London: Cuisine from the Indian sub-continent has taken on different forms in Britain and among the popular ones is “Balti” from Birmingham, which has applied for protected name status across the European Union.
The Balti cuisine is a reference to the flat-bottomed metal dishes the food is cooked and served in, besides a nod to the origins of the Pakistani immigrants to the city from the region of Baltistan.
The application, made last October, remains pending but if it is successful, the name “Birmingham Balti” would be given EU protected name status alongside a series of other British foods such as Bramley Apple Pie.
A protected name status benefits big producers of well known protected names such as Champagne as well as small industries and brands who might have a traditional way of making a product known by the region's name.
The EU application is for protection under the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) rules, which protect food that is made using traditional methods.
