0:00:02 > 0:00:03Us Brits love our fast food.
0:00:03 > 0:00:07We spend a staggering £6 billion on takeaway every single year.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11We have more places serving it up than anywhere else in Europe.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Over the series, from fish and chips to Chinese,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22we'll be exploring our love affair with takeaway.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30This week, we want to find out what makes the best Indian takeaway.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34We're going behind the counters of Britain's top curry houses
0:00:34 > 0:00:37to discover the secrets of their trade.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41There's only three people that know the recipe of what's in this bag.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43It's me, my mum and dad.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We'll be uncovering the history behind the British curry
0:00:46 > 0:00:49and how it broke down cultural barriers.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Punjabis and Glaswegians have a lot in common.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53We love a drink, they love a drink.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55They love a fight at a wedding, we start fights at weddings.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58So, a great deal of commonality.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Oh, my knife!
0:01:00 > 0:01:03And we're inviting some award-winning curry chefs
0:01:03 > 0:01:09to a contest to find out what makes the best Indian takeaway.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12- That's what you call a naan bread! - Wow, it's a naan-off!
0:01:12 > 0:01:14We are celebrating the real food
0:01:14 > 0:01:17that we eat and the people behind it.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Three pilau rice.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32Whether it's a spicy jalfrezi or a creamy tikka masala,
0:01:32 > 0:01:38Indian takeaway is one of the most loved foods on the British menu.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42We order three million Indian takeaways
0:01:42 > 0:01:45and eat four million poppadoms every week.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47So we're searching the country
0:01:47 > 0:01:51to find out what makes the best takeaway curry.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58We often think of fast food to be bad food.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00But I believe it can be great.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03We've got some brilliant takeaways in this country.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06So we've found three of the best independent
0:02:06 > 0:02:09curry houses to take part in a contest.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13They're all award-winning and they're all very different.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18But they each believe that their food is the best.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Ahead of the contest,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23chef Tom Kerridge is on his way to visit the first contender.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30On the outskirts of Glasgow is Mushtaq's restaurant.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Hidden behind this ordinary shop front lies Britain's biggest
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Indian takeaway kitchen.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40OK, one veg pakora, chicken tikka masala, two pilau rice,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42one naan straightaway for delivery!
0:02:47 > 0:02:51This kitchen serves up curry on a giant scale.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Chicken pakora, lamb, roast beef, chicken tikka masala,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59- pilau rice, boiled rice.- Three naan bread straightaway, please.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Up to 1,000 takeaways are sent out every Friday.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08That's one curry every three minutes.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15This enormous operation is the brainchild of award-winning chef, Ajmal.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20- So, this is the operation.- OK.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Two salad, chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka korma, pilau rice,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25chips, new order, please.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Well, we're in like an aircraft hangar of a kitchen, aren't we?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30It's a massive operation, yes.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34It could be any form of factory-led line that works to efficiency.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35All those kind of processes,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38you've put into a model that works for takeaway.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Absolutely.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45This one's a korma.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- Chicken tikka korma. - Chicken tikka korma.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Ajmal has won Scotland's Chef Of The Year at the Asian Food Awards.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Tom, can you do what you're doing, but just do it, like, three times faster, please?
0:03:55 > 0:03:59His recipes have been handed down from his family.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03My parents started out when they opened their very first restaurant
0:04:03 > 0:04:04back in the '70s.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07When they came over to this country,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09the only thing they were good at was cooking a limited range
0:04:09 > 0:04:12of Indian food, and that's exactly what we're doing here today.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15OK, so even though it's a limited range,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17you're trying to make sure that it's still high-quality?
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It still is. And my mum and dad still come here every other day
0:04:21 > 0:04:22- for their meal.- You know,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25that's testament to how hard you're working and how consistent
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- your product is.- Yeah.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33Ajmal believes his parents' authentic Punjabi recipes
0:04:33 > 0:04:36are what makes his takeaway curries so special.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38It starts off here. This is the humble onion.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- Yeah.- This is the foundation of every curry.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43So these onions are going to get cooked and it takes
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- about four and a half hours to cook a pot of gravy.- So do you add anything else to that?
0:04:46 > 0:04:51- Is that just onion?- We add... - Your magic mix.- The magic mix.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54There's only three people that know the recipe of what's in this bag.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58- It's me, my mum and dad. - OK.- So, the spice will go in here.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Yeah.- It's going to be cooked for about another hour.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01- Yeah.- And then we're going to blend it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03And then the texture will be like that.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Is this the base for all of the curries?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09This is probably 25% of the flavour at this point.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14- And then we add different ingredients to make up the different sauces.- Right.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19Veg pakora, lamb, boiled rice!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I've just been witness to Ajmal's jaw-dropping operation.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27He's certainly perfected speed and efficiency.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31He's the biggest, but is he the best?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33We're pitching him
0:05:33 > 0:05:36against two outstanding but very different chefs in our contest.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47Almost 500 miles away on the south coast is our second contestant.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50New order, two momos followed by one mutton.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55A chef with a very different vision for what he thinks makes the best Indian takeaway.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Another chilli chicken fry coming, yeah? OK, let's go.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Alun is the head chef of Chilli Pickle in Brighton.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05And then this can go. We have some micro-leaf on here to finish.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09The restaurant won best takeaway at the British Curry Awards two years running.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Thank you.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Well, we've always been innovative in what we do, I think.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19You know, starting off with an English man running
0:06:19 > 0:06:21an Indian restaurant in itself is quite unique.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23And we always try to, I guess,
0:06:23 > 0:06:29give an element of that real sort of food that you would get in India,
0:06:29 > 0:06:35kind of unapologetic, spicy, full of strong flavours.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Alun gathers recipes from all over India.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Just come back. We went to Chennai and Goa.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49There's a couple of dishes we tried there and we've actually brought it
0:06:49 > 0:06:51to the menu. And that's, you know,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54the kind of thing that we really look for in our travels.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Wow, it's amazing. The restaurant's really busy, really buzzy.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03It's a great noise. There's nothing better than a full restaurant.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05But this isn't actually what I want to see.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I want to see what's going on downstairs in the takeaway.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Alun is a classically trained chef.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16He believes his food will stand out in the contest,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20because he's creating takeaway dishes
0:07:20 > 0:07:22from high-quality restaurant cooking.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30- Wow, hello, Alun.- Hi, Tom. - How are we doing, chief?
0:07:30 > 0:07:34- Yeah, nice to see you.- Amazing, OK, so this is the takeaway kitchen.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Yeah, indeed. It's a bit different to upstairs.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43So upstairs in the restaurant, I mean, it's a beautiful,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45well-designed menu that's quite restaurant focused.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50- Sure.- How many of those dishes can actually come from upstairs downstairs?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53- How many transcend?- Basically it's the main base of curry
0:07:53 > 0:07:55is the wet dishes, all of the garnishes around it.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So these are the items that travel well.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Alun keeps ahead of the game by preparing
0:08:01 > 0:08:04and packing batches of dishes in advance...
0:08:07 > 0:08:09..so they're ready to go as soon as they're ordered.
0:08:09 > 0:08:15We're just cooking, you know, anything up to ten portions of each curry.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19- Lined up, mutton, adraki... - So it means that everything can go at the same time,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20nobody's waiting for anything.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Absolutely. You know, it's almost like a KFC or a McDonald's scenario.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- Yeah.- Where you've got, you know, your cheeseburger, your fries.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30You've got all the curries lined up, all the garnishes there,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32and it just feeds from the other side.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Bang, bang, bang. And then they just fill the boxes.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Could I get a fish curry, please?
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- Fish curry?- Please.- Coming right up!
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- How many?- Just one. - Just one, there we go.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51My work here is done.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57The thing about Alun today that I've been so impressed with is...
0:08:57 > 0:08:59I suppose it's his enthusiasm for knowledge,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03the way that he wants to kind of absorb like a sponge
0:09:03 > 0:09:05everything there is to know about Indian cookery.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08But he's up against two others who have literally grown-up
0:09:08 > 0:09:12in takeaways. And Indian food's in their blood. My question is,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16will Alun's cooking feel authentic enough to win this contest?
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Thank you very much.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25For many of us, takeaways are now a regular part of our routine.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29But how did this tradition start?
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Back in the 1970s,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37more than one million women left home
0:09:37 > 0:09:41to start work in typing pools and offices around the country.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45By the end of the decade,
0:09:45 > 0:09:50nearly 60% of working age women were in employment.
0:09:50 > 0:09:56As women have less time to spend in the kitchen, speed was of the essence.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00- TV VOICEOVER:- Microwave cooking units are indeed revolutionary.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04And ready meals and convenience food took off.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12It wasn't long before the curry houses
0:10:12 > 0:10:15tapped into this new appetite for convenience,
0:10:15 > 0:10:20and Indian was the perfect food to kick-start the takeaway revolution.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Curry could be batch cooked in advance and served quickly.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30It was easily transportable and didn't spoil.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34By the end of the decade,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38enjoying Indian takeaway had become the norm for many people.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45Since the '70s,
0:10:45 > 0:10:50takeaway curry has become available in every corner of the UK.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54To meet the final contestant taking part in our contest,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Tom is heading deep into the Welsh valleys.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01I'm here in West Wales to visit one of our curry houses,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04which is one of the best in the UK.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I've got to be honest with you,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09this is one of the last places that I'd expect to find it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14People travel for miles to come to this small Welsh village for a taste
0:11:14 > 0:11:18of curry from this award-winning takeaway.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Shaish is head chef and owner of Yasmin's.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29One garlic fried rice, one mushroom fried rice.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31He's won a string of prizes,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34including one for best chef at the Welsh Curry Awards.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I don't believe I'm second-best.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39I'm heading for the best thing a chef could do.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43And what we have in plan for the future, it's exciting.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Like 85% of all Indian takeaways in this country,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Shaish's restaurant isn't Indian at all, but Bangladeshi.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Most of my family is magical with food.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58My dad used to own a restaurant, my brother owns a restaurant,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00my sister is a beautiful chef.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01Nearly ready.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- Ah, Tom! Hey. - Nice to meet you. You OK?
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Good. Good.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16What is it about you and your offering that makes you so unique?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- Produce.- OK. - Passion to now, you know,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23grow and produce all the products that are used in the restaurant.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Shaish believes that the best Indian takeaway is all about the ingredients.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32All this is grown from the garden. The radishes, the radish leaf.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34These are going to be my signature spinach.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36It's red spinach, Bengali spinach.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38In Indian restaurants, you know, spinach is loved.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Shaish makes sure he has the freshest ingredients
0:12:42 > 0:12:47by growing them himself on a 3.5 acre smallholding.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51All the salads for the restaurant, forever, will be grown by us.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Great a space as this is, how's that going to cope all year round?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56I'm doing staggered growth.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Pumpkins, butternut squashes and all the heavy things that I could
0:13:00 > 0:13:03keep over winter will go into my mixed veg.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Shaish's plan is to become Britain's first self-sufficient
0:13:09 > 0:13:14Indian takeaway. So he's decided to rear his own meat, too.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Oh, they're so cute!
0:13:16 > 0:13:19You're not supposed to fall in love with them, this is produce!
0:13:22 > 0:13:26So Shaish, we're building a chicken coop and pen here.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- Yeah.- How many chickens are you going to have in here in total?
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Ultimately, about 600 on the land.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40Shaish, the last piece of your chicken shed. There we are, mate.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44This is exactly like a jigsaw! Look at that.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I could live in here!
0:13:46 > 0:13:48THEY LAUGH
0:13:50 > 0:13:53To find somebody who works in the fast food industry with a takeaway
0:13:53 > 0:13:56with that heart and that soul that's growing their own produce,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58is something that's very rare.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00And that is incredibly inspiring.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07So, three completely different approaches to cooking curry.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And today,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12we're going to find out which is the best with a contest
0:14:12 > 0:14:14in the curry capital, Bradford.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18And what better place to spark up the tandoor ovens
0:14:18 > 0:14:21than in Lister Park, with its beautiful Indian inspired gardens?
0:14:23 > 0:14:24Can we get some water?
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Ajmal has travelled from Scotland...
0:14:27 > 0:14:29More onion. Green chillies.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31..Shaish has come from Wales...
0:14:31 > 0:14:33The rice on this one.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36..and Alun has arrived from Brighton.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39It is blending, then rice. Then cutting. And we're there.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44The chefs will battle it out in three tests across the day
0:14:44 > 0:14:48to help us decide who makes the finest Indian takeaway.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53The best British takeaways deliver fantastic food fast.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58And we expect them to be tasty and fresh every single time.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02This first task is all about speed.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Which of you can cook and serve your bestselling dishes first?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Chefs, get cooking!
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Get the gas on, we want to get the show on the road here.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18Each chef will serve their dishes to a queue of customers.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It's a race to finish first.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But fast food shouldn't mean bad food.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27We want to test that the quality is high even when they're pushing out
0:15:27 > 0:15:32- all of those orders.- Tom will be judging and he'll be helped by spice master Enam Ali.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35What are you trying to do in here?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38He's a man who knows his Indian cooking.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Enam founded the world-renowned British Curry Awards.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47When I open the container, I'm looking for the aroma, the spices,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50the fresh produce, the quality.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I put it in my mouth and all the spice starts singing a song.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55And that is really for me.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00This is more like it, isn't it?
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Each chef is preparing two dishes from their takeaway menu,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09which they'll serve up to the people of Bradford.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I'm making the famous chicken tikka masala.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It's a British favourite.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20One in seven curries ordered in the UK is a chicken tikka masala.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24A lot of restaurants use colouring and things like that.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26I find beetroot perfect.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Gives that nice colour.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31See, now it's coming to the chicken tikka masala colour.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33You see?
0:16:34 > 0:16:37He's also serving Welsh lamb dhansak.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Both will be garnished with his own home-grown produce.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44All my garden, organic salads. Grown with love.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Look at this.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49You need to watch out. Some of these are pretty sharp.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Ajmal is also making chicken tikka masala, along with lamb karahi.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55What do you want to do?
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Shall I cook these tikkas all in one go or five at a time?
0:16:58 > 0:16:59Five at a time.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- Excuse me!- He's the king of speed and scale,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06so he should perform well, but will Ajmal be able to adapt
0:17:06 > 0:17:09away from his production line?
0:17:09 > 0:17:10Oh, my knife!
0:17:12 > 0:17:15I dropped two bits of food, give me a break.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Coming through, very hot.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20You know, we're cooking everything from scratch, I mean,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22even the time it takes to skewer this,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27it takes two or three minutes to skewer one of these and we need basically 30 of these.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Come on.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33The chefs have no idea how much their customers will order
0:17:33 > 0:17:37so Ajmal is doing what he does best, cooking large quantities.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42- Nice.- But not everyone is in a panic.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Chicken OK?
0:17:44 > 0:17:50There is such focus and calm over here, compared to everyone else.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Coming through, very hot!
0:17:52 > 0:17:54There's no running around.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58We're keeping it on the inside, I think.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Organised and efficient...
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Is it too wet?
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Alun's classical training seems to be coming into its own,
0:18:07 > 0:18:08but his dishes are complex.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12This is green pea kebabs.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15If there's too much water, it would just become very soft,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17which is not what we want.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22Alun's spiced green pea kebabs are his own invention,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26filled with cheese and coated in crushed poppadoms.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- Who doesn't love a poppadom? - He's also serving chicken xacuti,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33a South Indian recipe using toasted coconut chips.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35His variation of chicken tikka.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39An English man with an Indian restaurant, you know,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42someone that's come to it later in life,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45whereas, possibly, they were always from day one.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48We're up for it and we'll see how it goes.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Shaish, how you doing?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Good. Hopefully.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57- OK, customers are on their way.- Yes.- Chop, chop, chop!
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Ready or not, the people of Bradford have arrived,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02hungry and armed with their orders.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Rice bags!
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Where are they, where are they?
0:19:08 > 0:19:11There's too much to do, there's simply not enough time.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Rice is done, salad is done, mixed vegetables are done.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- Talk to me. Rice ready?- Yes.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Perfect. I think we're OK.
0:19:22 > 0:19:23What can I get you?
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Each chef has seven customers to serve.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31Chicken tikka masala, lamb karahi, three pilau rice.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35And each customer will order the same number of portions.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Take off the gloves, they're slowing me down.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Where's the rice?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43The chefs who serves all their customers first wins.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47But the food must be perfectly cooked.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49First-order, nearly ready.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52There you go, lovely.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Shaish is first to box and bag up.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Remember Yasmin's!
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Oh, no, excuse me, I forgot your chicken tikka masala, sorry.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06It's a good job I ain't got all the way home.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07THEY LAUGH
0:20:07 > 0:20:08I apologise.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13- Ali's new to this business.- That's fine, thank you very much.- I've had to teach him.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Sorry, lovely, two chicken tikka masala?
0:20:15 > 0:20:18One aubergine, one xacuti, one laal maas, one green pea kebabs.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Cool as a cucumber, Alun is working methodically.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24OK, mate. Everything here labelled?
0:20:24 > 0:20:25What's this?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27- Laal maas.- This is all the laal maas.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31He's using his takeaway technique of boxing up dishes in advance
0:20:31 > 0:20:33of knowing the orders.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- OK, thank you very much. - OK, thank you.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Next, please.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Hi. Six pilau rice.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Six rice. Yeah, we're on a roll now.
0:20:44 > 0:20:45I'm happy with the quality.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48It's all looking good.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50OK, thank you. Next, please.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Chicken tikka masala, lamb karahi, veg, three pilau rice.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Shabaz, what have we got here?
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Chicken tikka masala?
0:20:58 > 0:20:59- Yes.- How many pieces of chicken?
0:20:59 > 0:21:02One, two, three, four, five, six. Good, that's right.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Ajmal's rushing to keep up, but there's a problem.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Erm... Erm...
0:21:10 > 0:21:13- Shabaz?- Yeah?- Which one's the karahi sauce?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15They both look the same in this light.
0:21:17 > 0:21:18I'll get a spoon and taste it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23TOM: Ajmal's getting confused about his sauces, which concerns me.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26I hope that, in his rush to get ahead,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30he's taking his time to adapt his one base curry sauce
0:21:30 > 0:21:32to make the two curries taste different.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- Karahi, this one here?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38SHABAZ: You feeling the pressure, my friend?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Shaish, let your... Let your food do the talking.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43I'll do my orders and come and help you.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Shabaz, I tell you what, you start the naan breads.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Seven naan breads.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Come on, you're going to have to make the naans a bit longer than that.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Shaish, so much activity and so much happening.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08'Naan has been eaten in India for nearly 700 years.'
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Come on, Shaish, you're doing baby naans there. Come on.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Cooking it is a test of speed and skill.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19The oven reaches over 400 centigrade
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and it's an art to get the naan cooked perfectly
0:22:23 > 0:22:25inside and out without burning.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Shaish, come on, look, that's what you call a naan bread.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Oh, wow, it's a naan-off!
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- Get with it, Shaish.- That's tiny. - Ignore him. Ignore him.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36We're good to go.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- Enjoy your meal...- Will do. - ..and the lovely weather.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- See you later.- Thank you. - Next, please.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- Are you feeling the heat? - I certainly am. - Not just of the cooking?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47No, actual pressure.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Are you taking the next order, please?
0:22:49 > 0:22:50Come on!
0:22:50 > 0:22:52One aubergine, eight xacuti.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Instead of naan, Alun is frying roti,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00which he'll serve with additional side dishes.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04He's given tandoor duties to his assistant
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and he's nearly through his fourth customer.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I think we've measured it out quite well.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11So let's see.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13OK, next order ready.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Both Shaish and Ajmal are now just one order behind Alun.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Four masalas, two veg kormas, ten lamb we need.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21Ten lamb?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Ten portions of lamb? Oh, my lord.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27I think I'm not going to have enough lamb.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I don't know if I've put too much.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Oh, my God, I'm going to have a heart attack.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Shaish? What's going on?
0:23:33 > 0:23:35I was thinking the first order was such a small order...
0:23:35 > 0:23:38You were giving big portions away at the beginning?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Four masalas?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42OK, there is no masala.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- You've run out of masala? - I've run out of masala.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I think I maybe put a little bit too much in each container,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I was rushing, most probably.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- CHERRY:- With four customers left to serve...
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Stop looking beautiful and do something.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00- CHERRY:- ..Shaish must now cook new curries.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02HE GROANS
0:24:02 > 0:24:05I've heard the other team's run out of food - that might work in our favour.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Right. Listen, darling, you come over here, we'll sort you out.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09Boo!
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I'm going to phone the local takeaway.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Where's my spoon?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Two chicken tikka masala, I'll do the portion control.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Come on. Need a bit more gas.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Ajmal's finally found his rhythm...
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Right, next person I'm going to take your order just in a minute.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34..and he's starting to close the gap on Alun.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37You're going to love this. Hi, there. Next, please.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39OK, let's go, ten laal maas.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Shabaz, just up the pace.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Just a little bit more.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49We're nearly there, we can see the finish line.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I need two guys round here just to hold me up. I'm about to collapse.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Alun and Ajmal are both on their final customer...
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Pick up the speed just ever so slightly - it's our last order.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03..and its a race to see who can finish serving them first.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05You got two more lids, please?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Have we got enough? We've just got enough.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I need a hand counting.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Coming to the end.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- OK, sir?- No, thanks.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21Is it all for you?
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Yeah! No.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Gentlemen, the last order has been packed and served.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Please stop what you are doing.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35You could have given us a countdown!
0:25:35 > 0:25:37You lost!
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Shame!
0:25:40 > 0:25:42How do you feel?
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Alun's served all his customers first,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54but the judges will taste all the cook's dishes to see
0:25:54 > 0:25:57if anyone sacrificed quality in the rush to win.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- How're we doing, Shaish? - Good, thank you.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01What happened there, chief?
0:26:01 > 0:26:02You ran out of stuff?
0:26:02 > 0:26:07I think we gave a bit too much in the first place,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09when we were rushing around.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10Have you got any lamb to taste?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Yes, of course. Still lamb to taste.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14So, what cut of lamb is it?
0:26:14 > 0:26:16A leg of lamb.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18A bit dry.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21So this is the one you ran out of?
0:26:21 > 0:26:24This is the bits you've put together for us, so shall we just move on?
0:26:24 > 0:26:27- Carry on. - We'll forget about the lamb.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28Let's go on to something else.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29Chicken tikka masala.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35So flavoursome, really earthy.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I think that dish tastes incredible.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- Thank you. Thank you very much. - How you doing, Ajmal?
0:26:41 > 0:26:43I'm very well, thanks.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Shall we get in there and taste?
0:26:45 > 0:26:49'Ajmal was a very close second on this test.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52'But did he maintain quality in his cooking?'
0:26:52 > 0:26:54OK, that is lamb karahi.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Lamb has actually absorbed the sauce very well, sour and a bit sweet.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01A little bit salt, a bit hot and it's got a multi flavour.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03- I think it's a great dish. - Thank you.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07And then we've got the chicken tikka masala.
0:27:07 > 0:27:08I think it's a good dish.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10I think it's quite one-dimensional.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12I would say it's similar to the lamb.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15If I had that, the lamb and a rice dish,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17I wouldn't feel there's too much in the way of it being different.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22- Alun, well done. Congratulations. - Thanks, chef.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27'Alun served his customers first, but he will only win this round
0:27:27 > 0:27:29'if his food is perfectly cooked.'
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Chicken xacuti, so a Goan chicken curry.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Those flavours coming through there give it a real depth.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Wonderful warmth. That's a stunning, stunning dish.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Let's look at the kebab.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48This is really crispy. Beautiful taste.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Poppadom coating.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52And you've got the peas inside.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55I think you've done very well on this one. Very good.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Well done. Thank you very much.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01Alun not only won the race, but he retained high quality throughout,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03winning him the task.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10I think we pulled it together.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Overall, very happy, absolutely.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17The task carried on and then the orders kept on coming in
0:28:17 > 0:28:19and how big the orders were.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22You know, it did get hectic, but I enjoyed it.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27The Indian food we eat today
0:28:27 > 0:28:30is as much influenced by the British palate
0:28:30 > 0:28:32as it is by Indian spices.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35The bestselling curries in our Indian takeaways
0:28:35 > 0:28:38weren't actually invented anywhere near India.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42The origins of these dishes that we know and love
0:28:42 > 0:28:44rest much closer to home,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47in the industrial heartlands of the UK.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53In the booming '50s and '60s,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56workers from the Commonwealth were invited to Britain
0:28:56 > 0:28:58to fill gaps in the labour force.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Indian subcontinent
0:29:03 > 0:29:07arrived in the UK to take up jobs in manufacturing and services.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12They were drawn to big industrial centres in the Midlands,
0:29:12 > 0:29:14the North and in Scotland.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Here on Glasgow's docks,
0:29:18 > 0:29:22I've come to meet writer and broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26If I took you back 50 years, none of this was here.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28This was all shipyards,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31factories and the housing built around it
0:29:31 > 0:29:33to serve the manufacturing.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Hardeep's father arrived here back in the mid '60s.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42But it wasn't the dream many of the immigrants had hoped for.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44It was hard work, it was demanding work, and also
0:29:44 > 0:29:47when you're incoming, you're at the bottom of the pile,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51so you do all the jobs nobody else really wants to do.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55And it was about to get worse.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58'Another sharp rise in unemployment.'
0:29:58 > 0:30:01The late 1970s saw Britain
0:30:01 > 0:30:03slide into decline.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06'There's a forecast that three million people will be unemployed.'
0:30:06 > 0:30:08With factory closures,
0:30:08 > 0:30:12industrial action and hundreds of thousands of workers laid off
0:30:12 > 0:30:15in the manufacturing industries alone.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19# This town's becoming like a ghost town... #
0:30:19 > 0:30:21Despite the collapse of the economy,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24the Indian immigrants spotted an opportunity.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Pubs would shut at 10, 10.30,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30and people would still want a drink,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33so if you opened a restaurant, you can extend the licensing hours,
0:30:33 > 0:30:37effectively, so you became a glorified pub with food.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41Curry and lager were bound together for decades to come.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43And for Hagar The Horrible,
0:30:43 > 0:30:44our house speciality.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Arctic moose vindaloo,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48extra hot.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Punjabis and the Glaswegians have a lot in common.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03We're big meat eaters, a lot of the Punjabis.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Glaswegians love meat. We love a drink, they love a drink.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09They love a fight at a wedding, we start fights at weddings,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11so a great deal of commonality.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15The interesting thing is, as these immigrants set up these restaurants,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17they stopped being immigrants.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20They started becoming Mr Singh. They had names.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23The humanisation of the immigrants happened through restaurants.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27By the mid 1970s,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31there were more than 1,200 curry houses across the UK.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37Here in Glasgow, Gibson Street was nicknamed Vindaloo Valley.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42This was the place that you came if you needed a hit of spice.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46I'm going to meet one of the early pioneers,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Glasgow curry king Balbir Sumal.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52He's still cooking up curry today.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54- Hello.- Nice to meet you!
0:31:54 > 0:31:57What was Indian food like when you arrived here?
0:31:57 > 0:32:02It was very basic. We couldn't get the proper ingredients like my mother used in India.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06This was the one that everybody used.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09It was an all-in-one spice called madras curry powder.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12So for every different type of curry, really it was the same curry?
0:32:12 > 0:32:16- Exactly.- It was that powder, a bit of salt, a bit of chilli.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18- In different ratios! - Different ratios!
0:32:20 > 0:32:22What they lacked in ingredients,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25the chefs made up for in imagination,
0:32:25 > 0:32:29and they looked to British dishes for inspiration.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33We'd take advantage of some local produce like tomato ketchup, creams,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36condensed milk.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38- Just a bit of improvisation? - That's right.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40People want to please their clientele.
0:32:40 > 0:32:45Chefs adapted their dishes to appeal to our love of sauces and gravies,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48fusing Indian and British cooking.
0:32:50 > 0:32:55From tikka masalas to baltis, they were inventing a whole new cuisine.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02So those Indian dishes which to me are quintessentially Indian
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- are in fact not?- I would say so.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Because we are from the north of India and I've travelled
0:33:08 > 0:33:09to the south and back again,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12but they don't have those dishes there.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15So if I went to India and asked for a chicken tikka masala...
0:33:15 > 0:33:18I think they would probably ask what kind of a masala.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22It may not have been authentic, but for most Brits,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24it was their first taste of curry.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Are you going to have a pint of lager with this?
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Do you remember the first time you had curry?
0:33:31 > 0:33:34I adored it, utterly adored it.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Because it was like nothing else I'd ever had.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40People went out, had a drink, they were drunk, so they said,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42"I can eat curry hotter than you."
0:33:42 > 0:33:45"No, you can't." "Yes, I can."
0:33:50 > 0:33:52Back in the '70s,
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Indian produce was hard to come by in Britain.
0:33:54 > 0:33:59But today, our chefs have authentic ingredients at their fingertips.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05So we're testing their knowledge on the most vital element of them all.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Spices are at the heart of Indian cooking
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and we want to see your understanding
0:34:12 > 0:34:14of these fundamental ingredients.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Are you ready?
0:34:16 > 0:34:18- ALL:- Yes.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22The majority of Indian takeaways create a secret spice blend...
0:34:23 > 0:34:27..and today, we want our chefs to make their own masala mix.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30I'm in heaven, here.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31Nice!
0:34:31 > 0:34:34They have 40 spices to pick from.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- What are you picking up there? - A bit of heat.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42They'll be judged by Enam Ali,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45restaurateur and founder of the British Curry Awards.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49So what are you looking out for, here?
0:34:49 > 0:34:50I'm looking for their knowledge,
0:34:50 > 0:34:55and their ability and what they're picking up from this spice rack.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Enam has deliberately included some stale spices.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01It's so important for any chef.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04If you pick up ingredients that are already off and you put them
0:35:04 > 0:35:07in the blend, you could jeopardise your whole cooking
0:35:07 > 0:35:09for the whole evening.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12And what's best to use, whole or ground spices,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15because there's a huge array on the table?
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Is there a right or wrong way?
0:35:16 > 0:35:19The ready-made ground ones, of course it is good, but the best one,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22if you can get the whole one and blend it to your own,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24put it in the blender.
0:35:24 > 0:35:25It's like a coffee bean.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Having coffee beans in the blender and having a coffee.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Imagine how tasty it is.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34After losing to Alun in the speed test,
0:35:34 > 0:35:38Ajmal and Shaish have everything to prove.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Shaish learned his craft working in kitchens from the age of 13
0:35:42 > 0:35:45in his family-run curry house.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Cardamom. Roasted like garam masala.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51Coriander seeds.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54They're very fragrant and that's going to go nicely with the fish.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59Ajmal's secret spice recipes have been passed down from his parents.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03I'm going to keep the mix to a minimum, I think.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Six, seven ingredients maximum and we'll be able to get a great flavour
0:36:06 > 0:36:10- with that.- Alun's knowledge of spices is self-taught,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13learnt by trips to India and hard study.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Black pepper,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19- fennel, then the chilli powder with some garlic paste.- Yep.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Once they've chosen the spices,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27the chefs need to dry roast them in a pan and grind them finely.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Relieve the natural oil and give us a deep flavour and aroma.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41First up is Alun.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48- Here we've got south Indian masala. - Yep.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Enam will judge the chef's blend
0:36:50 > 0:36:53by coating a fillet of cod in the spices.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- What I'd normally do is add some rice flour...- Yep.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59..to kind of give that south Indian fish fry,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02but I've just taken a little bit of plain flour instead
0:37:02 > 0:37:05with a little bit more turmeric and chilli powder.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07What flour did you use?
0:37:07 > 0:37:10I'm not sure that there was flour on the table.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- Yes.- What could that have been?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Normally when you see the colour of the flour,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19you can easily tell that it is not a flour.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21- Sure.- You picked the garlic flour.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24That's a bit of a silly mistake!
0:37:24 > 0:37:28Let's look at it and see what happened.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29- Into the pan.- Yes.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Because of the spice, it's garlic too much here,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34- it's burning quicker. - That's a shame.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Let's try the flavour on this.
0:37:40 > 0:37:46Very, very strong. And you made a mistake on putting the garlic powder in there. I see that.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50That's also making it less interesting than I expected.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55I was a bit mortified with the garlic flour incident.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57It was a silly mistake, really.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00'Ajmal's masala mix is next.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:01The moment of truth.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07The fish is singing, the smell is coming to me.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- Something is saying it's not right. - What's wrong?
0:38:11 > 0:38:12Let's try this.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Well,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24the cumin, I think, is off.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29- Thank you, Ajmal.- Thank you, thank you. Cheers.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31It was an error on my part.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35I tasted every single spice I put onto my plate
0:38:35 > 0:38:37apart from the cumin seeds
0:38:37 > 0:38:40and that was the one that was stale.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Shaish, it's your turn now.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44- Come and show your spice blend. - No problem at all.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Are you happy with this so far?
0:38:48 > 0:38:51It sounds good, it smells good, it looks good.
0:38:51 > 0:38:52Look at the colour.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Mm. You can see that it's gone into the fish.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- OK, are you nervous?- No.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Looking at the fish, I think it looks very tempted.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01It looks good.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04And colour, look at this, it's equal. That's important.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10- Oh!- That is a happy noise!
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Happy noise. Thank you very much.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Well done, chef. Brilliant.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17You've done fantastic.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21Enam, have you made your decision of who made the best blend?
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Yes, I have. Shaish, you've done amazingly well.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Your combination is remarkable.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29The colour, the aroma, the flavour.
0:39:29 > 0:39:34It goes on very well and I really feel that you are the winner for this challenge.
0:39:34 > 0:39:35Thank you.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39- Well done. Congratulations.- Thank you. Thanks very much.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41I'm feeling very good.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42Very, very good.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45But of course the chefs are both very skilful, very good,
0:39:45 > 0:39:50so I'll keep my wits about me and at the end of all the competitions,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52then we'll know, really.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54But for now, I feel good.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Spice plays a big part in our national diet
0:39:58 > 0:40:02and that's in part down to our love of Indian food.
0:40:03 > 0:40:09So how did a subcontinent over 4,000 miles away have such a big impact
0:40:09 > 0:40:10on the British menu?
0:40:18 > 0:40:22I've come to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Queen Victoria's summer residence.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28In a corner of this very British palace
0:40:28 > 0:40:32lies a clue to where our love of Indian food began.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Oh, that is...so beautiful.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39So this is the India room.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49Food historian Polly Russell has brought me here to understand
0:40:49 > 0:40:53Queen Victoria's fascination with India.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57This room was commissioned as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
0:40:57 > 0:41:02Victoria brought over here Indian craftsmen to be able to produce
0:41:02 > 0:41:06this real replica of India in the Isle of Wight.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08This is a very passionate room.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11It's almost like a love letter to India.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Although Queen Victoria was the Empress of India,
0:41:14 > 0:41:18it was never possible for her to travel there.
0:41:18 > 0:41:19In this room,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24she's able to sort of experience a bit of India in the Isle of Wight.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29For her Golden Jubilee, she was gifted some Indian servants.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32One of them became her favourite.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39Here is the picture of Abdul Karim and he came over when he was 24.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42You can see a very attractive, handsome man.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- He was about 6'2" and he looks very appealing, I think.- Mm.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53I can imagine if she was interested in the culture
0:41:53 > 0:41:55and he's this tall,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57- beautiful...- Educated.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01Educated man, why she took to him so much.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Abdul Karim was quickly promoted to Munshi,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10or teacher, and he introduced the Queen to curry,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13which she quickly acquired a taste for.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Instead of the corridors smelling of boiled cabbage and stewed mutton,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20you've got coriander and turmeric
0:42:20 > 0:42:22and beautiful spices.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26"Dinner is served!"
0:42:26 > 0:42:30It is so exciting to be eating curry
0:42:30 > 0:42:33in the same room that Queen Victoria ate her curry.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Yes. And a very similar recipe to one that she would have eaten.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39How often did Queen Victoria eat curry?
0:42:39 > 0:42:42- Was it just for special occasions? - No, she really liked curry.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46We know that she had curry for lunch most days,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48despite suffering from indigestion.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50She suffered from indigestion?
0:42:50 > 0:42:52- She did.- This can't have helped.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54She must have REALLY loved it.
0:43:03 > 0:43:04In the 100 years
0:43:04 > 0:43:08since Queen Victoria grappled with her indigestion,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11we've all come to share her passion for curry.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18For the final task, we don't want our chefs to look to the past,
0:43:18 > 0:43:22but to invent new dishes to suit the modern palate.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29We want you, chefs, to come up with a completely new set meal.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32I want to see an impressive use of spices
0:43:32 > 0:43:40- and an inventive use of ingredients. - Chefs, you have 90 minutes to cook up a storm.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Off you go!
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Where's that big bowl? There you go.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50The chefs need to prepare two innovative dishes
0:43:50 > 0:43:51in an hour and a half.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54Where's the pomegranate? Oh, I've got it.
0:43:56 > 0:43:57It's hot.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03I'm looking for great-tasting food here
0:44:03 > 0:44:05with surprising new combinations of flavours.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08I'm looking for creativity and imagination,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11while staying true to the spirit of the Indian takeaway
0:44:11 > 0:44:14that we all love.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16- Flavour.- These are massive!
0:44:16 > 0:44:20Shaish lost the speed test, but now he's won the spice round,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24he'll need to keep focused if he's going to win the contest.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26- How are we doing, Shaish? - Not too bad.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29- You OK?- I'm good, thank you.- Not going to run out of stuff this time?
0:44:29 > 0:44:32- No!- Got enough of everything?
0:44:32 > 0:44:34- Got enough.- I can see there's a little bit of fish happening.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37- Is that right?- Yes. I'm going to make a tuna steak
0:44:37 > 0:44:38grilled with red spinach.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41So, the tuna, you're cooking it for a long time?
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Is it not going to be served rare?
0:44:43 > 0:44:47No. With Indian food, we love having
0:44:47 > 0:44:49well done food.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53Shaish is also cooking mackerel marinated in turmeric.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56I'm going to make a mackerel bhaji with a radish leaf.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59- I caught the mackerel myself.- You actually went out on a boat
0:44:59 > 0:45:02- and caught it?- I actually went out on a boat.
0:45:02 > 0:45:07This time of the year, I am very lucky to actually catch a mackerel.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17Perfect.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20Ajmal hasn't won any of the tasks so far,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23so this is his last chance to catch up.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26- Ajmal.- Hi.- You look very prepared.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29This is a good task for us.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32We had a couple of blips earlier on in the earlier tasks,
0:45:32 > 0:45:36but I think we got our game together and I think this is our A game here.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41He's also using fish to create a Scottish-inspired dish.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45You don't often see salmon getting turned into pakora,
0:45:45 > 0:45:48but it's beautiful, beautiful for pakora.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50It's succulent, delicate,
0:45:50 > 0:45:55and the batter just encloses or encases all of that moisture.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59Pakora is a fried snack that originates in northern India.
0:45:59 > 0:46:03The filling is dipped into batter made with gram,
0:46:03 > 0:46:05a flour made from chickpeas.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09Alongside his salmon pakora,
0:46:09 > 0:46:12Ajmal is serving chicken tez.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14It's made without one key ingredient
0:46:14 > 0:46:17that gives most curries their distinctive taste.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19It doesn't use any onions.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22- Yoghurt and tomato. - Really? It looks really colourful.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32This task is the kind of cooking we love to do.
0:46:32 > 0:46:36An opportunity to be creative and, you know,
0:46:36 > 0:46:37create something great.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41Alun has devised an ambitious menu.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44He's making tandoori quails' legs
0:46:44 > 0:46:47which are first marinated in garlic and saffron.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52He'll serve them alongside tandoori guinea fowl,
0:46:52 > 0:46:55marinated in basil and coriander.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59- How we doing, Alun?- Hello, Tom.
0:46:59 > 0:47:01- Very well.- You OK?- Very well.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04Skate in Indian food, is that something that happens quite a lot?
0:47:04 > 0:47:07No, not at all. But the fact is, it's got that lovely almost gelatine
0:47:07 > 0:47:09fattiness to it which lends itself
0:47:09 > 0:47:13really well to the aromatic gravy which is sort of hot/sour,
0:47:13 > 0:47:17- where more delicate fishes wouldn't hold up to the gravy.- Right, OK.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22Skate is the wings or fins of a flat fish.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25It has a distinctive taste and meaty texture.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28I would say that skate,
0:47:28 > 0:47:31guinea fowl and quail are three dishes that you wouldn't normally
0:47:31 > 0:47:34associate with a takeaway menu, would you?
0:47:34 > 0:47:37No, we wanted to do something special, innovative,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40and I think these kind of ingredients
0:47:40 > 0:47:42lay themselves up for it very well.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44OK. Are they pushing the boat out a little bit too far?
0:47:44 > 0:47:46We'll see.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53- Shaish?- Yes? - You're shaking your potatoes.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56- Yeah! Just a bit. - You're halfway through.
0:47:56 > 0:47:58- Halfway through?- Is that OK? - Yes.- Yes?
0:47:58 > 0:47:59Ali!
0:48:01 > 0:48:03Can you debone the mackerel for me?
0:48:03 > 0:48:04- Yes?- What's that?
0:48:04 > 0:48:06Debone the mackerel.
0:48:06 > 0:48:07Yeah.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09The filleted mackerel will be added
0:48:09 > 0:48:12to a sauce made with home-grown radish leaves
0:48:12 > 0:48:14and fresh coriander.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17Can I have some more coriander, please?
0:48:17 > 0:48:19Shabaz, are you really ready?
0:48:19 > 0:48:21- Yes.- Thank God somebody is.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26With the fresh tomatoes now reduced down,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28Ajmal can finish his chicken tez
0:48:28 > 0:48:30with spices and poached chicken breast.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34I think we're all set, just about.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37We've just got a couple of tiny things to go.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38It's too much pressure.
0:48:45 > 0:48:51- How long have we got left?- Chefs, you have 15 minutes left.
0:48:51 > 0:48:52Just get the kebabs now.
0:48:54 > 0:48:59Alun won the speed test, but his knowledge of spices let him down.
0:48:59 > 0:49:03He can't afford to mess up this round if he's to win the overall contest.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05Time is of the essence.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08I've really sandwiched all the elements in,
0:49:08 > 0:49:13so hopefully nothing is going to go wrong and we'll meet the target.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19Shaish is now assembling his tuna saag.
0:49:22 > 0:49:23Tuna and red saag.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26This is done, my friend.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28Ali, pack this.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30HE RECITES DISHES
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Just one more dish left, is it?
0:49:32 > 0:49:37Usain Bolt would be jealous, the way I was going early on.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39Five minutes left, chefs.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41Just five minutes.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44Alun still needs to cook and prepare his skate dish.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51- Ooh!- In the rush to finish, he's made a simple chef mistake.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55Yeah, is that all right? Can I have a glove, quickly?
0:49:55 > 0:49:58Is that all right? Has he cut his hand?
0:49:58 > 0:50:00- Yeah, I'm happy, but I'd rather be on it, if possible.- I understand.
0:50:00 > 0:50:04Because it's bleeding quite badly, we just need to get it plastered up, mate, all right?
0:50:04 > 0:50:05We're nearly done.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09Right, put the lid on. That's us finished.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11Rubbish!
0:50:11 > 0:50:12Boo!
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Surface a little wipe...
0:50:18 > 0:50:20Let's go home now.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23What cooking?
0:50:23 > 0:50:25Chefs, one minute remaining now.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28You have one minute only.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30Can we go and help him?
0:50:30 > 0:50:32It's too late, bring the lids up.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34- I'll start placing here, yeah? - Yeah.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38The chefs need to plate up their dishes within the time limit.
0:50:41 > 0:50:42BLEEP!
0:50:42 > 0:50:44Did we forget something?
0:50:44 > 0:50:47Done, done, done, done, done, done!
0:50:50 > 0:50:53Chefs, that is all the time you have.
0:50:53 > 0:50:54Please stop what you're doing.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57- BLEEP!- Your time is up.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59I'm not allowed to finish it?
0:50:59 > 0:51:01Please stop innovating.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06I think I'm going to leave the restaurant business.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Start minicabbing.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13Tom and Enam will be looking for great taste, skill and creativity.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17- How we doing, Shaish? - Not too bad at all.- Happy?
0:51:17 > 0:51:21- Very happy.- First to be judged is Shaish's tuna saag,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24using his Welsh home-grown vegetables.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Now, this looks new.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30OK, this looks like something that you would not expect from a takeaway, OK.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32I've never seen anything like this.
0:51:32 > 0:51:33Mm.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37Yeah. This is really good. This is real invention.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40- Do you know what? I thought this was going to be dry.- Yeah.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42I was worried that the tuna dries out too much,
0:51:42 > 0:51:45but what's happened is that that beautiful spinach,
0:51:45 > 0:51:48the moisture that's come from that, works so well with that tuna.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50That's a beautiful dish.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53That's great cooking. It's new, it's inventive. It's fantastic.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Next, Shaish's mackerel bhaji,
0:51:56 > 0:51:59made with fish he caught himself.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01Visually? Wow.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03Looks amazing. Makes you want to get straight in there.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06It looks really green, really vibrant.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Do you know the thing that's disappointing for me?
0:52:08 > 0:52:10There's some fish bones in there.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12- There is, I can see, yes. - And do you see those fishbones?
0:52:12 > 0:52:14The last thing that you'd want is a takeaway...
0:52:14 > 0:52:17- The customer to have it, yeah.- For the customer to have a fish bone.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20A mackerel's the easiest fish to fillet in the world because you just slice the bones out.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22So this... Oh, mate.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25Tastes amazing, brilliant idea, fantastic.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27You just need to get the bones out.
0:52:31 > 0:52:32OK, Ajmal, how did you get on?
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Really well. I think it went really, really well.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Ajmal's first invention is an onion-free curry.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43It's called a chicken tez, which translated in English means sharp.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49- That's fantastic. - Thank you very much.
0:52:49 > 0:52:50And not an onion in sight.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52It's very sharp. Something completely new.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55- Yeah. Thank you very much.- A new gravy, a new idea, full of flavour.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57Without onion, which is really fantastic.
0:52:57 > 0:53:01- This is some of the best cooking I think you've done all day. - Thank you very much.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Bringing a Scottish flavour from home to the contest,
0:53:04 > 0:53:06Ajmal's salmon pakora.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08So that batter that goes on it.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- Yeah.- Is that supposed to be crispy?
0:53:11 > 0:53:13You know, when it came out the fryer, it was crispy.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17See, when you put a lid on it, you know, the steam softens up the batter.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20A piece of fish, deep-fried in batter, for me, should be crispy.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22- Should be crispy. OK, got it. - Should be crispy.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24OK, Alun. What's happened?
0:53:24 > 0:53:25- What's gone wrong?- Yeah.
0:53:27 > 0:53:32Just a tiny little nick on the finger with one of the knives and it just kept bleeding. It was a...
0:53:32 > 0:53:35Have you got everything cooked, though? That's the thing.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37Yeah, everything was cooked. It just wasn't plated.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40And what a shame, because those boxes are beautiful.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43What an impact they would have had.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46First up is Alun's sour, spicy skate,
0:53:46 > 0:53:50a southern Indian inspired dish from Goa.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56Delicious. I mean,
0:53:56 > 0:54:00skate takes to that kind of cooking very well because it's so robust
0:54:00 > 0:54:03and so meaty. The flavours that go there with it,
0:54:03 > 0:54:05it's absolutely stunning.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09Alun's tandoori quail's legs and guinea fowl are both marinated
0:54:09 > 0:54:14in different spices and served with a selection of side dishes.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17Those three pieces of meat?
0:54:17 > 0:54:20All very defined, different marinades.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Different flavours going on.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24I think that is some great cooking.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26You've done a great job, Alun, honestly.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29- This is very innovative.- Right, we're going to go away
0:54:29 > 0:54:31and have a little chat.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35There's been some incredible cooking today,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38but there's no clear winner from this final round.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Shaish left bones in his mackerel,
0:54:40 > 0:54:44Ajmal's batter wasn't crispy and Alun just didn't serve up in time.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47So, it's down to the judges to decide
0:54:47 > 0:54:50who is the overall winner today.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54Ajmal, I think let himself down in the speed test,
0:54:54 > 0:54:56which is the one I thought he would do really well at.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59But then, my God, this afternoon he really picked it up.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02When he's not thinking of doing a factory-style number, what a cook.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05Yes, I think so. I think he's done extremely well.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08And then Shaish, if you just concentrated a bit more,
0:55:08 > 0:55:11just those tiny little refinement skills,
0:55:11 > 0:55:13just don't want to serve fishbones.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16- What about Alun?- Alun has really absolutely done a remarkable job.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Unquestionably great food,
0:55:18 > 0:55:21but I just wish we'd seen it all in the box,
0:55:21 > 0:55:23and that's the biggest downside.
0:55:23 > 0:55:27All of the chefs have really shone in such different ways,
0:55:27 > 0:55:30but you have got to make a decision.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Chefs, you have cooked with such passion
0:55:42 > 0:55:45and given us some extraordinary dishes.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49But as you know, there can only be one winner.
0:55:50 > 0:55:54All three of you have done a phenomenal job.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56For us as judges,
0:55:56 > 0:56:01there is one chef that has just pushed themselves out front.
0:56:01 > 0:56:02Today's winner...
0:56:08 > 0:56:10..is Alun.
0:56:10 > 0:56:11Congratulations.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13Thank you so much.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16- Absolutely phenomenal. - Absolutely incredible.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18I mean, what an accolade to be recognised.
0:56:18 > 0:56:23Not only to be picked in the first place as a short list of three of the best takeaways in the country,
0:56:23 > 0:56:26but to actually go ahead and win is phenomenal.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29The food today was just amazing.
0:56:29 > 0:56:30Started off a bit rocky,
0:56:30 > 0:56:32but we found our feet and we found our flow.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36I still think my parents would be very proud, regardless.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39It's part of life - you win one, you lose one.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43And what we came out of it with is more than even winning.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45Honestly, well done.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48All the chefs have shown amazing skill today.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52Alun didn't finish his boxing up on his last pass,
0:56:52 > 0:56:54but he did win the speed test,
0:56:54 > 0:56:57proving he is quick, as well as he is an outstanding cook.
0:56:59 > 0:57:00So much energy...
0:57:00 > 0:57:03This contest has all been about proving that fast food
0:57:03 > 0:57:05doesn't have to mean bad food.
0:57:05 > 0:57:09And Alun's food has been a perfect example of how takeaway can be
0:57:09 > 0:57:13exciting, surprising and just brilliant.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15Well done, everyone, really!
0:57:15 > 0:57:17Amazing job.