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Balti

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description Balti Overview

Balti is a style of curry cooked and served in a thin, pressed-steel bowl of the same name, developed in Birmingham, England in the 1970s–80s and giving rise to the city's renowned 'Balti Triangle' restaurant district.

help Balti FAQ

Is Birmingham balti named after the curry or the bowl?

The name refers closely to the thin pressed-steel balti bowl in which the curry is rapidly cooked and traditionally served. Birmingham restaurants popularized this distinctive cooking and serving style during the 1970s and 1980s.

How is a Birmingham balti different from a standard restaurant curry?

A balti is cooked quickly over high heat in a thin metal bowl, producing a lively sauce rather than a long-simmered stew. It is commonly brought to the table in that same bowl and eaten with naan.

Where is Birmingham's Balti Triangle?

The Balti Triangle developed around the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley areas of Birmingham. It became known for its concentration of Pakistani and Kashmiri-run balti restaurants.

What bread is traditionally eaten with balti?

Large naan breads are the characteristic accompaniment, often used to scoop curry directly from the balti bowl. Rice can be ordered, but naan better matches the communal Birmingham restaurant tradition.

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