Latest news with #Shababs
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Save the Balti: Meet the Englishman trying to save Birmingham Balti, the famous Brit-Asian curry
It's feared that the Balti might kick the bucket soon, but a Birmingham resident has taken it upon himself to keep it alive and simmering. A food writer, a one-time bureaucrat and a proud Brummie, Andy Munro, 78, is fighting to save the famous British Asian curry that is cooked, and also served, in thin, steel-pressed woks that resemble the good-old sub-continental kadhai but are shallower and called Balti — a bucket. From food hubs full of Balti houses in the 70s, when the dish hit the market, to just a handful of them trying to stay afloat now, Birmingham, known as the birthplace of heavy-metal music, is losing its light-metal curry bowl legacy. 'This autumn I am going to put a bid to the British government as they have a department for the protection of cultural heritage. I would like Balti to have a UNESCO-approved mark. I have sent them a video of Balti being cooked. Despite the large-scale shut-downs, there are close to 40 to 50 genuine Balti houses in Britain so I am not worried about the numbers,' says Munro, who is also the secretary of the Association for the Protection of the Authentic Balti and is a writer of two Balti books. Munro was born in Birmingham and lived most of his life in the city's famous Balti Triangle, an area around Ladypool Road, Stoney Lane, and Stratford Road that was once a Balti haven. 'It was me who coined this name. Earlier, this was called Balti Belt and it didn't sound right. So I took some creative liberty and called it the Balti Triangle, inspired by the Bermuda Triangle. I had come up with this line — Balti Triangle, where you get in the sea of spices. But with time, what has remained is just Balti Triangle,' says Munro. To share the Balti story, he is at Ladypool Road's Shababs restaurant, one of the two authentic Balti places on the street. What was once a sprawling Balti den now offers a truly global spread — there's Thai, Turkish, Lebanese and also a burger and fries place called MakHallal. Also around is the Shababs owner Zaf Hussain, 40, whose family has been into Baltis for several decades. It is Munro who starts this 'necessity being the mother of invention' tale. Back in the 70s, Birmingham, England's industrial hub, saw a large exodus from Pakistan. With time, restaurants with sub-continent cuisine would crop up. 'They were very rough and ready eating places. Glass-topped tables and basin in the corner to wash your hands. They were very basic,' he says. However, there turned out to be one restaurateur from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who thought of attracting the posh white clients, the ones Munro calls the 'Jewel in the crown' crowd. 'So he wanted to invent a dish which would attract the local customers because what he used to originally serve was the chicken-on-the-bone dish that was greasy,' narrates Munro. There were other considerations. He wanted a fast-to-cook dish, since the Brummies, like anyone, didn't like to wait for ages for their order. The Indo-Pak cuisine had other limitations to be on the menu of restaurants in England. 'They used ghee and that heavy duty Indian kadhai was more suited for slow-cooking,' says the riveting story teller, setting up the suspense. 'So instead of ghee, he used vegetable oil since it has a higher smoke point. And he also thought about Balti, a thin flat-bottomed, shallow vessel with handles that was suited to sizzle on high flame. And it was made by Sikhs working in furnaces and factories around Birmingham,' he says. Hussain says unlike the butter-chicken and tikkas that are Asian exports that the British have got hooked to, Balti is truly a 'Made in England' curry. 'I have been back and forth to Pakistan 10 to 12 times in my lifetime but I have never sampled a Balti or found one,' he says before heading to the kitchen to prove the claim that Balti can be done in less than 10 minutes. The flame is rising furiously from the stove, he places a Balti on the fire and gets into a frenzy. Oil, raw chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato slices and several scoops of spices from his jumbo masala box get cooked. He stirs them rigorously and in less than 10 minutes, it is ready to be on the table. 'It's not just a chicken dish, Balti is more of a cooking style. It could be keema, lamb, mixed vegetables and even daal. But the daal needs to be pre-cooked. Vegetables like potato and aubergine can be cooked in the Balti and served,' says Zaf. Munro, meanwhile, draws attention to the side of the Balti, fresh from the fire, the fuming brownish curry whistling the desired smoky aroma. 'You see those little bubbles. Because of the high flame, it caramelises. Michelin chefs would die to get that caramelisation but you get that naturally with a Balti,' he says before giving the final 'how to eat a Balti' instruction. 'Never eat it with rice, it doesn't work. Take a naan or roti, break it with your hands. Dip it into the Balti, take a chunk of chicken and a lot of masala, scoop it out and place it in your mouth.' There are other traditions, though not strictly followed. Like the Wazwan is traditionally relished back in his ancestors' homes in a 'trami', a collective serving, the Balti is recommended to be eaten straight off the serving sizzling wok, like a fondue. There are restaurants who serve the Balti dish in silver bowls and that's what Munro fears the most and wants to stop. 'That worries me, since I am a passionate Birmingham resident. When people come to Birmingham, they have heard about the famous Balti and they sit down to have it. If they are served in silver bowls, it is pseudo-Balti. That way, all the properties are lost. Then people would say 'What's the big deal about Balti? It's just any other curry. That's what makes me determined,' says the Save The Balti campaigner.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fire-hit Shababs restaurant reopens in Birmingham
A curry house has reopened days after a staff member jumped from a window to escape flames. Shababs owner Zafar Hussain hailed the moment as "mission accomplished" after the Birmingham restaurant's top floor was gutted by a large blaze last Sunday. A separate downstairs kitchen has enabled the site to partially reopen. Mr Hussain said he did not want to lose his regular customers and added he wanted to honour bookings made by people going to Edgbaston to watch test match cricket next week. Costs are likely to total about £200,000, which will eventually be claimed back through insurers, he said. Well-known historian and regular customer Carl Chinn was among the first through the door on what Mr Hussain added was a "fairly busy night" despite reduced capacity."It was an emotional one," Mr Hussain said. "Everyone gave us a tap on the back to say we had done so well." Earlier this week, the 40-year-old told the BBC a lifetime of work by his family had been "burnt to a crisp in ten minutes". The fire was started by an oil fryer that had been left on in an upstairs kitchen and made worse by the use of the wrong fire extinguisher. "A lot of people thought 'that's it, Shababs is forever gone'," Mr Hussain added. "It's just a relief that we are back open again." It is hoped the entire restaurant will be open to diners from next week after staff "got their skates on" in a bid not to lose regulars. Well wishers from as far as Australia have sent words of support and Mr Hussain said the community's response had been "phenomenal". "It was important to me and vital that I reopened the restaurant for my family's sake," he added."My brother and father didn't have it in them to go [and see] the damage, they were just heartbroken. "For me to get it open and get punters in there was a mission accomplished." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Watch flames engulf celeb-loved curry house which featured on BBC as passers-by launch brazen bid to rescue staff
THIS is the dramatic moment heroic passers-by rescue trapped staff from a blaze at a famous curry house loved by celebrities. Footage from the inferno at Shababs, known as the "home of the Birmingham Balti" shows heroic passers-by smashing windows with rocks to help staff escape the flames. 4 4 Smoke can be seen billowing from the curry house, on the city's Ladypool Road, after a fryer caught fire on Sunday morning (June 22). In the video, a crowd can be seen gathering on the street outside the venue as pedestrians lob rocks through windows to offer an escape route to staff. One bystander is said to have brought a ladder to the scene to help with the rescue effort. The footage shows the large first floor window smashed and cracked, while people can be seen stopping their cars and getting out to offer assistance. One man reportedly jumped from a first floor window in a desperate bid to escape before being rushed to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and burns. Four other people were treated at the scene after escaping the horror fire. The iconic curry house featured recently on BBC2 when Michael Portillo visited the restaurant. It regularly attracts visits from YouTubers and celebrities with the Hairy Bikers and Joe Lycett both eating at the restaurant. Shababs is one of the last remaining original restaurants that created the iconic balti dish 38 years ago. West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service deployed three fire engines to the dramatic scene in Birmingham's "Balti Triangle". Fire and Rescue workers found the premises "significantly smoke-logged", a statement said. It continued: "Shortly after 11.10am on Sunday 22 June, we responded to Ladypool Road, Birmingham. "Three fire engines responded, crewed by firefighters from Ladywood, Highgate and Hay Mills stations. "The first crew arrived at the scene within two minutes of being mobilised. "This was a fire, believed to have started accidentally, in a two-storey commercial premises used as a restaurant. Both floors were significantly smoke-logged. "Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. "One person was helped to safety by members of the public from the building before we arrived. "They are believed to have been conveyed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after presenting symptoms of smoke inhalation. "Four members of the public were checked by paramedics for smoke inhalation and were all discharged at the scene. "The final fire crew left this incident at 2.25pm, with police colleagues still in attendance." The famous curry house has been open since 1987 and is one of the city's best known " Balti Triangle" restaurants. Zafar Hussain, the owner of Shababs, has said he wants to open the curry house for business again by the end of the week. Do you know more? Email How to treat burns Your skin has three layer; the outer layer (epidermis), the dermis (which contains vessels, nerves, hair follicles) and the deeper layer of fat (subcutis). A full thickness burn is when all layers of skin are damaged, while a superficial burn is when only the top layer has been effected. The NHS says to treat a burn: Immediately get the person away from the heat source Remove any clothing or jewellery, including babies' nappies, but do not move anything that's stuck to the skin Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 to 30 minutes – do not use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances like butter Make sure the person keeps warm by using a blanket, for example After cooling the burn, cover the burn by placing a layer of cling film over it – a clean plastic bag could also be used for burns on your hand Use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen Raise the affected area if possible to reduce swelling If it's an acid or chemical burn, dial 999, carefully try to remove the chemical and any contaminated clothing, and rinse the affected area using as much clean water as possible You should go to a hospital A&E department for: All chemical and electrical burns Large or deep burns – any burn bigger than the injured person's hand Burns that cause white or charred skin – any size Burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, any joints or genitals 4 4
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aldi is hiring in the West Midlands - with salaries reaching up to £67k
Aldi is hiring in the West Midlands - with salaries for top roles reaching up to £67,000. A number of full-time and part-time positions have opened up in the region, including in Birmingham and the Black Country. The discount supermarket is on the lookout for 80 store workers. READ MORE: 'Wrong' decision caused Shababs destruction - 'our entire life has burnt to a crisp' Job roles live now include for store cleaners, store assistants and store managers. Store assistants earn a starting hourly rate of £12.75 nationally outside of London, increasing to £13.66 based on the length of service. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp Aldi said it was the only supermarket in the UK to provide paid breaks "worth over £1,370 a year to the average store colleague". Stores in Stechford, Dudley and Wolverhampton are currently hiring. The Germany-based supermarket said the recruitment drive supported its ongoing store growth with new stores opening across the UK including in Oldbury. Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here Kelly Stokes, recruitment director at Aldi UK, said: "As we expand into new communities, we're excited to welcome even more people into the Aldi family. "We're proud to offer not only the best pay and benefits, but also a positive working environment and real opportunities for progression.' Interested in applying? Click here
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Shababs fire heroes hurl rocks to save staff as famous curry house engulfed in flames
Brave passers-by helped rescue staff from a fire at a Birmingham famous curry house by hurling stones to break windows. Video stills showed smoke pouring from Shababs - dubbed the "home of the Birmingham Balti" - after a fryer ignited at the restaurant yesterday morning, Sunday, June 22. One man leapt from the first-floor window to escape the blaze and was taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation and burns at around 11.10am. READ MORE: Warning for UK households who have granulated sugar or olive oil in kitchen READ MORE: Sutton Coldfield dad who built £180k back garden bungalow for ill father has days to tear it down READ MORE: 'Wrong' decision caused Shababs destruction - 'our life has burnt to a crisp' Four others were treated at the scene, one of the city's last remaining original restaurants that crafted the balti dish 38 years ago. Witnesses said members of the public threw rocks to shatter the windows before another onlooker fetched a ladder. West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service sent three fire engines to the scene in Birmingham's 'Balti Triangle' and discovered the premises to be "significantly smoke-logged". A spokesperson for the fire service said: "Shortly after 11.10am on Sunday 22 June, we responded to Ladypool Road, Birmingham. "Three fire engines responded, crewed by firefighters from Ladywood, Highgate and Hay Mills stations. "The first crew arrived at the scene within two minutes of being mobilised. "This was a fire, believed to have started accidentally, in a two-storey commercial premises used as a restaurant. Both floors were significantly smoke-logged. "Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. "One person was helped to safety by members of the public from the building before we arrived. "They are believed to have been conveyed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after presenting symptoms of smoke inhalation. "Four members of the public were checked by paramedics for smoke inhalation and were all discharged at the scene. "The final fire crew left this incident at 2.25pm, with police colleagues still in attendance." Shababs opened in 1987 and is one of Birmingham's best-known Balti Triangle restaurants. It featured on BBC2 in April when Michael Portillo paid a visit and has been visited by YouTubers as well and celebrities such as the Hairy Bikers and Joe Lycett.
