

Close up of a Birmingham balti curry made with lamb.

5 from 2 votes

This lamb balti curry is a great example of a homecooked Birmingham balti. It’s fresh and tangy with plenty of aromatic spice and a good kick of chilli heat. Pre-cooked meat ensures this balti lamb is tender and a joy to scoop up the traditional way, with naan bread.

Credit to Dan Toombs (The Curry Guy), Shababs restaurant and The Birmingham Balti Bowl Co. Their shared knowledge has helped in the creation of this recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Making the balti sauce/ gravy and pre-cooking the lamb1 30

Total Time1 55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British, West Midlands

Servings:

Calories: 576kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

Pressed steel balti bowl (for the most authentic cooking). Alternatively use a wok or a large pan

Ingredients

For the balti sauce/ gravy

2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
450 g Onions approx 2 medium-large ones
1 Tomato
2 cm Ginger or 1½ teaspoons ginger paste
2 Garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons garlic paste
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder or deggi mirch or other mild chilli powder
½ teaspoon Salt
15 g Fresh coriander
300 ml Water

For the Lamb Balti

700 g Pre-cooked lamb try this recipe
4 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 Onion
4 Tomatoes
1 Red pepper
1 Green pepper
4 teaspoons Garlic paste
4 teaspoons Ginger paste
3-4 Green chillies medium heat level
4 teaspoons Garam masala
1½ teaspoons Mild paprika
1½ teaspoons Ground cumin
1½ teaspoons Turmeric
1½ teaspoons Ground coriander
1½ teaspoons Fenugreek leaves (methi)
½ teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Tomato puree
8 teaspoons Lime juice
30 g Fresh coriander

Instructions

Make the Balti Sauce/ Gravy

Roughly chop the onion, place in a medium-sized saucepan and fry in oil until translucent.
Peel and chop the garlic and ginger. Add to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
Chop the tomato roughly then add to the pan along with the spices. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add water, pop on the saucepan lid and gently simmer for 30 minutes then add the fresh coriander and stir through.
Pour all ingredients into the jug of a blender. Blitz until smooth. The sauce is ready to use but can be cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.

Make the Lamb Balti

Finely dice the tomatoes and chop the onion relatively small. Deseed and chop the peppers. Chop the chillies (removing seeds is optional – leaving them in will make the dish spicier).
Divide the vegetables and chilli into 4 portions (unless intending to cook all 4 portions in one large pan).
Next measure out the spices and salt, again dividing into 4 portions.
Put the balti dish on the stovetop and turn the heat to high.
Cook 1 portion of the onion and tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil for 2 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and ginger pastes along with the chilli.
Add in the peppers, cook for 2 minutes.
Toss ¼ of the pre-cooked lamb into the pan.
Add in 1 portion of the spices and salt. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
Add in 4 tablespoons of the balti gravy along with 1 tablespoon of the tomato puree and 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is piping hot, the sauce looks thick and it is beginning to caramelise around the edges.
Stir through some fresh coriander and serve or keep warm while you cook the rest by repeating from step 5 above.

Notes

Make double batches of the pre-cooked lamb and balti gravy and freeze them in individual portions, ready to pull out of the freezer for when a speedy lamb balti is the order of the day.
There might be some balti gravy left over. This can be frozen for later use.
Cooking a balti curry is quick. It should take no more than 8-10 minutes. For this reason, chopping all vegetables and measuring out the spices and other ingredients before cooking commences is key to success.
Chop the lamb and vegetables relatively small rather than too chunky. Remember that diners will be scooping up the curry using naan bread.
Authentic balti dishes can typically hold enough ingredients for 2 people so you can always cook enough for 2 at a time rather than individual portions to speed the cooking up.
If using a large pan, it is possible that all ingredients will fit into it but it may take a little longer to cook.
Add more balti gravy for a saucier curry.
Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.

Serving Suggestion

This popular dish is traditionally served in the balti bowl it is cooked in with a side order of naan bread, for dipping, scooping and wiping. Cutlery and rice do not typically make an appearance.

Nutrition