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noun
(in Pakistani cooking) a spicy dish cooked in a small two-handled pan known as a karahi.
as modifier ‘balti restaurants’- ‘Traditional classics such as tandoori, balti, korma, pathia, dopiaza, madras and bhuna curries were there, along with a decent choice of chef's specials, and, I was pleased to see, no puddings.’
- ‘It certainly wasn't anything to do with the succulent chicken, the clean-tasting balti sauce or the cooked to perfection tomatoes and peppers.’
- ‘The food comes in cast-iron pans in which it has apparently been cooked - a sort of upscale, Francophone balti.’
- ‘Heat a little oil in a wok or balti pan over a high heat.’
- ‘The Malton Spice offers the usual range of balti and Bengali dishes and curries, as well as a comprehensive selection of house specialities and chef's recommendations.’
- ‘The Bay's menu is vast, featuring traditional dishes of every kind including balti, tandoori, biryani, korma, bhuna, rogan josh - and even English dishes.’
- ‘John used to spend lengthy periods in India as a tour guide and knows his bhuna from his balti.’
- ‘Matthews, who has further convictions for theft and carrying a crowbar, was also alleged to have racially harassed workers and customers at an Indian take-away, balti house and Chinese chip shop.’
- ‘It's a hook in the passenger side footwell, on which you can hang your bag of balti on a Friday night to avoid korma trauma in the car with curry spillage.’
- ‘What the balti house lacks in bikini-clad women, sandy beaches and palm trees, it makes up for with pints of bitter on tap and a large menu of spicy dishes.’
- ‘Among the Rajah's bewildering array of balti choices, two stand out.’
- ‘The menu describes the balti sauce as ‘unique’ and, cooked together with the mushrooms and prawns, it was certainly a very special dish.’
- ‘Dishes included Cajun chicken, beef steak and mushroom pot, roast duckling and Cumberland sausage as well as a number of Indian balti offerings and blackboard specials.’
- ‘Imagine the scene: you're in the kitchen and you reach for a jar - doesn't matter what it is - could be marmalade, balti paste, peanut butter, whatever.’
- ‘Places he's likely to be spotted include various pubs in the Broad Street and Brindley Place area and perhaps later in the evening he may be found eating in a city centre pizza restaurant or balti house.’
- ‘If so, did you cook or serve Britain or the world's first balti - or do you know who did?’
Origin
1980s: of uncertain origin: perhaps from Balti.
Pronunciation
noun
1A native or inhabitant of Baltistan.
- ‘The Dard and Baltis inhabit Gurez, Tilel and Draas.’
- ‘The Gilgatis and Baltis do not count themselves as Kashmiris, and they will prefer that their area should become a province of Pakistan at the earliest.’
- ‘Many Baltis converted to Islam and adopted his school of thought.’
2mass noun The Tibetan language of the Baltis, with around 400,000 speakers.
- ‘Nine languages are Dogri, Kashmiri, Ladaakhi, Pothwari, Balti, Gojri, Dardi, Punjabi and Urdu.’
- ‘I speak Balti and have gotten to know the Balti women, especially the elders.’
- ‘It is reported that most of the Shina speakers, to whom the Baltis refer as Brokpa, can also speak Balti.’
- ‘To wear our traditional woollen clothes, or even to speak Balti is considered a sign of backwardness.’
- ‘Around a quarter of million people living in these valleys speak Balti, an archaic Tibetan accent.’
adjective
Relating to the Baltis or their language.
- ‘They imported a genuine tandoori oven and a top Nepali chef, Dependra Bahadur to create delicious dishes which reflect the flavours and ingredients of classic tandoori and Balti cuisine.’
- ‘K2's difficulties begin with its remoteness, reflected by the fact that the Balti hill people don't even have a name for the mountain.’
- ‘His thick Israeli accent sounded loud in the Swiss Cottage air - pungent and appealing and strange, like Balti spices in the Pennines.’
- ‘Chapman's analysis of the origins of Balti cooking includes a bow to China (notably Szechuan); to Tibet; to Moghul cuisine; and to the ‘aromatic spices of Kashmir’.’
- ‘For a month, I had heard nothing but Urdu (the local language), Balti music, and eaten Pakistani food.’
Origin
The name in Ladakhi dialect.
