Balti's last stand: birmingham's beloved curry faces extinction
The scent of sizzling steel and cumin hangs heavy in Shababs, a Birmingham institution clinging desperately to a culinary legacy. But the future of the balti – once a city-wide phenomenon – is looking bleak.
A race against time to save birmingham’s signature dish
For decades, the balti, born in the industrial heart of England, was a symbol of late-night revelry and a uniquely Birmingham experience. Now, just twenty restaurants remain, battling rising costs, changing tastes, and a generation that’s forgotten the true flavor of this iconic dish. Zaf Hussain, Shababs’ owner, is leading the charge, arguing that the balti deserves recognition as a ‘living heritage’ – a move that could secure its survival.
“People don’t know what the real thing is anymore,” Hussain insists, deftly tossing ingredients into a blackened carbon-steel bowl. “They cook it in a frying pan, dumping it into a bowl. The proper thing is fast and it’s very flavoursome.” This meticulous process – a mere seven minutes from raw chicken to sizzling perfection – is a testament to generations of culinary expertise, a skill honed in the city’s steel mills, where the original balti bowls were crafted.
A city's story, a dish’s fate
The balti’s rise mirrored Birmingham’s own transformation, a vibrant melting pot fueled by Pakistani, Bengali, and Kashmiri immigrants. But as the city shifted and economies changed, so too did the balti’s fortunes. Andy Munro, a lifelong enthusiast and driving force behind the preservation effort, recounts a ‘balti boom’ in the 1990s, with dozens of restaurants vying for customers. “It was born here and it needs to be attributed to the city.”
Now, with Brexit, Covid, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the balti triangle is crumbling. Restaurants are closing, replaced by chain stores and cafes. The once bustling streets are now eerily quiet, a stark reminder of a culinary heritage slipping away. “When I first moved out of home, I wanted to try something new. After a night out one evening, I had a balti and was converted,” Munro recalls, a wistful look in his eyes.
A fight for authenticity, a plea for recognition
Despite the challenges, a new generation is emerging, eager to revive the balti’s legacy. Young chefs are experimenting with traditional techniques, while local businesses are embracing social media to showcase their authentic offerings. But the fight for recognition is far from over. The bid for UNESCO status is ongoing, a desperate attempt to secure a future for Birmingham’s beloved dish. As Zakerul Islam, owner of Manzil’s, aptly puts it: “Business can be tough, but we’ve seen this parade of shops go from being derelict to slowly regenerating because more young professionals are moving into the area, so there is hope for it to continue.”
The balti isn’t just a curry; it’s a story of immigration, innovation, and community. And as Shababs continues to serve its signature dish, it stands as a defiant symbol of Birmingham’s culinary spirit – a reminder that even the most humble of dishes can hold a place in history.