Given the City’s usual poor showing in putting in a robust bid to become the ‘Capital of Curry’, it was good to see the local paper, at least, recognising the importance of the dish to the local populace. It certainly caught the imagination with over 10,000 votes!

Even better was the fact that the Balti Triangle, in the shape of ‘Shabab’ scooped the most prestigious award of ‘Best Curry House for Big Night Out’
Awards

Best Curry House for Big Night Out
1. Shabab (Balti Triangle)
2. Jeera (Castle Bromwich)
3. Jilali (Sheldon)

Best Local Curry House
1. Chutney Express (Shard End)
2. Shabab (Balti Triangle)

Best Takeaway
1. Lime Pickle (Castle Bromwich)
2. Chutney Express (Shard End)
3. Toby Indian (Castle Bromwich)

After six years of trying it seems likely that the Birmingham Balti is going to join the Lincolnshire Sausage in being turned down by the Eurocrats, for Food Protected Status.

Andy, who has led a consortium of genuine balti restaurants said:

“We spent the first three years developing the application and steering it successfully through the UK process and objection period. However, since then we have been asked to provide further information on an almost continual basis by Brussels officials. Every time, we have responded satisfactorily, they’ve found something else to pick holes in.

In the final analysis, they don’t ‘get’ that balti is a method of cooking rather than a recipe albeit that every restaurant uses the same base ingredients then overlaying this with spices of their own choice. It’s a nonsense when you consider the Neapolitan Pizza has the mark when it’s just pizza dough, tomatoes, cheese and basil. It’s all a bit disappointing especially when the UK  government were happy with our application!”

A growing shortage of quality Balti Bowls may become a distant memory as negotiations with a local Birmingham manufacturer continues. Andy Munro says

‘Balti is an intrinsically Birmingham dish so it will be befitting if we can start to get them made again in their ancestral home!’

Apparently Channel 4 are looking for passionate foodies and are targeting Brum. Due to our ‘currylinary’ heritage, anybody who reckons they can cook a mean curry, could be in with an opportunity to impress … see below for details.

Beer seems to be the ‘new wine’ these days with talk of flavours, aromas etc etc but, in fairness, a proper ale has a lot going for it as an accompaniment to spicy food. Consequently, I was keen to see how the new ‘True Maharajah Cardamom Beer’ stood the test of ‘going for a balti’.

My days of drinking beer with a balti are more sporadic as I often find a robust red wine is a good match. However, I still like a decent beer and it so happens that Cardamom is one of my favourite spices.

Testing it out with a spicy Balti Chicken Jalfrizies, the beer certainly held its own. It’s edgy without being bitter and the Cardamom taste is distinctive but subtle. Light and lively on the palate, it was a refreshing drink without having the overpowering gassiness of lager. Definitely a welcome addition to the ‘beer with balti’ ranks. Brewed by Leicester based Modha Ales, it should soon be available in the Birmingham area.

Thanks to an invite from Birmingham City Council Markets Dept, Al Frash represented the Birmingham Balti with cookery demos on the Bull Ring Market stand. Dishes cooked (and eagerly sampled!) included Balti Garlic Chilli Chicken, Balti Chicken Achari and the restaurant’s signature dish, Balti Aphrodisia. A range of pakoras also tempted the audience including mushroom, chicken and the world’s first (??) sweet potato pakora. It was significant that a vast proportion of the audience had never had a genuine balti before.

Shabab recently hosted a visit from Kim Wiesener, a Danish journalist charged with writing the 21st edition of Denmark’s definitive tourism guide to England and Wales. Stopping off in the Balti Triangle, after a short tour, he polished off a Balti Chicken and Mushroom and declared it ‘delicious’.

He reckoned his starter of Sheehk Kebab was nine out of ten and the Chicken Tikka got the ‘Perfect Ten’! With an estimated 15,000 Danes visiting our City, this could represent some serious Balti business.

Shabab hosted a visit of the Great British Food magazine who couldn’t resist a balti when they came to enjoy the increasing delights of Brummie cuisine.

Sir Terry Wogan recently paid a visit to top baltihouse Al Frash and used a shamrock shaped nan to mop up his Irish themed Balti!

Good to see a chef of Glynn Purnell’s talent keeping to his roots by highlighting Balti Godfather ‘Adil’ as his favourite restaurant ‘pick’. He was one of forty top chefs choosing their favourite restaurant for the Observer Food monthly.