Win… a Balti Bowl & Balti Spice Kit

On February 6, 2021February 21, 2021 By In Recipes9 Comments

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. The winner was @valseal46 with her joke: I was eating at a restaurant and the waiter asked me, “Curry ok?” I replied, “No thanks, I can’t sing”.

Here’s your chance to win an fabulous Balti Bowl plus a Balti Beginnings Spice Kit courtesy of the Birmingham Balti Company – the Balti specialists – who are offering this prize worth £40.

The authentic Balti Bowl is made in Birmingham from pressed-steel – just like the original 1970s bowls – and made for professional kitchens. The Spice Kit includes three fantastic spice blends – garam masala, chicken or veg Balti blend and Balti Lamb blend – perfect to cook up a top-notch, restaurant quality, fresh tasting Balti curry at home.

For a chance to win…
1. Tell us your favourite curry joke or pun.
2. Follow the Royal Curry Club blog (go to top of the page) and subscribe to the Birmingham Balti Co. newsletter.

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Terms & Conditions
1. There will be one winner, who will be selected from entries on this website, Instagram and Twitter.
2. The competition closes at 8pm on Sunday 14 February 2021 and the winner will selected after that time.
3. By entering this competition you agree that your e-mail will automatically be added to the Royal Curry Club follower list and the Birmingham Balti Co. mailing list, which occasionally sends out special offers and news. You can unsubscribe from both at any time.
4. The competition is only open to residents of the UK with a UK address. If you enter the competition and don’t have a UK address the prizes cannot be sent to you and the winner will be reselected.
5. The decision of the organisers is final and we will not enter into correspondence on it.
6. WordPress, Twitter or Instagram are not associated with, and have no responsibility for this competition.

How to cook… Marchwangan Korma

On February 4, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

Korma is either loved (it is one of the favourite restaurant curries) or derided by those who prefer hotter curries. But korma is not just a mild, creamy dish but a style of cooking that means “to braise”, with origins in central Asia. Traditionally this oily, hot Kashmiri korma (yes, they can be hot!) is traditionally cooked with on-the-bone lamb or mutton but chicken works well and requires a lot less cooking time. Pandit Kashmiris (Brahmins) don’t eat onion so Marchwangan Korma is sometimes cooked without it.

What you need…
• 4 Tablespoons ghee
• 800g of chicken, cut into large chunks
• 4 green cardamons, cracked but not crushed
• 6 cloves
• 6cm piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• Salt to taste

Red Marinade
• 1 cooked beetroot, chopped, and 4 Tablespoons of the juice
• 8 red chillies, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 teaspoon paprika

How to make it…
1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade and blend to a fine paste with a little water. Add the chicken and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours but preferably 24 hours.
2. Heat half the ghee in a pan to a high heat and quickly seal the chicken (about 3 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the rest of the ghee to a high heat and fry the cardamons, cloves and cinnamon stick for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately.
4. Turn down the heat, add the garlic cloves and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the onion and fry until it starts to brown (about 6–7 minutes).
6. Add the cumin, coriander and chilli powder and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add the Red Marinade and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Turn down the heat to very lower, add the chicken and salt, cover and cook until the chicken is all cooked through (about 15–20 minutes).

**CHEF’S TIP**
To cook without onion replace with 100ml red wine when you add the Marinade.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza • Ambot Tik
This curry is red, that much is true, it is so hot, it’ll make you go whooa!

How to cook… Paneer Jalfrezi

On February 3, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

While Chicken is the favourite version of this popular dish Paneer Jalfrezi is a must try. Cooked with Base Curry Sauce and mixed with different coloured peppers, onions, tomatoes and chillies to create a lovely range of tastes and colours for this favourite restaurant curry

What you need…
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 Tablespoon ghee
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 cm chunk of ginger, cut into 2cm matchsticks
• 0.5 red pepper, cut into thin slices
• 0.5 yellow (or green) pepper, cut into thin slices
• 4 green chillies, chopped
• 600g Base Curry Sauce
• 800g paneer, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems and some of the leaves to add to the curry but set aside a few of leaves for garnish)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut into segments
• Salt to taste

Spice Mix
• 1 Tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

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How to make it…
1. Heat the oil in pan to a low-medium heat. Add the paneer cubes and fry until they brown. This should take about 3–4 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Heat the ghee to a medium heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Turn up the heat and add the peppers and chillies and cook for 2 minutes. You will soften the peppers and slightly char it (to mimic the tandoor taste).
4. Turn the heat down and add the Base Curry Sauce and Spice Mix and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the coriander, onion, tomatoes and salt, and cook for 3 minutes. The pepper, onion and tomato should be just soft but not mushy.
7. Add the paneer and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
You can use shop bought paneer for the crumbliest paneer make your own.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
Which cheeses can fly? Birds of prey.

How to cook… Keema with Coconut

On February 1, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

A simple dish for mushroom lovers who love a bit of spice in their side dishes. Just add the mushrooms to a little Base Curry Sauce, add plenty of garlic and chilli for this dryish dish.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 600g lamb mince
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 4 dried red chillies, chopped into large pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 curry leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 Tablespoons coconut cream
• Salt to taste

Green Paste
• 20 mint leaves
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon desiccated coconut

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How to make it…
1. Grind the ingredients from the Green Paste into a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a pan to a medium heat and fry the garlic and ginger pastes for 1 minute.
3. Add the mince and fry until it is all browned (about 10 minutes). Remove the mince and set it aside.
4. Add the rest of the oil to a high heat and fry the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chillies for 15 seconds. It should sizzle immediately. You can test it is hot enough by dropping in one seed.
5. Turn down the heat to medium, add the onion and fry until it softens (about 5 minutes).
6. Add the curry leaves, turmeric and garam masala with a little water and fry for 3 minutes.
7. Add the Green Paste and cook for 3 minutes.
8. Add the mince and cook for 25 minutes.
9. Add the coconut cream and salt, mix well, remove from the heat and leave to rest for 3–4 minutes before serving.

**CHEF’S TIP**
You can replace the desiccated coconut with a chunk of fresh coconut for a fresher taste.

**Keema with Coconut** is popular dish from the South Indian state of Kerala.

If you like this you should try our…
Ambot Tik • Chilli Chicken • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo Restaurant-style) • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Recheade
Check out 5 Best Goa Curries
What will you find in the middle of a coconut? The letter ‘o’.

How to cook… Fish Tikka

On January 30, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a starter

Fish Tikka is often overlooked for some of the more popular Tandoori recipes yet fish marinates really well and is quick and easy to cook. Fish makes a top Indian starter but also makes an excellent main dish if combined with Bombay Aloo and Spiced Indian Mixed Salad.

What you need…
• 4 white fish fillets, about 120-150g each
• 0.5 recipe of Tikka Marinade

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How to make it…
1. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and coat the pieces in the Tikka Marinade. Leave for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24–48 hours.
2. Preheat your oven to 170 C. Place the pieces on a greased baking tray, ensuring all the pieces are kept well apart and cook, turning once, until the fish flakes with a fork and the marinade is crispy (about 20 minutes). Check one of the largest pieces to ensure it’s cooked. If not return to the oven.

**CHEF’S TIP**
To achieve those blackened edges the Indian restaurants get by cooking in the tandoor you can finish the fish off for a couple of minutes under a very hot grill. Just remove the fish from the oven a couple of minutes earlier.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
Try this tandoori dish. It’s sure to go swimmingly.

How to cook… Mushroom Chilli Dry Fry

On January 29, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a starter

This is a popular vegetarian Indo-Chinese stir-fry dish, combining flavours from India and China. Mushroom Chilli Dry Fry is a favourite Indian restaurant starter and should be always be served fresh. It’s a very hot, dry dish using chilli and soy sauce.

What you need…
• 4 Tablespoons cornflour
• 5 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 600g mushrooms, sliced
• 3 Tablespoons oil
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 green pepper
• 1–5 green chillies (to your taste), chopped
• 1.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 4 spring onions chopped, to garnish
• A few coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

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How to make it…
1. Mix the cornflour with 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce and coat the mushrooms in the mixture. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil to a medium-hot heat. Fry the mushrooms until all the pieces are sealed (about 2–3 minutes), then set aside.
3. Add the green peppers to the pan and stir-fry until they start to soften (about 3–4 minutes).
4. Add the onions, chillies, pepper and chilli flakes and stir fry for another 2–3 minutes. Add a tiny bit of water if needed but not too much as this is a dry dish.
5. Add the rest of soy sauce and mix in well.
6. Add in the tomatoes and mushrooms and stir-fry until they are all cooked.
7. Garnish with spring onion and coriander and serve fresh.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Check other popular Indian restaurant dishes such as Chicken Chilli Dry Fry. Also known as Hakka Chinese, this distinct Indo-Chinese cuisine was developed by a small group of people who settled in Kolkota from China.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
Don’t give this to someone who is struggling. You should never Kikkoman when he’s down.

How to cook… Stewed Taro Leaves

On January 28, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a side dish

These Stewed Taro Leaves are a Mauritian dish that is served as an accompaniment. When stewed this tropical green leaves (also called kalo) turn a dark brown, almost black and are thick and delicious when cooked with onion, a few spices and tangy tamarind paste. Mauritians eat this as street food with a roti.

What you need…
• 20 stalks of taro with leaves. Peel the first layer, clean thoroughly and chop.
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 0.5 onion, chopped fine
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic teaspoon
• 0.5 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 curry leaves
• 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste
• Salt to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• A few coriander leaves to garnish

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How to make it…
1. Heat the oil in a pan to a medium pan and fry the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion softens (about 5 minutes)
2. Add the chilli flakes, cumin seeds and curry leaves, and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the taro leaves, tamarind paste, salt and a little water, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add the tomato and cook until the colour darkens and is fully stewed (about 15–30 minutes). Add a little more water if needed but not too much as this should be served thick.
5. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve.
• Photo of leaves by Thierry Caro, published in Wikipedia

**CHEF’S TIP**
Chop everything as fine as possible to speed up the stewing process.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
Don’t bother staring at the leaves. They won’t be able to tell you your future.

How to cook… Spicy Fish Pie

On January 13, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

This is a spicy twist on the classic Fish Pie, combining white fish and prawns with spices and herbs and topped with Bengali mashed potato. Aloo Bhorta.

What you need…
• 1 recipe Aloo Bhorta
• 12 large prawns, deveined but not peeled
• 400ml milk
• 1 onion, sliced
• 400g white fish
• Small handful parsley, chopped
• 50g cream
• Salt to taste

Spice Mix
• 3 cloves
• 5 curry leaves
• 2 cardamons, cracked open but not crushed
• 5 peppercorns
• 1 dried red chilli
• Pinch of turmeric

For the sauce
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour

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How to make it…
1. Cook the prawns in a little water in a pan until they turn pink (about 5 minutes). Allow to cool and peel. Set aside.
2. Heat the milk gently in a pan until it bubbles gently, add the Spice Mix and onion and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the fish and poach for until it is cooked through (about 7–8 minutes).
4. Add the fish to a baking dish of about 22cm x 22cm and flake it (any skin should peel off easily and you can discard this). Spread the prawns and the parsley evenly on top of the fish.
5. In another pan heat the butter to a medium heat, add the flour and mix for 1 minute.
6. Turn down the heat to low, add the milk (not the solids) bit by bit to the butter and flour. Add the cream and cook gently for 5 minutes, constantly mixing to avoid it sticking.
7. Add the solids (you can remove the whole spices if you don’t want them in the pie), warm through, then pour over the fish and prawns evenly. Add salt.
8. Spread the Aloo Bhorta evenly on top of the sauce.
9. Heat the oven to 200 C and cook for 30 minutes. The potato should be slightly browned on the top.

**CHEF’S TIP**
When spreading potato on the top start from the edges and work inwards making sure there are no gaps that allow the mixture to bubble through when cooking.

The **Spicy Fish Pi**e, just before the Aloo Bhorta is spread across the top.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
This is a clever dish. It knows Pi to 50 decimal points.

How to cook… Aloo Bhorta

On January 13, 2021March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a side dish

Mashed potato is a favourite around the world and the sub-continent is no different. This Bengali favourite, which uses garlic, chopped onion and spices in a mustard-flavoured oil, is also popular in Rajasthan and Bihar. You may also see it called Aloo Bhatte or Chokha.

What you need…
• 500g potatoes (about 3 medium-sized potatoes), peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 0.5 onion, finely chopped
• 2 chillies, chopped
• 0.5 garam masala,
• 0.5 crushed black pepper
• Small handful coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon ghee

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How to make it…
1. Boil the potatoes in water with a pinch of salt until they are very soft. Mash and set aside.
• While the potatoes are boiling warm the oil in a pan to high heat and fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds for 15 seconds. Be careful not to burn them.
• Turn down the heat to medium, add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
• Add the onion (keep a few pieces back for the garnish) and chilli and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the garam masala, pepper and coriander leaves, and cook for 3 minutes. Add a little water if necessary.
• Add the mixture to the mash, add salt, and mix together well.
• Garnish with the remaining onion, add the ghee to the top, and serve.

**CHEF’S TIP**
To achieve the mustardy taste you can use mustard oil instead of the vegetable oil (just omit the mustard seeds from the recipe).

Delicious **Aloo Bhorta** is the perfect comfort food and is the ideal stuffing for a roti.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
What’s better, mashed potato or chips? It’s advisable not to choose sides.

How to cook… Chicken Patia

On January 10, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

Although traditionally cooked with fish, restaurants now serve this Parsee dish with your choice of meat, and chicken has soon become a curry house favourite. Parsee dishes are famed for their sweet and sour flavours and Patia is no different, using tamarind and jaggery to get the balance just right.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced (or 1 teaspoon garlic paste)
• 600ml Base Curry Sauce
• Half a red pepper, cut into 2cm chunks
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Small handful of coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and keep a few leaves aside for the garnish)
• Salt to taste
• 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 Tablespoon jaggery (or brown sugar)
• 1 Tablespoon tamarind sauce/chutney (or lime juice)

Spice Mix
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika

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How to make it…
1. Heat the oil in a pan to a medium heat, add the garlic and fry for 1 minutes. While it is cooking mix the Spice Mix with a little water to form a sloppy paste.
2. Add the Spice Mix to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
3. Add the Base Curry Sauce and pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the jaggery, tamarind and garam masala, and continue cooking until all the chicken pieces are cooked through (about 7–10 minutes).
6. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Restaurants sometimes use lime juice and brown sugar instead of tamarind and jaggery.

If you like this you should try our…
Sag Paneer • Chilli Paneer • Butter Chicken • Butter Paneer • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
If someone wants to taste this curry then just Parsee it to them.

The Royal Curry Club

Tag: Curry joke

Win… a Balti Bowl & Balti Spice Kit

How to cook… Marchwangan Korma

How to cook… Paneer Jalfrezi

How to cook… Keema with Coconut

How to cook… Fish Tikka

How to cook… Mushroom Chilli Dry Fry

How to cook… Stewed Taro Leaves

How to cook… Spicy Fish Pie

How to cook… Aloo Bhorta

How to cook… Chicken Patia

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