MAIN INGREDIENTS
Birmingham balti is a curry variety prepared with chicken or lamb (although, some may use vegetables or fish), served in a traditional steel bowl in which it was cooked. It is usually paired with naan bread on the side. Although it falls under the category of Indian curries, it is very probable that balti was created in the United Kingdom, more specifically in Birmingham, as the name suggests.
The city has a large Pakistani population, who probably invented balti according to their authentic culinary traditions. In the 1970s, they started opening restaurants in Birmingham, serving the popular, slow-cooked curries. Their choice of spices included commercially available curry pastes and dried herbs since the fresh produce was not yet available.
MOST ICONIC Birmingham balti
Also known as the full breakfast, this traditional British dish appears everywhere with a few essentials and some regional additions. First, there is the meat – usually a combination of sausages and bacon. The sausage is plain pork sausage, while the bacon can be streaky or back bacon.
Then there are vegetables and legumes – baked beans and tomatoes, both cooked over high heat. The balance of sweetness and acidity in the tomatoes nicely balances out the fattiness on the other side of the plate. Lastly, there is a crispy piece of fried bread and two or three over-easy eggs to tie the whole meal together.
MOST ICONIC English breakfast
Most Brits would agree that there is nothing more British than fish and chips. This comforting, widely loved national dish consists of a freshly fried, hot, white fish fillet and large, sliced and fried potatoes. Cod, haddock, and flounder are the most common types of fish that is fried for the dish, and the customers can choose which type of fish they want, with cod being the most popular choice.
The fillets get dipped in a batter made from eggs, milk, and flour, and are then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings along with the potatoes. The origins of this dish go back to the 17th century, when potatoes were fried as a substitute for fish in the winter months, while fried fish was introduced into the country by Jewish refugees.