Bloody Brilliant Balti

The origins of Balti cuisine are murky. Did it originate on the Pakistan-China border? Is it named for the wok-like vessel used to prepare its recipes? Or is it a sub-cuisine of Indian cooking born in Birmingham, England? Culinary experts don't know, but aficionados agree that it's bloody brilliant (for those keeping score, "brilliant" is British slang for "awesome"!). 

We're going to feature a Balti menu in the upcoming Couples Night workshop on July 14. Anticipating it, I decided to treat my husband by whipping up a favorite recipe: Balti Shrimp with Coconut. Chuck likes vindaloo-level heat in his food, so I pulled out a jar of Penzey's Indian Crushed Red Chili Peppers that were hanging around. Not knowing how spicy they might be (and too savvy to stick my nose in the jar), I opted to use just a dash of them - about 1/8 teaspoon. That doesn't sound like much, but I was adding a sliced fresh serrano chili, too. If Chuck wanted hotter, he could drag out the Tabasco bottle.

When I tasted "for seasonings", it was pretty hot, but the rice and chutney usually tames the heat a bit, right? Wrong! The shrimp were screaming' hot - Chuck almost had to be resuscitated. He spent the rest of the meal manfully wiping his brow and blowing his nose, all the while praising it.  

My advice? Use your standard crushed red chili flakes - the same ones you use for pizza - in place of the Indian variety. The amount is up to you, but start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of them; additional fresh hot green chilies are optional. Serve with white rice.

Balti Prawns in Spicy Coconut Sauce

(4 servings)

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (or more!) crushed red chili flakes

3 garlic cloves, grated

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

3 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

1 teaspoon ground coriander or ground cumin

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/3 Cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1-2 sliced fresh jalapenos (optional)

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the oil in a wok or 12" skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Stir in the onion; lower the heat a bit, and cook until the onion is lightly brown. Add the chili flakes,  garlic, ginger, coconut, and coriander and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and sugar. Simmer until thickened.

Stir in the shrimp and the lime juice. Simmer on LOW for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are just cooked through. Garnish with optional jalapenos and cilantro and serve immediately.