About our bowls
A Birmingham Balti is a fast cooked curry, cooked and served in a Birmingham made Balti Bowl- just the way it's been since the 1970's.
For the first time in over 25 years authentic balti bowls are again being manufactured in Birmingham, brought back into production by Balti author, Historian and all round good guy, Andy Munro. Andy has been recognised as the leading authority on Birmingham Balti for over 35 years, having featured on numerous TV features, Radio shows and Publications as the go to expert for everything Birmingham Balti.
Curry lovers can now discover a real balti experience at home using genuine high quality, British made balti bowls. A balti bowl is an essential cooking and serving pan for foodies with a love of curry! True to the dish's British Pakistani origins the bowls are made of high quality thin carbon steel. The carbon steel will develop the iconic black patina over time-just like a teapot the bowls get better with use. You can taste the developing flavour depth in every balti, as your pan naturally seasons with use, locking in spice complexity.
In 2017 Andy commissioned a Birmingham manufacturer to make the bowls in the heart of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and The Birmingham Balti Bowl Company was born.
In 2021 we moved our production to a new Birmingham city site, as our previous maker sold their historic factory for redevelopment and relocated out of the city. For The Birmingham Balti Bowl Company, the bowls being both designed and truly made in Birmingham, actively supporting Birmingham's manufacturing industry and a local workforce is an integral part of the Birmingham Balti legacy and one we wanted to continue.
This move to a new manufacturer gave us a welcome opportunity to update and improve our original design after 3 years of road testing in domestic and professional kitchens and with further consultation from Balti chefs we were ready to redevelop and improve our product. To perfect our balti pans we sought the help of Birmingham Museum's Trust, where we compared our pan with one of the original Birmingham Balti bowls held in the Birmingham Museum archives. This original pan was first commissioned by Mohammed Arif in 1977. In the search for authenticity to match the original trail blazing design more closely, we changed our steel gauge which ensured the same quality finish but improved the pans performance to cook a balti fast, we tweaked the volume and shape for better stove manoeuvrability, matching this almost exactly to the original pan and finally we updated the handles to a shape preferred by modern balti chefs - a slightly more modern take on the 1977 pan's handles.
Our bowl is now made by one of Birmingham's most prestigious artisanal metal craftsmen, employing the finest metal craftsmanship. Our balti bowls are made in small batches and each one is spun by hand. Spinning being the benchmark of high quality, prestigious cookware worldwide . This small family business, and The Birmingham Balti Bowl Company are owner operated-so small in fact that we can even tell you who your bowl is made by- one of two people, Lee or Mark. In addition to our bowls they also make one of the world's finest copper kettles (Made in Birmingham since 1903) and parts for the red arrows. Our bowls are in fine company.
By purchasing with us you're not only buying a piece of quality small batch cookware made by metal artisans to make a delicious curry but you're supporting small scale local industry, two family businesses, Birmingham's steel heritage and the Birmingham Balti legacy.
Our Birmingham designed and made balti bowls are shipped worldwide and used by professional balti chefs, leading curry cooks, as well as much loved by home cooks.
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