Apparently it's the pastes which are used:

https://www.theasiancookshop.co.uk/bulk-pataks-balti-curry-p...

It's a shame, because a lot of the dishes have lost a lot of their subtlety and especially regional variation.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. They are a bit bland and more salty as compared with properly done from-scratch versions of the sauces, marinades, and sautés, but they're not too bad.