Birmingham is particularly famous for the Balti cuisine - curry dishes that are served with naan breads or chapathis. Most of the Balti restaurants in Birmingham are located around the Balti triangle. This area covers Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley. Cooked over a high flame, with marinated vegetables or fresh meat, the balti cuisine is served sizzling hot and fast. The story of Balti cuisine in Birmingham began in the mid 1970s when a sizeable segment of Asian communities prepared the aromatic curries and naan breads in the tandoori oven. A balti is a flat-bottomed wok that is used to create these dishes with a tantalizing range of spices such as cumin, cardamom, coriander, cloves, cassia bark and ginger. A typical balti meal can be eaten for around 5 pounds. Restaurants serving balti food also offer a range of Asian sweets. The Balti triangle area of Birmingham houses nearly 50 specialty restaurants. You can pick up exotic vegetables and spices as well as textiles.
