Recently I was building yet another bookshelf for our sprawling collection of cookbooks when I came across a book my wife had bought on Balti cuisine. As to exactly what Balti could be, I was at a total loss.

Now, after extensive research, I am merely at a moderate loss. Balti is probably the most unusual and confusing cuisine I have ever tried to describe.

Balti may have ancient origins in Baltistan in the upper reaches of Pakistan, near the Himalayas, or further south in Peshawar. Others claim that it is actually a very recent creation, developed in, of all places, Northern England. Balti is sometimes translated as "bucket," which suggests a pot used for boiling, not a good cooking method in high altitude areas where water may boil at too low a temperature to cook well.

Many of the ingredients used and the names of some of the dishes are similar to those of typical Indian/Pakistani cooking. But the preparation utilizes the stir-fry techniques of the Far East, quickly frying rather than slowly simmering, in a wok-like pan called a Karai, Karhai or Karahi. Because of the shorter cooking period, the flavors of the different ingredients remain distinct. Also, the seasonings, which may include some Middle Eastern influences, tend to be gentler and less spicy than Indian dishes. The food is served in the Kar..(choose your favorite spelling) cooking pan, or it is transferred to smaller, individual pans. In the traditional absence of utensils, bread is used to scoop things up, reminiscent of some African cuisines, especially Ethiopian.

Some Indian restaurants in the U.S. will devote part of their menu to "Balti Specialties." But a true Baltihouse is hard to find.

Not so in England, there are so many Baltihouses in the city of Birmingham that some of its neighborhoods make up the "Balti Belt." Their popularity in England gives further credence to the likelihood that Balti, whatever its possible or apocryphal distant origins, is a relatively recent development. It is fusion fare, Pakistani fast food, adapted to appeal to Western tastes and a largely non-Asian clientele. Some dishes include beef and pork, anathema to several of the religions practiced in Pakistan; and seafood, which is a tad rare atop the Himalayas.

For my own cooking adventures I am using a standard Chinese wok. Official Balti cooking and serving pans would be nice, but not nice enough to motivate me to build new cabinets (to match the new bookshelves) for our already overcrowded kitchen storage areas. I also use oils, suited for the temperatures I am cooking with, as opposed to the clarified product known as Ghee. Just looking at a jar of Ghee makes me think of my arteries.

When I try to cook ethnic, my wife sometimes remarks, "It doesn't taste like the restaurants. But it's good." Given our lack of exposure to Balti Restaurants, what I'm cooking is both tasty and, as far as we can tell, authentic.

At least until a Baltihouse opens up down the block.