Birmingham seeks 'balti monopoly'

Indian restaurants outside of Birmingham could be prevented from describing dishes as "balti", if the city's council is successful in a bid to protect the name by law.

Birmingham City Council claims that the city was the birthplace of the dish, and is looking into reserving the name for the exclusive use of its restaurants.

The balti, which is usually brought to the tabling sizzling in a round bottomed wok - from where it gets its name - has become one of Britain's best-loved curries, with thousands of restaurants around the country specialising in the dish.

Birmingham City Council is particularly looking to promote its famous Balti Triangle, where there is a concentration of curry houses, and wants to see the dish protected in a similar way to Melton Mowbray pork pies, or Champagne.

Protection is usually achieved by registering a term as a geographical indication of origin (GI), which is similar to a trademark but allows multiple producers in a qualifying region to use the term on their products.

Despite Birmingham's claim that it is "the birthplace of the dish", connoisseur Pat Chapman, who runs the Curry Club website, points out that it originated in Pakistan, and was brought to the UK and popularised by immigrants who opened cafes in the east of the city in the 1960s.

A spokesperson for the council said: "We are always seeking new and imaginative ways to promote the city regionally, nationally and internationally.

"If it is judged to be feasible and to the benefit of local people and businesses we would not hesitate in pursuing it."

IMAGE DAVID JONES/PA