Category: Slow Cooker

FODMarket’s Balti Kit

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Beef Balti by The Fat Foodie

I made this slow cooked Beef Balti because towards the end of last year I was contacted by https://fodmarket.co.uk/ to see if I would like to test a few of their low FODMAP products and review them on the blog. Obviously I was thrilled to be given the opportunity, so I jumped at the chance to request a Curry On Balti curry kit, a box of buckwheat flour, a gluten-free white loaf bread mix, and a gluten-free pizza base mix. They generously sent me these products and I couldn’t resist making the Beef Balti the following day!

In case you don’t know, a balti is an Indian curry which is said to originate from Birmingham and it can be made with any meat or seafood you fancy. Most baltis are generally cooked quite quickly in the style of a stir-fry, but I always think that beef responds well to being slow cooked, so I decided to let mine putter away in my slow cooker throughout the day.

This Curry On Balti kit from https://fodmarket.co.uk/ is low FODMAP, thanks to the absence of any onion or garlic, and is made from a blend of Sea Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Ginger, Coriander, Chilli, Fenugreek Leaves, Cumin, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, and Cloves.

You might expect me to give a glowing review of this balti mix because I received the kit for free, but please believe me when I say without bias that this is probably one of the most authentic (and delicious) pre-blended spice kits I’ve ever cooked with. It has just the right levels of each spice it contains and is in no way overpowering. I thought the heat level was just right too, but you can add a bit more fresh or dried chilli to yours, if you like. Equally, you could serve some lactose-free natural yoghurt on the side to dampen the mild heat it contains too.

(I should also add that I’m not being paid for reviewing this product and I don’t have an affiliate link for this product with FODMarket either.)

I’d also like to mention that I loved the fact that the Curry On Balti kit is supplied with FODMAP-specific instructions which enable you to make your curry with FODMAP-safe levels of ingredients, such as tinned chopped tomatoes and chopped bell peppers.

If you’re in the market for really tasty spice mixes which are healthy and have no added ‘nasties’, such as preservatives, colours or flavourings, but are also delightfully low FODMAP then I would highly recommend these Curry On kits. (They also sell Jalfrezi, Korma, Tikka Masala and Pakora kits too.) As I’ve said, you can buy them from https://fodmarket.co.uk/ and they offer a flat delivery fee of £3.49 or free delivery with orders over £50. I think that’s pretty reasonable. If you do go ahead and buy yourself some I’d love to know what you think!

If you’d like some more low FODMAP curry recipes then why not try my recipes for:

Beef Keema: https://thefatfoodie.co.uk/2018/10/31/beef-keema-serves-4-6/

Saag Paneer: https://thefatfoodie.co.uk/2018/11/28/saag-paneer-serves-4/

Vietnamese Vegetable Curry: https://thefatfoodie.co.uk/2018/07/12/vietnamese-vegetable-curry-serve-4-6/

or Lamb Rendang: https://thefatfoodie.co.uk/2018/04/18/lamb-rendang-serves-6/

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Beef Keema (serves 4-6)

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Beef Keema by The Fat Foodie

Beef keema is an Indian curry which is based on slow cooked beef mince and peas in a rich tomato sauce. Although I make mine with beef mince you can also make it with lamb mince if you prefer. As with many curries, such as my Lamb Dansac, this beef keema is absolutely fantastic when cooked throughout the day in the slow cooker, particularly when the weather’s definitely on the turn towards winter and you look forward to coming home to a warming meal after work. Continue reading →

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Thai Green Bean Curry (serves 4)

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Thai Green Bean Curry by The Fat Foodie

I developed this Thai green bean curry one day after my aunt and uncle had visited and brought with them a generous bundle of vegetable goodies from their allotment. Along with onions and turnips they’d brought us a stack of green beans which were so fresh that their stalks snapped with the slightest touch. I decided that a vegetable that good needed to be showcased as the star of its own show and this recipe was born. Continue reading →

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Vietnamese Vegetable Curry (serve 4-6)

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The first time I made this curry we had been experiencing a massive winter storm and the house was surrounded by at least a foot and a half of snow on all sides. It was cold to say the least.  This light and spicy curry as the perfect antidote to the wintery weather conditions, but it was so delicious that I’ve since made it on loads of occasions, be them in rain, hail or shine and my whole family enjoys it every time.

Because this is a vegetable based curry it’s not heavy, even though it tastes wonderfully rich thanks to the use of creamy tinned coconut milk. The ingredients list for this recipe is long, I admit, but it’s well worth it because it produces a full-flavoured and multi-layered tasting curry.

My NutriBullet comes in handy for this recipe because it makes blending the spice mix really easy, but you could use a food processor or blender to achieve the same results. However, if you don’t have any of these you can still make the curry, it’ll just be a bit bulkier.

This recipe makes a lot of curry, but the leftovers only improve for the next day if the flavours are left to infuse overnight. It also freezes beautifully, so you can use it as handy ready-meals or lunches in the future.

Ingredients:

600g white potatoes (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)

150g carrots (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)

170g red bell pepper (de-seeded and cut into bite-size pieces)

2 common tomatoes (chopped)

150g broccoli heads

30g chopped chives

1/2 tsp of asafoetida powder

50g of fresh ginger (minced)

1/2 tsp of dried chilli flakes (adjust to taste)

1 star anise

1/3 of a whole nutmeg (finely grated)

2 tsps. ground turmeric

2 tsps. paprika

2 tsps. garam masala

1 tbsp. ground cumin

8 cardamom pods (the seeds removed and the empty pods discarded)

2 tsps. salt (adjust to taste though)

½ tsp black pepper

2 tbsps. soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)

4 tbsps. peanut butter

A 400g tin of coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

The zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp of golden syrup

1 pint of vegetable stock

30g fresh coriander for serving (chopped)

40g sliced almonds (toasted)

Method:

Prepare the vegetables as directed and place in a large saucepan.

Blitz the ginger, coconut milk, spices and chives (but keep the fresh coriander for serving) in a NutriBullet, blender or food processor and pour into the saucepan on top of the vegetables.

Add the vegetable stock and stir well before simmering for 45 mins to an hour or until the potatoes are tender to the touch.

Toast the sliced almonds in a dry frying pan until golden brown and keep to one side.

Once the vegetables seem done, start to boil your rice and once it’s tender, drain it.

Remove the star anise from the curry.

Plate up the rice, top with vegetable curry, add the freshly chopped coriander just before serving and top with the flaked toasted almonds.

Serve.