The Birmingham City Council, UK, is considering applying for a GI for “Balti” dishes that they claim originated in that part of the world, according to this and this news item from the BBC.
Balti, yes, as in bucket in Hindi/Hindustani/other languages, according to the Council website “is actually a round bottomed wok with side handles, originally used by the people in the Baltistan region of Pakistan”. (Er… “kadhai” anyone?). The BBC report adds that Balti is a type of curry cooked quickly over a high flame with fresh marinated meat and/or vegetables.
[Added Later: Baltistan, home to Nanga Parbat and bordering the simmering Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, falls in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. See this map for details.]
According to a spokesperson quoted in the report, “The city is not only the birthplace of the dish, but also home to the UK’s premier community of Balti restaurants and businesses – The Balti Triangle.” [I instantly intend to shoot a petition to Ms Dikshit demanding that Delhi introduce a gol gappa circle in time for the Commonwealth Games 2010.]
According to the news report, other “distinctive” features of the Balti recipe are that for the last 10 minutes of cooking, the contents are cooked at high temperatures. They are also served “differently”, and are eaten straight from the dish, rather than from plates, usually with naan bread to scoop up the meat and sauce.
Even the mighty BBC is not infallible, and reports that the “City could trademark Balti name”. In the circumstances, I guess it may be too much to expect the Indian media to mend its ways.
At any rate, I thought it useful to inform you that the Birmingham City Council is on the lookout for the perfect balti recipe. If any of our readers know of folks in Birmingham who have the potential to become the city’s entrant to the British Curry Awards 2009, please do drop by your neighbourhood market. You’ll need to courier a Balti.
[SpicyIP would like to thank Adam Smith of the World Trademark Review for bringing this news to our notice.]
