Gordon Learns From Indian Tribe! | Gordon Behind Bars

I just arrived in Delhi, the capital of India, on the first leg of my Great Escape Molly, how are you? It's good to see you, my God, it's so hard, let's have the air conditioning. I want to find out the truth about Curry. I know our UK version is nothing like the real thing, so I want to learn how Indian food should be prepared. 99% of the food in the UK regarding curries are all North Indian. Delhi. I don't know if what we are doing in the UK is an insult to what they do here. I am not complete with the level of Indian food.

I know that Delhi is the 8th largest metropolis in the world with 17 million residents. My problem is: are we doing it wrong? Are we pretending? and Delhi is going to do it. Give me my answer, then my mission in North India is a personal culinary journey of discovery. All the classics like Rogan Josh Biryani and Butter Chicken come from here in the 19th century. The workers of the British Raj have a great taste for curry, which creates a demand for what we did when we returned to Britain and we have been in love with Indian food since India is a big mystery to me, it's like the Wacky Races, incredible.

I have never been to India before and I must say it is a big shock to the system. I mean, this is extraordinary, I mean children from all over, people who really live on the streets. I need a little guidance. I'm on my way to meet someone who can help me at one of the most famous restaurants in India, Moti Mahal, it's here. UK favorites such as Tandoori Chicken Was Invented. Seema Chandra is an expert on North Indian food and is helping me with my travel itinerary. Hello. Hello how are you? Very good, good to see my Chandra.

A nice welcome to India. I am very happy to be here. one of India's most respected food writers and restaurant critics, why did you bring me here? The reason I came here is because this place is where most of the Indian food as it is known around the world is found. Yes, they all started here. I love Mug Mahoney. dog yeah well butter chicken started here 60 years ago seriously is there any difference between what they serve here and what we serve in the UK? It's nowhere near ready. I mean, I was surprised that they even call it Indian food in In fact, I have a problem with this, it's not Indian, it's green and they put sugar in everything, yeah, and they think it's okay, that's it, it's done, It's not Indian food, can we order it?

So we would like butter chicken, of course, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, so you Luna. I am convinced that I am going to taste a big difference compared to what I am going to eat out. Okay, yes, thank you. Are you going to eat with your iPhone? Are you going to tell me that I can't capture the taste of Indian food with a knife? and the fork should try it at home, what do you think is absolutely delicious? And it's not um, it's not dry, it's moist, it's moist here, so that's the dish you were waiting for, so the butter chicken, this is nothing, how is it, nothing gives.

For me it is more pleasure than seeing something. I need to see, damn, how does this compare to what you have? I mean, honestly, man, it's chalk and cheese, it's very tasty, yeah, and there's no, it doesn't taste. The chains started Joe, it's not like before. mixed with tomato puree, no fresh tomatoes I think a working holiday will show me the real India. I need to go native if I really want to discover how our favorite UK dishes should be cooked. I'm not here to watch I want to cook That's it, I want to cook, okay, now the thing is not to get away from the tourist traps, but quite the opposite, go to remote areas, go to people's houses, go to the desert, the best food is in these small areas, not in fancy places, no. go for the humble go for the humble know what this does why it is yellow why it is brown why this little thing looks like moss I think it is very important for Gordon to understand what we Indians eat every day my usual type of food food thank you already I'm not lucky, which is famous for its corners, biryani kebabs and naan bread up to 13 million people use trains every day traveling through the subcontinent a million and a quarter square miles on long-distance trips that will take the express To me, Part of the 500 kilometers to Lucknow, it takes 12 hours to reach the most important gastronomic and cultural city in India.

I've come to North India to discover the real-life versions of your favorite UK curries. I've already tried the real thing. It's absolutely delicious, right, I'm in luck. It's crazy here and that team got me a gig at this amazing wedding that's happening tonight for 1,100 people, but the chef who's preparing the food is supposed to be the local dog. this will be amazing Lucknow is famous for inventing the dishes that we have all fallen in love with our Commerce and brilliant. My task is to learn how to cook an authentic Indian biryani. Biryani is a classic party dish loved by the city's royal family. nawabs the nawabs had their own master chefs bowatches who developed a cuisine as complex as anything else in our fine western cuisine.

There are over a thousand guests at this small wedding by Indian standards. I am apprenticing under a chef famous for his complex and infamous dishes. for his lack of patience he sounds like my kind of man that's the kitchen hey how are you good to see you good exciting to be here yes we were still waiting for you oh well I arrived early yes how are you good it's good to see you good excellent The head chef Imtiaz Qureshi was born In the clock dynasty, his five children, including Earth, and my translator are also chefs. 79 years old.

Today he is 79. It's incredible. He has a handshake like he's 25 years old. And then when they call you King Korma in England. This man's reputation is called the dog's balls the dog's nuts number one okay, how old is your father? My dad is about 84. 84. he's increased in the last five minutes, that's amazing, so what's the first thing we're going to do today? First we will make the marinade of Dumba Biryani. Okay, in the UK Biryani is usually a heavy, bland rice with frozen vegetables and a tasteless sauce, but it soon becomes clear that the complex Dumba Biryani will be nothing like the boring UK version I would make.

He would really enjoy it if he could do it, that's what I'm trying to tell him, like you just give it to him, he's like me, a control freak, this is vinegar, yeah, I've never seen two whole goats in a Biryani before soften them for the first time. with vinegar, then they will be stuffed with chicken, quail and eggs and served on a bed of fragrant rice, okay, yes, okay, oh Jesus, thank you, okay, great, now we are topping the goats with ginger and chili, are you OK. This is how MTR's makes it clear that great Indian cooking is instinctive, there is no recipe as such every time a new student comes and you try to learn, so you have to respect the teacher.

You know, I definitely respect the teacher. Believe me, he seems like that kind of guy. I don't want to argue with the technique, this dish is as complex as any other Michelin-starred cuisine. I'm now marinating the chicken and quail in the chilli, ginger, garlic and yoghurt mixture, which is a takeaway staple in Britain. it is a finely tuned banquet dish in India, in the UK every Curry House 99 uses the same base for the sauce here, completely different individual Curry sauce, there is no same base, everything is becoming much clearer , you know, yeah, I think that's perfectly fine.

What is the biggest wedding your father has prepared for? Yes, he is saying almost 50,000 50,000. Oh my God, people from all over the world, from the president to the minister, to serve everyone. Mtr has a bigger head than me, but I would love to. you get the chance to work for him, you know, when he was a Rottweiler under 35 years old. Yes, he looks at the hands, they are like shovels, look, my God, incredible, incredible, incredible, incredible, 84, as strong as an artist, his father was almost 135 years old. His father was 135 years old, yes, Jesus, the only thing they don't talk about in Gr's is the food, the hard-boiled eggs are covered with saffron egg inside the quail.

I haven't had a masterclass like this since my community chef days. in Paris that way, Jesus, the eggs go inside the quail, the quail inside the chicken and finally we put it all in the goats, it's almost like rewinding the birth, yes, you put it back once it's hatched, come on To sew. Wow, it was a dish made with prepared foreign food. The goats were left to cook for three hours. It is a legend. Nobody knows his age, but he's a tough ass. Believe me. You don't want to mess with him. It's more important. He doesn't speak a word of English but we communicate through understanding the taste of the food but what a technical and great way to prepare a goat biryani.

The final stage is the rice for the biryani. First we clean and separate the basmati rice into balls so that the rice remains. good with a bag of aromatic spices so it's like a bokeh gani. I am learning the technique known as fool baking. The rice is placed in a special pan and saffron is added, then the pan is sealed with dough and the rice is allowed to rest. steam, but a small mistake can mean disaster. I know it's time to put the saffron into the dough seal, but it's not happening fast enough to empty it.

What's up, it's okay, right? Who made him angry? He'll let me tear myself apart in a minute. Ah, in situations like this. you keep your mouth shut and finish the job quickly, the whole style behind dumbbell cooking is to keep all the flavors locked in, so the roof with the pasta around the outside is that little sort of magical work, so how long For that? Now we have 25 minutes. I've been cooking all day and the first guests are starting to arrive. It's time to prepare our foreign biryani. The Biryani is finished with spicy Indian meatballs called coriander kofta and dried apricots.

Incredible, ask him to come with you. I am always happy with this good Excellence in At first I felt like an idiot at a wedding. Within 10 minutes he made me feel like a chef. Thank you, it is a delicious and refined wine. If I had lived in Britain for the last 84 years, I would have a completely different view of India. food, you know that anyway, I swear to God it is delicious, yes, authentic and surprising, pleasant, foreign, this may seem unusual to us, but MTS has its own ideas about presentation. I am very excited about what I learned and cooked with one of the best in India.

Chefs, the names of the dishes are familiar to me, but the food is totally new to me. Thanks Please. I have noticed that India is a country of food. They are very picky about what they eat and this biryani is disappearing fast. Oh yeah, okay, it's very popular. I struggled to save a portion for the bride. Incredible, what a day and what a setup. I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't think it was going to be this good. There is food from the heart, soul, passion and history, and it has given me a lot of inspiration because it was incredible.

Now I will embark on a wilderness adventure to find a delicious but little known delicacy and find 1,100 kilometers from Lucknow to Chattisgarh state to visit the remote tribal area of ​​Bastar I. I am going to discover the unexplored cuisine of the Daruva

tribe

. ​​They may be isolated from the outside world, but they are famous for their sophisticated cuisine and incredible chutney. We are going to visit a kind of

tribe

in a forest almost like a jungle. It is so remote that it is in the middle of nowhere, like most of the British. I like to start a curry with poppadoms and chutney, but in India chutneys don't start a meal as they used to flavor rice and lentil dishes.

The rivers are famous for a unique chutney called chapra, which has a secret ingredient, living with a tribe is exciting, but now I am more worried about arriving alive. Where is the track that was last paved? My goodness, now I have prepared a small gift that is ready. It has to come out at bulletin time. Every middle-aged man would love to get his hands on this beauty. It is an Anglo-Indian classic. It is a Royal Enfield designed in the United Kingdom but built in India. He leads me on the trail of this mysterious Chutney to Tiny Village. from majipao there are 900,000 tribal people in Basta my guide is rajnish a former businessman from Dubai who now lives with the daruva tribe hi Rosita, good to see you well, very well, thank you very happy to be here, what an incredible place, al less incredible.

Hello, Daruva language speaker named Gandhi, you are welcome in the ritual for visitors. It involves drinking a strong drink made from fermented fruit called mawa. How do you start? Yes, our traditional drink. So first you see all the johar people and after yes, you put a drop in it. we waste the land, yes, oh, that smells too, so it's not good, strong, yes, strong, very strong, because the people who travel are very strong people, yes, I'm sure the tribal people are very strong , but that's ridiculous now, uh, it's good to see you guys, holy shit. extraordinarysuccess tonight will be a miracle at this rate I yes everyone stands on the stairs and laughs I'm in this now foreigner the chicken now in green papaya this marinade is an adaptation of the one I used for the goat breyani in the chili of the wedding we will touch a clove powder, cumin, a little turmeric, a little salt and a little sugar, we will mix it, yes, I am on the go, you know, it is a collection of what we have seen where we have spent the whole week and, most importantly, they know that if it doesn't work, I'll look stupid, so it has to work well.

Chicken, the breasts, sorry guys. I found a pumpkin to make a puree. There's no conventional oven to bake it in here, so. It's time to use the only golden rule of Indian cooking. Think quickly, improvise like we did in the jungle. I want you to lend me your Tandoori oven, yes, thank you, it's hot, yes, perfect. Approximately one hour left. I'm just starting to prepare the sauce. yes, for the chicken, it's based on the broth of the sweated chicken, the onions, the garlic, the fresh tomatoes here, then we add the broth, mix it and then finish it with a touch of cream.

Sema decided to check me out and invited me a lot. from influential Indian food lovers tonight hello hello Jesus, how are you doing? Yes, it's been amazing, but tonight is the big night. Need help? I have an apron in the car, no, Jesus Christ, but can I take a look at what you're taking a look at some pumpkin puree that was roasted in a Tandoor oven with a little bit of cumin okay, so that was a pain in the butt is there are no ovens here possibilities possibilities and let me see there yeah can we go and take a look thank you happy that's promising promising it's not finished yet I'll see you okay baby bye thank you baby just remember today is your day today is my day I have wasted time cooking in this basic kitchen and the sema food critic guests have already arrived so the services have just started the customers are coming in what I am going to do now these chicken breasts are just remove them, that is the menu for this night friends no this is the new dish so we have Force it's not a good chicken if we don't like this local chicken can we send it back?

Okay, first one from the jungle to the desert and a huge and exquisite wedding banquet. My expedition to northern India has come down to this. My slow cooked chicken is ready to go. I'm finishing the dish with saffron flavored egg, like the ones I use in goat biryani please, really different from all the dishes they make. I have eaten here so far. I love the succulence of the chicken. You know, it's not fibrous, it's not, it's not, it's not a very heavy craving. It is a wonderful blend that uses Indian spices but without going overboard. It's been made by someone I want you all to know, that's Gordon, good evening, ladies, gentlemen, welcome, how was the chicken excellent?

It has a very distinctive light and happy flavor before you ask me any questions. Is there any bone left? Which is a good sign. It was delicious. Enjoy it fabulously. Yes, in fact, I think they should stay on the menu. I would order it again. Yes, if I came here again. You've definitely already passed. Happens. It is an honor. Thank you so much. It's been an incredible week. but for me, what I have discovered here is that Indian food is far superior to what we are used to seeing at home, so now that I have tried it I want to go off the beaten path and perhaps venture into the unknown tonight.

I'm on the second leg of my Great Indian Escape learning to cook my favorite food, curry, and now I'm heading off the beaten path to discover Connery's best kept secrets in India, a kind of authentic Indian food that's unheard of and something that has never been seen. on any menu Indian menu anywhere in the UK, food and dishes we've never read about, so for the next week I'll leave the tourist trail behind and embark on an adventure to the far reaches of northeastern India, bordered by China and Burma, this region is remote and inaccessible, but I am told that the map source curries will be worth it, they are made with ingredients not available anywhere else in India, abroad, in the far northeast from India, almost in nature, so yes, before.

I get there. I will stop in Calcutta. This is my gateway to the northeast and will be the last bit of civilization I see for a while. This faded beauty was once the British colonial capital of India. Now it's a hectic metropolis and all the action happens here on the streets thank you, thank you very much oh it's nice, there are 135,000 stalls here and I hear it's the best street food in India. Very good, in fact, it's delicious. Spicy. I can't believe the variety on offer. Egg sandwiches. Calcutta. very own fascinating predator hello noodles yes noodles good noodles those chicken noodles vegetable chili sauce a little tomato sauce there is very good and everything is prepared from scratch right here on the street only the level of basic food on this street is a delicious nature and you have this gourmet trail that starts from the back like a small canapé with the eggs and then you go down to the vegetables and suddenly you get to the meat right at the end and then you finish with the desserts there is no sweet like anywhere in the world, but right now I have someone to meet around the corner in the commercial district of Calcutta.

You're writing? It's diving writing without email no no not quite happy writing I'm London, how are you? yes, I saw you, one last welcome to chaotic television. Thank you very much, it's good to see you, an experienced foodie, not in Bachi is one of the few food writers who has ventured into the impenetrable northeast and agreed to give me all the information on where to go. Brings you here, Gordon. I'm heading north to the northeast and you seem to be the only person who understands exactly what I can get from there. Well, it will be a completely different experience from any other food available in the subcontinent. ready, yeah, so no it's not like the north, it's not like a bastard, not at all, nothing to do with your chicken tikka culture.

Kormas of North India. Punjabi food. Biryani. Not smooth at all. Why it is mainly a tribal culture. And people live off the Earth. it's very peasant food it's a wild country there's a lot of game to eat except tables and chairs they eat anything with four legs except hills and chairs just anything with four legs she's still really prepared oh god it's very exciting cooking you better get ready for some hot food because it's famous for chilis, oh it's not really known much outside of the northeast so I can't find northeast food here on this street, no, no, no, why not, I think mainly because It's very different, right? and it's not familiar to The Taste Buds, maybe here it would be quite intriguing to bring back a northeast influence, yeah, and put it on the streets here and believe me, it'll be the first time anyone's done that kind of thing here, right ?

I would love to be the first person to introduce Northeastern food to this food mecca. I'll see you in a week. Yes, foreigner. I will travel to Nagaland, one of the most remote regions of India. I have a feeling. home Amenities will be scarce on the ground, so tonight I'm making the most of what Kolkata has to offer. Oh Jesus, trust me, we have the opportunity to take advantage of some luxury, you take advantage of it because only God knows where I am. I'm going to sleep tomorrow night the next day. I am on a flight from Kolkata, traveling 900 kilometers to Debruga in Assam.

I am heading to Nagaland. I will be staying with a local tribe that has a reputation for hunting prowess and fantastic hunting. curry I just hope the natives are friendly as I will be the first Western chef they will meet and tell them that Gordon's determination is g-o-r-d-o-n g-o-r-d-o-n to dibrugar. Now I have to do a 150 kilometer road trip through Assam before I reach the Nagaland border four hours left on roads like this look Jeremy Clarkson commits the heart with no hands on the phone uh I'll change gears if you want Nagaland has reputed to be a dangerous place for westerners to travel alone so this seems like the border crossing please stop at nagaland please check the post ok you greet me fajin she is the only english speaker in the village where i stay tell me a friend of nondons yes, how are you Madonna?

Good to see you, what a trip, welcome to nagaland, thank you very much, in fact I have a necklace for you to welcome naglin Jesus, this is a skull necklace, a skull necklace, yes it looks like a huge doorknob , So what is it? Well, we're headhunters from our tribe, wait a minute, uh. you used to be or are you we used to be headhunters don't worry no I'm not worried it's myself if you're good then I won't take your head Jesus if you're good I won't take your head off it sounds like my wife bye then Have you ever traveled to any part of the world like this?

I've never been to such remote areas, well anywhere in the world like this, ever cocky, you made it out alive, don't worry, come. I'm alive, yes, I still have problems with the brakes. There are no highways, they simply don't exist here and the endless bumpy roads are getting to me. We must surely be about 2 hours and 45 minutes after crossing the border. Welcome to Xiang Village, more than a thousand kilometers away. After leaving Kolkata, we are finally here. I really need a warm welcome, that is, welcome to my house. Thank you so much. I'm on a culinary adventure through India and have traveled to the wilds of the northeast where I am. the trail of India's best kept culinary secrets.

I just arrived in Nagaland, where I'm staying with a cognac tribe and I'm the first Western chef they've met. Oh my God, hello, this is my father, Mr. Gordon, how is he? your your father's name what is my what do I call him he looks like a boss and this is my mother how are you nice to see you this is a warrior show is a voice is very kind thank you very much thank you very much that is incredible you, all these people here, These are our relatives and villagers, could you say hello, hello, hello and what are these interesting pieces of intestines and we eat them too?

Yeah, the tribe might enjoy the meat more than I do, because Jin's dad even has a version. one of my favorites to take away, but sausage like a black pudding inside the bamboo yes, look at that black pudding it's delicious, it's very good, we don't put chilli in our black pudding in the UK, do you think? of any real Indian food you never think of black pudding, but that's yes, completely different, thank you and also a big cup of tea, that's how we eat in Scotland, you know, black pudding, yes, and tea, he said that because He's handsome and handsome like he has three wives oh Jesus what about you?

Yes, those laws do not apply to one's value. I would love news from the world. He said: Why don't you come with him tomorrow to hunt? I would love to go hunting. he is inviting you I thought it was forbidden no, this is tribal land we own Allen and we have every right to Heart yes and this is how the village survives yes to think that 50 or 60 years ago there were tribal gangs War of revenge and anyway to seek revenge your victim was beheaded and that's it that's not about now tell me what's nice uh so that everyone looks cute and smiling and high fives and how's it going sit down have some black pudding a cup of tea but Do you want to join them in the jungle, could you after last night's welcoming ceremony?

I really want to get stuck in this morning. I'm watching The Hunt. The Trevi programs are a testament to this village's long history of living off the land, as Jin's grandfather is the most experienced hunter. in town and I would like an introduction, you read about these guys and you hear about them at school in re and things like that, you know, you would never believe you have the opportunity to have breakfast with them, excellent, good morning, sir. He has five skulls there, I have four of mine, what's the difference, the men who have taken their heads above, don't use this and he's going to take off two heads in due course, yes, I'd better let him have breakfast before he takes mine, yeah hey, you're lucky before the hunt starts.

I was asked to join some of the villagers for a special ceremony before going hunting. Yes, we will sacrifice a chicken. Cut it. Cut it in the mouth with the chicken. blood, we smell all the weapons or any type of weapon that we are taking to hunt, we do this as a ritual just to be one with nature, okay, okay, cool, why is he just pulling? The tests will be successful or not if there is blood in this. If you see the side inside, then there will be injuries, but today there is no blood, so there is no, he says the size may have been good, but with the whole village ready for battle, I will not take any risks, tell everyone Now if you recognize a blue shirt. shirt, no, don't shoot today, they will be tracking wild boar or deer in the forest, since fajin's father will make it tonight's dinner.

I have a great interest in this hunt going well, so when we enter the forest, I will split into two groups and circle around the hunt, yes, we will divide it into different groups and just be careful with the machine, yes, then , How we go toI want to give them a chance. Done, constant reboot. Oh, I feel pretty safe. I need to remember what comes in first still smells like Danny, it will smell, yes, not too much garlic, no, okay, okay, cover, keep an eye on it for me, please, yes, and turn the gas down a little and have a little Wonderful. that reduces I'm sneaking around to spy on the competition this is sister what's this here opium poppy seeds what else do you have there onions garlic onion garlic and ginger so everyone's doing a little bit of decorating, right? that for your decoration wow, okay, okay, I better go, since I'm making some decorations again.

This lot might seem like India's answer to the Wi, but they're actually pretty good. Chefs, you are now decorating your plates. He's gone up a level, damn it. It started as some kind of national competition, yes, local, they know what they're doing, clever buggers. Two can play that game. I'm done with one of these since I was in college. A small Van Dyke tomato. 15 minutes left. Yes, thanks. thank you Ainsley please come out the same color as the Russian it has to stay green ok sesame seed paste in a minute you have to come to the presentation table the countdown starts yes I have never been this long in this throughout my life. know that it is your food and give your marks yes ok well you will appreciate it excellent thank you thank you thank you very much thank you very much thank you look it is none other than technology what did it do to the chicken that I did not make papaya with chicken yes, it is fine, excellent, a pot to Panasonic pressure, yes, I love you all, thank you, I don't like coming in second place, it's okay, next year I'll be back, oh yes, number one, yes, thanks papaya and chicken, that sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Yes, and I mean, okay, I didn't earn well, but I came here to gain some knowledge and see how I can put it on the streets of Calcutta, thank you ladies, thank you Russian Dean, bye, now take me to the airport weekly A week ago I started a Adventure into the wilds of North East India to locate the fabulous dishes that are unique to this region, the North East is very special and is the complete opposite of what you expected. I found the food to be completely different to any of the Indian classics I have cooked before.

Yeah, there's no garam masala, you know? There is no, there is no, there are no powders, it is all fresh, fragrant, frayed little spices. I have now flown back to Calcutta, where I am about to take my chances. North East curries have never been sold on these streets before I go to consume them. all I have learned to create dishes that will show this city what it has missed is the dawn and I rise early to join the other street cooks who are already preparing for a busy lunch on D-Day, now this, now the smell is already so the heat is on with over 135,000 stalls my competition is going to be tough my north east curries must be good enough to draw customers away from their tried and tested favorites who wouldn't have seen or discovered food like this before, so they just don't They don't object to that because they don't recognize it well.

That's not what we're used to. I had some local guys to help me. How are you? Excellent and this is: are you sure it's not? fuck out of school no no no definitely not I didn't know him well, first yes, I need to light the fire yes, I'm going to take advantage of the unique flavors of the northeast to create three delicious curries, the first is chicken and green papaya inspired by cooking contest winning recipe, will have that classic Asami Sao Tang that the locals are not used to bringing. The papaya helps not only tenderize the chicken but also marinate it, it also gives it that nice tart flavor. making a fish curry using dried bamboo shoots from Nagaland is something of an acquired taste and I don't know how it will turn out here.

It's a combination of some sort of bay leaf and lemongrass with a little bit of My final dish is a Northeastern version of vegetable curry instead of using dry spices. I'm using fresh spices, which makes the flavor more subtle. Finish with an almost thick sesame seed puree in the vegetable curry with a sesame seed paste and then the fresh coriander paste just one. Last thing I need to do before I open my stall I'm sweating like a pig I look like a pig I stink like a pig, right, let me change fresher, much better, so it's not exactly Chef Whites, right?

But I guess it's equivalent to a local. Chef's wife, so I'll tell you what's much fresher, huh, there's nothing wrong with going commando at noon, sunshine time, to save my opinion on northeast curry, I can win over foodies from Calcutta, here we come, who's the first chicken again? Let's go fishing curry, no doubt, sir, actually this. It is something new for us in Kolkata. I don't know if other people will like it or not, but in my opinion there is really a wonder, come on, come on, come on, the food is very good and I had to deal with the bamboo shoots. very tasty with cream for the fire thank you, come on chicken The papaya has been unleashed extraordinarily it was very good and the vegetables and these are very good last night chicken last night that is incredible, it is only about 50 minutes, we are more than 100 servings of chicken.

In fact, which is fantastic news, the last time the papaya chicken ran out, my fish and vegetable curries also sold out quickly, so thank you as Gordon Ramsay's Calcutta Cafe is now officially closed. It has been a great day. I've enjoyed it and judging by the reaction my race has had. it has been a success 500 600 700 800 900 1000 2000.50 yes my son is a good morning work okay yes thank you everyone says the food is excellent yes definitely everyone said that but there is an opinion from one person who really matters. The non-professor food writers are here to give me their verdict Hi Gordon, okay, so what did you cook today?

So today we made a chicken version with green papaya. We made an amazing fish curry. I saved a small portion because I was getting a little worried. Thank you foreigner. Believe me, you are happy. that not only have you managed to do something that many people would have said is impossible well done very well done it is very well done I look ridiculous and I must have lost half my body weight in sweat but I have proven that Curry's of the Worth mentioning northeast India. I thought my first week in India was a revelation. This was a shock.

I think because it's hard to believe it exists. It's almost like you're not in India. The culture is as exciting as the food is an incredible revelation. The simplicity, the concentration of excellent ingredients and not wasting time with them. India helped me become, you know, not just a real chef. I was never outside of that group, but it helped me confirm what I love doing more than anything else. Can we get over that? I doubt it, but I can't wait to try it at one stage of my culinary journey. I have visited the cities. I have visited the mountains, the jungle and now I am going to Mumbai.

It is going to be my gateway to southern India with 40 million inhabitants. Mumbai is the financial center of India and the home of Bollywood and then from there south to some of the most stunning coastlines in the world. Famed for its fish, it is the home of spices. It is where spices originated in I am completing my culinary adventure in India in the south. It is famous for its fresh curries and unique spices. India produces more than half of the world's supply, but it worries me because South India is also a hotbed of vegetarianism. Indians are vegetarians and half of them regularly eat a vegetarian diet.

Personally, I am an unbridled carnivore. I am vegetarian. Holier than thou. Attitudes make me nervous. Address please welcome to Mumbai. Thank you so much. Already in the first two minutes it seemed crazy. I mean everyone is a thousand miles an hour look at that most amazing Indian wedding beautiful absolutely starving I wanted to meet with a culinary expert right Captain Madras where am I with no chicken anywhere? I'm meeting Rashmi Uday Singh she's India's leading food critic and wrote the country's first restaurant guide, fresher, hey how are you honey, thanks and you look really wonderful but you look a little hungry Yes, Joe, I'm really hungry, all I want is a butter chicken restaurant, the district is purely vegetarian, even if you want to run an apartment.

Gordon, you're right, you can't if you're a serious non-vegetarian program. I know there are a lot of vegetables in India, but an entire city convinced vegetarianism that it can combat the ills of modern life. What about carnivores? Why are you so? anti, you did so much, we think that's what's responsible for your bad temper, eating meat, big bad temper, what a load of nonsense, unlike all those things you need, this is actually good for your spirit, your emotions , your feelings will give you calm. it will relax you the meat doesn't make me angry it excites me calm down we will get you something to eat please then we will talk about a south

indian

mission yes ok repeat after me I promise to try the vegetarian food seriously .

I promise I'll say try vegetarian food with an open mind to show me what's out there. Rashmi ordered me India's most popular vegetarian food, Samba idli, and first I rolled up a dose of pancake. I am eating the idlis in a spicy Samba soup. the texture is like a kind of warmth, it's actually like a warm skull, it's nice, yes, I like that it's Moorish, it's lovely, okay, lovely, you're open minded and you definitely enjoyed it, against my best judgment. I asked Rashmi for advice on where to find great vegetarian food she has a radical suggestion: you are going to visit an ashram and what a treat for the eyes, you are going to go live there oh there is so much fabulous vegetarian food there, I am not going to spend the entire week and my last exciting week as a vegetarian no chance I'll be gone now all week Travel not just to India but to yourself I'm not Amy Winehouse's husband I'm not going into rehab you're not going into rehab you're going to find yourself you're in our country you are our guest you are like God the God in me I salute the god have a great time good Lord be with you Lord Jesus call me if you need me yes absolutely definitely Jesus Taxi it is an inevitable fact that India is the largest vegetarian country of the world and South India is famous for its vegetarian cuisine, so I am traveling 1300 kilometers from Mumbai to Coimbatore city.

I really must have gotten lost. I'm going to find myself. free for the first time, this part of the trip for me will be one of the most fascinating because we are in Tamil Nadu and Rashmi has organized me to go to this amazing ashram, so it is a temple, but the bad news is that a temple for vegetarians the idea of ​​going through life without eating protein meat Aberdeen Angus hi to take me there I'm renting a car hi this Mars mine was built in India by Hindustan Motors a nickname the Hindustan baby OMG we've never had sex in one of these could you oh and the seat doesn't go back now no, obviously, no, no porn, obviously, fantastic.

I'll take good care of your baby, no doubt, thank you first, okay, great, beautiful, oh Jesus, in a smooth transition gearbox, me, where's the third. ashram this way yes, thank you. I think the fascinating thing that stands out to me about this temple is that it is a very popular place. Nobody eats meat. Find your inner strength. It makes you happier, less angry, less frustrated, less stressful. Hello, this is where the vegetables are gathered. I am looking for the guru's ashram. I am cleansing for the first time in 42 years. I see that even the gearbox doesn't agree with me now because it can hear that oh, I'm not going to eat meat for a couple of years.

There are days, oh my God, that is a proper Guru. My guru's name is Sad Guru and he is much bolder than the average yogi. You know, I've heard his cooking is the best in the state. It's not the type of transportation you're expected to use. move now uh people always have this idea being holy means being impractical yeah yeah sakuru's ashram is the Aisha Center, it gets over 700,000 visitors a year, it's a popular Maharishi and now it looks a little more serious. I'm very excited to be here. more nervous and excited. I have never gone two days of my life without eating meat.

Your system is essentially designed to already be dead. If you eat according to that, you handle food effortlessly. Yes, every human experience has a chemical basis in the system. So if you want to create the right kind of chemistry, there are several things one can do. Yes, one of them is food. If you create a blissful lens chemistry, that's how you are all the time. That's impossible. I'm not going to argue. in your temple, that's for sure, I'm dying to see the kitchens, come on, thank you, so the guru reckons that being a vegetarian makes you a happy karma person, if that's true, then your kitchens must be among the happiest places in The Earth, the size of this place, wow. it's a vegetarian hangout look at those vegetables yes they were grown they were grown here oh a little that's amazing okay and here the light shoes I would love one please thank you now what are you here forare you trying to do?

Kill me, doesn't that burn you? Do you enjoy beef chili twice, once when you eat it and once when you put it down? My butt couldn't take it. No, he'll be through me in seconds and I don't have toilet paper and I'm not going to do it. again in a Banana Leaf, no chance, but my next destination will make everything seem like child's play. I have organized an excursion of my culinary trip. I heard that in North Carolina farmers love a sport called campbella that only occurs in flooded areas. Paddy Fields, this place is packed with thousands of punters, but there is something very strange about this racecourse, what are they?

What is that man like a shovel? My God, this is a lot of bulls, isn't it. I have balls and they know how to run. They are angry. I have been to a motorcycle Grand Prix. Formula One Grand Prix. Horse racing. Point quote. This exceeds everything they asked me to distribute the prizes. Congratulations. Winning jockeys are treated like Formula One champions and can earn around £600 per race. foreigner, yes of course, I would love to try it, yes please, I'm going to start slowly learning how to balance without a moving ball, okay, bring the balls, yes, okay, all the best, okay, I'm down, but no way.

I've been on fast cars, fast bikes, even the top of the mile, now on a jet, but apparently this is a ride on the back of two balls. India has been the maximum country for me, the maximum surprise, the maximum people and the maximum flavor. Returning from Kerala to the place called Mumbai, the maximum city of India, where my adventure reaches its climax. I have heard that some of the best food in India is not produced in the best restaurants or hotels, but on the streets. 26 of the Indians live in poverty. I can't leave India. without discovering how the poor eat so well with so little, so we are driving in and it is the largest slum in Asia, home to over a million people.

Slumdog Millionaire was filmed on the streets of the sprawling Duravi slum, a legally built Duravi is the most densely populated neighborhood in the world, this may seem like an unlikely place to find a culinary genius, but today I'm having an apprenticeship with a chef. Ghetto superstar, his name is Manny, Summer's nickname Manny, he's got a big deal tonight, he's pretty good at most. amazing Samba samba is like a kind of hot and tasty minestrone soup, so today I'm going to be taught how to make one properly. Oh there's one of my favorites from Curry House and Samba is a version of it, a cheap staple dish made with lentils and vegetables Manny asked me to help him make his famous Samba for a big birthday party in the slum, yeah , yes, now we have a big dinner tonight, a small dinner, 100 and about 100, oh Jesus, where is the kitchen, the kitchen, this is the kitchen, this is? the kitchen, so we are seriously cooking on the street, yes, although his kitchen is rudimentary, Manny is a fan of discipline and expects his chefs to wear the uniform.

Money doesn't care who I am to it. I'm just a humble communist chef in a street kitchen and a good samba is a labor-intensive foreign dish. First I am going to make masala or spice mix for the samba. Money has its own secret blend of spices for the Masala that gives the samba its unique flavor. They have started roasting the fenugreek seeds, the yellow split peas, the coriander curry leaves and then the chillies and then they are going to grind it, so we have this fresh and fragrant masala base for the samba, oh yes, yes, cut it, cut it.

It's amazing to think we're at the place where the movie gives the thumbs up to the millionaire davari coconut, well, well, well, so I was going to sweeten the Masada coconut in South India. Cooking is paramount, it's as if our potatoes in the UK are of the utmost importance. Okay now we started making lentils with samba in a good food aspect but it's not a vegetarian dish in the middle of a slum, I love it, I love it, I love it, it's hot now Manny, yeah I said no , it's very hot even though Manny is a successful Chef, he still lives in a makeshift two-bedroom house.

How many family members do you have to take care of? How big is the family to help the people in this family? 12, that's a big family and they all live here, yes, they all live in the same house keep working until you can move I like that happy attitude with my purchases heck onion it's over 30 degrees and now we're going full speed to finish the samba Jesus Christ I tell you what next time I want to run a marathon I'm going back to Mumbai and I'll work in the slum for a day training perfect this kitchen is like Piccadilly Circus yeah it's getting crowded now it was tea time traffic now let's make the masala paste this is putting my spicy masala sambar in it's crucial to give this dish a distinctly deep flavor finally we add the lentils it smells absolutely delicious it becomes so fragrant and fragrant thank you that's delicious he knows all this for 10p a portion to breathe the birthday guests have arrived, let's go and Manny and I are serving Gordon one two, so what do the guests think?

The amazing golden lemon is very good. I mean, we hope you're back here. Very delicious, very fast. Incredible. That foreigner prepared such a delicious dinner for us ladies. All the best. night good success thank you I thought it was going to be good but I didn't think it was going to be so spectacular but please these are my friends we are friends until we die exactly that exactly thank you eh, it has been an absolute pleasure pleasure thank you very much Slumdog Samba is the essence of great South Indian cuisine, tastes amazing and costs almost nothing to be here today was quite nervous, let me get out of the car and you start melting on the street in a way that you work.

It's hard to be accepted by them the moment they see that they connect immediately because they're a grafted nation and some money, well, yeah, I mean, he's, yeah, a passionate, exciting 50-year-old chef who, already You know, know his big moment when I started my Indian adventure. I didn't know how to cook curry, but now I want to challenge myself. Did I learn enough to compete at the highest level? Tonight there will be a big dinner in Mumbai with the best chef in the country. It will be at the Taj Mahal. hotel and went into the kitchen to cook the main dish.

The hotel is Mumbai's iconic building, which is tragically why it was the target of cruel outrage in Terrace just over a year ago. 31 guests and staff were killed. Can't. I think of a more appropriate place to return and have my final dinner in this unique building. I can't wait to meet the chef. I know he lost several members of his team during those terrorist attacks and yes, quite nervous, really. I just want to keep my head down and thank you Herman Oberoi executive chef of the Taj is the most influential chef in India, he has cooked for everyone from Prince Charles to Bill Clinton, tonight there will be 25 high society guests coming and for the chef o'bri everything has to be perfect, you should be giving only the best if you are a good chef you should give the best there is no room for us I can invest today Chef o'bri doesn't mind that I am new to Indian cuisine, he trusts in me to deliver the products and I want to cook a dish that does justice to my culinary adventures.

In India I decided on an ambitious fish dish using the delicious caramine that I discovered in Kerala. I didn't realize I thought it was three, it's four, are you too? I think they will arrive in three hours and I have already finished it. I'm going to make a very simple fish stop. Okay, very very simple. The legend has arrived. How are you sir? How are you doing? He's been in meetings all day. I'm very well, thank you, very happy to be here. I'm here to steal as many recipes as possible. This isn't competition, but when you have two big egos in a kitchen, there's bound to be a bit of rivalry.

Ferbroy is making a shitty starter and he's paying attention to what I'm doing, so coriander and vanilla, yeah, first I'm cooking a fish stock for a vanilla sauce, doing the Indian flavors in the typical Western way, he He is preparing his dog, he is doing the filming. a good chef and knows what he's doing. I have a radical idea: fill it with Bony caramine and cook it in three ways, slightly Kamikaze, but the idea is good if the first is to cover them with a freshwater prawn mousse and then a delicious Don't fish the light one with vanilla and coriander and the second I would play to the strengths in Mumbai with red curry and then the third I will try to make a really nice light crispy batter and marinate the fish first a little bit. a little turmeric there is a lot at stake in this dinner the Taj has been restored to its former glory it was destroyed in the attack but the hotel bravely reopened barely a month later this far in my attempt to impress Chef Oberoi I think I can I have bitten More than I can chew here.

I'm struggling with my fish batter. It was fried not high enough. The bat is too light. It will be soft like red curry. I want this to become really nice and kind of authentic. Lots of fresh tomatoes lots of chili lots of garlic and then at the end fill it up. I'm going to try it and why I decide to cook this three ways, I don't know, stick it in the dough, fry it and serve it with the okra. who put out the fire that's all I need I hope it's getting ready it's almost five o'clock you probably should have started a little earlier I'm sure two hours and it only has one fish dish and the fish takes no time.

I suppose that all the emotion, all the anxiety, all the experience, will explode in three ways on the same plate, so if I go out, I want to go out on top, well, we are here with one of the best chefs in the country. match it I'm not here to match it I'm here to show you what I've learned that's the secret at this dinner they are the creme de la Creme of Mumbai Society Bollywood actors social lights and the maharaja of udaipur as the service looms The pressure on me is affecting. Should we go directly to the crab?

Let me know when you sent all the junk. Thank my Lord. Excellent. Don't let me fall now. Please let's go. I'm not as fast as you. I'm getting old, oh yeah. After a last-minute scramble, my complex caramine dish finally came together. I use an old trick to separate my soggy dough, which is much better, nice and crispy. Now they needed a bottle of beer. The good English style is over in terms of free individual tastes. drawing in Kerala drawing in Mumbai and drawing some English there with a beer dough so far so good that's one put together let's see how the pie along with 25 servings yeah I mean it might take about 10 more minutes when they sit down okay 10 more minutes okay, great, here we go bingo, enough time to see Chef Oberoi for a change.

I'm fine with my two boys 22 and I have two, it's great, yes, it's good, there are more chefs than our clients, lovely 24. chefs cooking for 21 clients, so one, two, three, yes, we are going to be victorious, Yes, I have never felt intimidated by the opposition at the last minute. I'm steaming the caramine to go with my vanilla sauce, I'll just be very careful when cooking the fish. It has to be absolutely crucial that the fish has done three ways the tempura goes in at the last minute and make sure you chop them very gently so you have eight in there quickly and then tip the bomb, okay, go as soon as this.

The delicate fish is ready, it should come out directly, lift the plate and put it in your hand. Curry leaves on please, I have a feeling. Chef Oberoi is enjoying this softly, softly, softly, softly, there are no two dishes at most. Thank you three times and keep the plate straight. pleasure, my great escape adventure is all on this plate. I never wanted a recipe to be as successful as this one. You know, you put your balls on the line, you learn what they're doing and you learn quickly, then you want to compete. them and then I should keep it simple and take a banana leaf and take an easy route no, that's not me, this is actually very good, very typical of Kerala and I think it's a fabulous butterfly, very British.

I like that I have the British in Minnesota I loved it very subtle certainly the South Indian flavor is present I like whatever whatever it is it's wonderful I'm old and I speak deaf I thought that for a footballer it cooks wonderfully I think it's a good effort but it's my mental color Rashmi impressed me. What's surprising is that she managed to give it the Gordon Ramsay spin. What a beautiful room! I couldn't think of a more appropriate place to confirm how exquisite his cooking is. Many thanks to the Chef. The team has been incredible, congratulations, a phenomenal hotel and it has come back as number one.

Very good, great. The time has come to say goodbye to a country that I have fallen in love with. Being here for so long has really helped me not just renew. My passion for Indian food, but it has made me think more because it has a surprising effect, not only the food and the ingredients, but also the people. It has been an intense and frenetic journey through this addictive country. This is heaven's kitchen, okay? who made him angry don't shootIt exploded come back come back we need you we have to make the dish you just need to turn your back on her a little more she went to the dangerous car crazy angry but it's delicious the experience has been incredible learning again that's it There has been a great emotion, how am I going to do something different when you return home?

Yes, of course, I will. I won't call for takeout. I will do that. Thank you. Excellent. Let's go to Mumbai airport please, is this going faster?