Authentic Sweet and Sour Chicken Balti
Really easy to make. I have made this dish on many occasions for different guests and all have said they prefer it to what they get in the Indian restaurant!
Really easy to make. I have made this dish on many occasions for different guests and all have said they prefer it to what they get in the Indian restaurant!
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 1+1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoons extra hot chilli powder
- 5-7 cloves garlic pulped
- 2 tablespoons mango chutney
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn oil
- 3 breasts boneless chicken breasts cubed
- 1/4 pint boiling water
- 2 hot chillies chopped
- 6-7 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
- 2 tablespoons single cream (optional)
- Carbohydrate 4.46009750327596 g
- Cholesterol 0.306249999741111 mg
- Fat 126.083301304111 g
- Fiber 0.498312495315535 g
- Protein 1.28602500004288 g
- Saturated Fat 10.1392793793355 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (225g)
- Sodium 20.8111249983384 mg
- Sugar 3.96178500796042 g
- Trans Fat 5.46505125236557 g
- Calories 1136 calories
Step-by-step
- Using a tall jug, add tomato puree, yogurt, garam masala, chili powder, garlic pulp, mango chutney, salt, and sugar.
- Using a hand blender, mix into a paste.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add balti paste (scrape sides clean with a spatula to avoid any waste!).
- Use the same jug to measure water and add as much as you require to make the desired consistency.
- Add chicken breasts and mix well.
- Cover and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chilies and coriander (saving a little to garnish), mix in, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Serve with basmati rice and naan bread, adding cream (optional) and coriander to garnish.
Deep crimson sauce clings to tender poultry, offering a sharp juxtaposition of fruit sugars and raw heat from crushed chilies. Mango chutney brings sucrose and citric acid, which caramelize slightly when fried in corn oil, while Greek yogurt introduces lactic acid to tenderize the protein fibers during the initial twenty-minute simmer. This dairy component also buffers the capsaicin molecules from the extra hot chili powder, distributing fat-soluble heat evenly across the palate without overwhelming the spices. Garam masala relies on volatile aromatic compounds like eugenol from cloves and cinnamaldehyde, which degrade quickly under direct heat, meaning they should be incorporated into the paste early to mellow their harsh edges. Managing this process requires blending the tomato puree and aromatics thoroughly in a tall jug before transferring them to a hot pan to prevent scorching. Adjusting the consistency with boiling water rather than cold liquid maintains the pan temperature, ensuring the sauce simmers steadily rather than dropping below a boil when the cubed chicken is introduced.
