What is a Balti Dish?
Found in several different languages including Hindustani and Bengali, the word Balti, meaning 'bucket', was originally derived from “balde”, the Portuguese word for 'pail' or 'bucket'. According to scholars, the word Balti can be traced back to Northern Pakistan’s Baltistan, where a cast-iron pan similar to the woks used by the Chinese is employed for cooking traditional dishes.
Balti dishes, also called karahi, are today used in Indian restaurants and homes all around the world to both make and serve Balti curry.
These dishes are easily identified by the pot’s round-bottomed shape and two rounded handles and can be made from many different materials. While some Karahi are suited to cooking, others have been designed in a decorative fashion simply for serving dishes at the table.
In the following sections, we’ll look at some of the materials that dishes are manufactured from and discuss their advantages, but first, we’ll have a look at what’s traditionally involved in Balti-style cooking.
Ingredients of a Balti Curry
As well as being cookware, Balti is also the name traditionally given to a kind of goat meat or lamb meat curry that is served up in a dish made of thinly pressed steel, sometimes called a Balti bowl. This name is presumed to have evolved from the metal dishes used for cooking the curries, instead of a particular cooking technique or special ingredient. Balti curries are usually cooked very quickly with vegetable oil instead of clarified butter like ghee, over high heats that are typically used for stir-frying. This technique contrasts with traditional single-pot Indian curries where food is slowly simmered throughout the day. The sauce for a Balti curry uses onions and garlic along with spices like garam masala and turmeric.
Black iron Balti dishes
Black iron cookware that has been seasoned also benefits from having non-stick properties. This can have added health benefits for those who wish to reduce the amount of oil they use during cooking, as far less is needed. Additionally, iron Balti dishes are also highly compatible for use with induction hobs. For a traditional flavour to gatherings, they are also sometimes used to serve food at the table. |
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Balti dishes for sale at Cooksmill
At Cooksmill, you’ll find a wide range of karahi curry serving dishes readily available. Whether you are looking for a balti dish to cook with or you are looking for a great selection of Indian tableware including serving dishes, pickle trays and naan stands we have everything you could need.
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