0:00:02 > 0:00:03- Six cooks... - SHE LAUGHS
0:00:03 > 0:00:07..six countries, six incredible journeys.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09SHE WHOOPS
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Argh!
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Stepping outside their comfort zones...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's not for the faint-hearted, for sure.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20..our cooks will travel far and wide...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Route 7 all the way.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27..to find some of the most exciting food on the planet.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28If you're back in the UK
0:00:28 > 0:00:30you've got tandoori chicken.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31Nothing like this.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35It's beautiful. This is the best food I've had in Egypt.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It's pure, it's got heritage. It's got love in it, you know.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41They'll go off the beaten track...
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Crocodile! Crocodile sausages!
0:00:44 > 0:00:46..meeting extraordinary people...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51..exploring ways of life unchanged for centuries.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54No electric blenders in the jungle.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Have to do everything by hand.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Take your life into your own hands. We're on the road now.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03As they travel, they'll see how the language of food
0:01:03 > 0:01:05transcends cultural differences...
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I've never huffed on a cheese before.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09..and a world away from home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12This is why I love Australia.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- There's no excuse for a bad pie in Australia.- No.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16This is the beginning. Where do we end?
0:01:16 > 0:01:20They'll learn lessons that could change the way we cook forever.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25I've been cooking a barbecue wrongly all my life.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Wow!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34This time, Hairy Biker Dave Myers
0:01:34 > 0:01:37is travelling to one of the world's most ancient cultures.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41The exciting truth is that Egyptian food is the oldest in the world.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44And that's what I'm here to find.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Venturing up the Nile to discover where baking began...
0:01:48 > 0:01:51I feel like I'm Indiana Jones and The Lost Loaf!
0:01:51 > 0:01:53..he'll find hospitality he'll never forget...
0:01:53 > 0:01:55I love Egypt!
0:01:55 > 0:01:59..and go in search of the oldest recipes in the world.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I could sit there and eat the lot! THEY LAUGH
0:02:12 > 0:02:15'I've travelled the world with my best mate, Si King.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'But he's not been well, the poor sausage.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22'Although he's on the mend, he's not ready for a big trip like this.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26'So, for the first time, I'm going away without him.'
0:02:26 > 0:02:29- I'm going to miss you. - I'm going to miss you and all.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- Because we always look out for each other, don't we?- Well, yeah.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Look, just be safe, will you? That's the main thing.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37'As a little treat, I'm cooking Si
0:02:37 > 0:02:40'one of the Egyptian dishes he'll be missing.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42'It's one of our favourites.'
0:02:43 > 0:02:48- Coriander, salt, baking powder - bit of bounce.- Oh, nice.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55# It's beginning to look a bit like falafel... #
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- What you doing? - I'm making a list.- What for?
0:02:58 > 0:03:00- My presents.- Oh, no.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03- Oh, go on.- For what?
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Well, I've got a camel.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07You give me the hump, you do.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11- A drum.- Yeah, right(!)
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- How're they doing?- They're falling apart, like they did last time.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I've got a pan of Bombay mix.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22They've disintegrated. SI LAUGHS
0:03:22 > 0:03:25How many times have we done this?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28OK, so if nothing else comes out of this trip to Egypt,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31I am going to learn how to make perfect falafel.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37My trip will take me to the crossroads of Africa,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Asia and Europe.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I'm starting in Egypt's beating heart,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47one of the world's greatest cities - Cairo.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07I'm in Egypt! And do you know what? I love it.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11I love the bustle, all those nooks and crannies and back streets.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Oh, look at that!
0:04:13 > 0:04:15I love Middle Eastern food
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and I've travelled pretty widely in this part of the world
0:04:17 > 0:04:21but you can't claim to have the full picture until you come here.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24For thousands of years, merchants travelling the Spice Route
0:04:24 > 0:04:27have set out their stalls on Cairo's streets.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30And this is where the classic flavours
0:04:30 > 0:04:33of Middle Eastern cuisine first came together.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35There's got to be some amazing food here
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and yet somehow it hasn't made it,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40you know, onto our culinary psyche.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Where would one go for an Egyptian?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44In fact, can you name me one Egyptian dish?
0:04:44 > 0:04:48I've been fascinated by tales of Ancient Egypt since I was a boy
0:04:48 > 0:04:51'but that was all tombs and mummies.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53'Now I want to get to know the food.'
0:04:53 > 0:04:56As one of the greatest civilisations ever known,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Egypt's influence spread way beyond its shores.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03So I'm hoping to track down not only some ancient recipes
0:05:03 > 0:05:06but the origins of dishes we know and love back home.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Now, I've read if you want to find the best food in Cairo
0:05:09 > 0:05:11you have to look on the street.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14And to breakfast like an Egyptian, that means ful.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- Looks good. Is it ful?- Ful.- Ful.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Well, I've found the ful, you know. And it's like beans for breakfast.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29But beans are an Egyptian staple, you know.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31The average Egyptian's about 1,500 quid a year,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33and beans are really important, you know.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36They give you a bit of get up and go. That old proverb,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39a million Egyptians every day pick up a plate of beans and say,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41"Beans means ful."
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Oh, he's got a salad.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- Hello.- Hello.- Can I have some ful? - Ful.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- Ful.- Ful.- Ful with tahini? - With tahini, no.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09DAVE LAUGHS I want the full ful experience.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Hot, yeah. Si. I mean gracias!
0:06:17 > 0:06:19It's bonkers, I end up trying to speak Italian,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21though I can't speak Italian,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24on a food stall in Egypt when I come for my morning beans for breakfast.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It's brilliant. Olio, olio, calde.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Oh, I even got a sweetie! Have that for me pudding.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33It certainly beats going down the caff at home, you know,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36and having me beans on toast.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Ah, so that's me ful. Is that my bread?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Ah, smashing. Ah.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Proper Egyptian breakfast. Look at that bread.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Now, what's this taste like?
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- Hm.- Good.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- It's good. Very good, isn't it? - Really good.- Yeah.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06It's great. It's spicy, it's tasty, it's beans that are soaked
0:07:06 > 0:07:08and then they're boiled in the morning
0:07:08 > 0:07:10with some spices and it's like a bean porridge.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Then I've got this salad.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I've got some lemon, I've got some very, very light pickles,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17then I've got the aubergine.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Oh, that's hot.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23This will give me terrible wind.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Beans are a cornerstone of Egyptian cuisine
0:07:26 > 0:07:30but a must-have at breakfast, lunch and dinner is bread.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Grazie!
0:07:37 > 0:07:40'I know a fair bit about baking bread
0:07:40 > 0:07:43'but no-one knows more than the Egyptians.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Their word for bread, aish, means life.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52You can smell this bread all the way from the other side of Cairo!
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- It's really good bread, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58'Moustafa is a Cairo foodie and chef who wants to show me
0:07:58 > 0:08:00'how important bread is to the people here.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:03So, is this everyday Egyptian bread?
0:08:03 > 0:08:05We eat, like, five loaves of that bread every day
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- so it's our main staple diet. - What's it called?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- It's called baladi bread. - Baladi bread.- Baladi means local.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Look at that. Talk about freshly baked bread.- Yes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- It couldn't get any fresher, could it?- Do you want to try a piece?
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- I'd love some.- Absolutely. Ashraf. Aish.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- Wow.- Try it, smell the bread. - Oh, it smells great.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30It's made, actually, just yeast, flour, bran and water. That's it.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33That's why it's not chewy, it's not gooey,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- have that nice smoked flavour. - Nice bite to it, hasn't it?
0:08:37 > 0:08:42'Baladi bread - it's very like our pitta bread, but thinner.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46'After this, pitta is going to feel like chewing a flip-flop.'
0:08:49 > 0:08:52How many loaves of bread a day would this bakery make?
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Average of between 19,000 and to 20,000 loaves of bread a day.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00- Wow.- In 12 hours. - But every loaf's the same size.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It's all the same size and that's the talent.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08In Egypt, access to bread is almost a human right
0:09:08 > 0:09:11and production is subsidised by the government.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13The poor get their five loaves a day
0:09:13 > 0:09:17for the equivalent of just two and a half pence.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21So important is bread that in 2008, threats to the subsidy led to riots.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26With chants of "bread, freedom and social justice",
0:09:26 > 0:09:29revolutionaries eventually overthrew the government.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Even we have a saying, you can touch anything we have
0:09:33 > 0:09:36but don't touch my bread because that's the thing I'll fight you for.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- It's the people's bread.- Yes, it is.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45See how he makes it look so simple and so easy.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47So it's one, two, flip, flip.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50You flip, you flip back and just use your hand to...
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- Ah, he turns it over.- Yeah.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57To meet demand, these guys need to produce a loaf every two seconds.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Luckily, the thin loaves take only a couple of minutes to bake.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Moustafa tells me there are thousands
0:10:08 > 0:10:10of these backstreet bakeries in Cairo.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13And wherever you find a bakery,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17you'll find a nearby stall selling fresh falafel.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21But is it right that it's the oldest falafel in the world?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24It's the same everywhere, like, everybody's claiming it's,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28"We created this, we created that", but falafel or tamiya is Egyptian.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32The word itself is derived from the word falafil.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36It's three chapters, means full of beans, and that's what falafel is.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Now, to my mind, that means Egyptian fava bean falafel
0:10:40 > 0:10:44must predate the chickpea falafel that we get at home.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49The chickpeas is a bit dense.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51The fava beans is more fluffier.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Get the nice crisp from the outside, really nice creamy from the inside.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- I must admit, I have problems with falafel.- OK.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00I've tried making it with the fava beans, you know,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02with the dried broad beans.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I've tried with chickpeas. My falafel fall to bits.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08The problem is if you boil the beans actually you make it fall apart.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11You don't boil? That's where we go... I've been boiling my beans.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14No. You just soak them for in warm water
0:11:14 > 0:11:17for a couple of hours, warm water.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20If you use cold water you soak it overnight.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - So gives you the nice creamy
0:11:22 > 0:11:26- and nice texture like you will taste in here.- Fantastic.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28It is a world of beans, Egypt, isn't it?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- It is, just like...it's really... - Wow.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33That's how it look like, it's like nice balls.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35- They're beautiful, aren't they? - Yeah. It is really nice.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36- You want to try it?- Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39What's good about it is you can get all the nutrition,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42you get salad, you get the tahini, which is a sesame seed paste.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46You get all those nice greens and with the beans, the proteins.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- And the baladi bread.- Yeah, the people's bread, country bread.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Yeah, of course. Do you want to try?
0:11:56 > 0:11:59That's delicious, isn't it?
0:11:59 > 0:12:02The texture's incredible because they're crispy on the outside,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06- in the middle they're soft but you can taste the herbs.- Yep.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08There's all the flavour. This is superb.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- I want to try one just by itself. - Thank you.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15The crunch. I just love it.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Oh, that's the best falafel I've ever had.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- Oh, just like yours, right? - No, mate. No, no, no!
0:12:25 > 0:12:28No, but I tell you what - now I have something to aim for.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36I'm beginning to see how simple food like this, and bread in particular,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39has shaped Egyptian culture.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42And that seems to have been the case for thousands of years.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45If I am to understand the cuisine here
0:12:45 > 0:12:47and see how its influence has spread across the world,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I need to travel back in time.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52In Egypt, that's easily done.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56I'm leaving downtown Cairo and heading to the Land of the Pharaohs.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- Hello. Can I have one for the big one?- One?
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Is it just one pyramid or do you see the three?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07This ticket, just all of them.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12- Everything? Oh, brilliant. Yeah, one, please.- Eight pound.- Thank you.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15'Eight quid for one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16'Oh, that's a bargain!'
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Shukran. Thank you.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Today is the first day of Eid al-Adha,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35the four-day Feast Of the Sacrifice,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and Cairo's crowds have popped out to stretch their legs.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44But for me, seeing the pyramids is the fulfilment of a boyhood dream.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55They're absolutely breathtaking.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03When this was built, you know, 4,500 years ago,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06we were just starting to balance, you know, Stonehenge.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08One big lump on two lumps.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11And look at it. It makes me heart flutter a bit.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14You know like when you stand on top of a tall building and look down?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16It's that kind of feeling.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20And yet when you see something that's so familiar but it's bigger,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22it's more impressive, it's...
0:14:22 > 0:14:25It's more awe-inspiring than any cathedral I've ever seen.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But, you know, it's taken me 57 years to get to this point
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and it was well worth the wait.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47I'd always thought the pyramids were built by slaves, but in fact,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50they were built by paid labourers.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Their take-home pay wasn't in cash.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54They were paid in bread and beer.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59So you could say that this lot were built on the back of the humble loaf!
0:15:01 > 0:15:04It's great to see so many people here soaking up the culture
0:15:04 > 0:15:07but the crowds are mad. It's time to escape.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Well, this trip just keeps getting better and better.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I finally get a bike at last.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18It's going to be chaos.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22I've even got a little camera so you can watch with us.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Hey! I love Egypt!
0:15:43 > 0:15:46'Egyptian roads aren't for the faint-hearted.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48'There seem to be no rules.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Overtaken by a lad on a pink scooter!
0:16:04 > 0:16:07On a plateau above the drifting desert sands is Saqqara,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10home to the world's oldest pyramids.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12In the surrounding dunes,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16they've found thousands of tombs and I can't wait to see inside one.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22'Incredibly, I've got the place to myself.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Oh!
0:16:32 > 0:16:34'This is the tomb of Ti.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37'Apart from being the royal hairdresser,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39'he was in charge of the pharaoh's fields.'
0:16:41 > 0:16:45His tomb is engraved with images of farming
0:16:45 > 0:16:48from 4,500 years ago.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Look, this one's interesting.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57This is like the story of baking, isn't it?
0:16:57 > 0:17:00You've got pictures here of people
0:17:00 > 0:17:02and they're kind of grinding the wheat.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07And there, judging by their elbows, they appear to be kneading the dough.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09They were so clever, the Egyptians.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Those conical pots up there, they're like the proving baskets
0:17:12 > 0:17:14we have today to put the bread in.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17But they do bake them in them as well as proving.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20As you go down, you can see, there,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22they're shielding their faces because the heat from the fire
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and they're cooking them in the pots.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Gosh! Look here, the scribes, they're recording everything.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Could it be...it's almost like
0:17:31 > 0:17:34they're writing the first ever cookbook.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37You know, this is a step-by-step guide
0:17:37 > 0:17:41on how to make a 4,500-year-old loaf.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46So that, to my mind, makes it the world's oldest recipe.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48It's fascinating.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Thank you very much, sir. Thank you.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Egypt's farming history stretches back millennia
0:18:04 > 0:18:07as people settled all along the banks of the Nile.
0:18:07 > 0:18:1070 miles south of Cairo is the oasis of Fayoum.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12I'm told it's the garden of Egypt
0:18:12 > 0:18:15so there should be some great produce to be found there.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Egyptian history is as rich as it is long.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25When our forefathers gave up life as hunter-gatherers and started farming,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29one of the first places cultivated was the Nile Valley.
0:18:30 > 0:18:3210,000 years ago,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36'rich soil deposited by the river attracted the first settlers.'
0:18:37 > 0:18:42Today, an incredible 95% of Egyptians live along the river
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and that makes it more than just a tad crowded.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48THEY CLAP
0:18:53 > 0:18:56To spread the river's life-giving waters further afield,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Ancient Egyptians became masters of irrigation
0:18:59 > 0:19:03and as a result were able to produce a huge range of crops.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Now, I've read about a plant that's indigenous to Egypt
0:19:06 > 0:19:10and has almost mythical health-giving properties.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It's called molokhia and it's what's brought me here today.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Hello, Ruby! I'm Dave.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20It's good to meet you. Hey.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23'Ruby is a fellahin, or tenant farmer on a property
0:19:23 > 0:19:28'which has guesthouses, and I'm told he grows molokhia.'
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Right, after you, sir!
0:19:34 > 0:19:39'Thanks to irrigation, Ruby is also able to grow sweetcorn, lemons,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41'bananas and oranges,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44'all of which will soon be ready to harvest.'
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Wow!
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Not ripe yet. They're lovely, though.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56RUBY LAUGHS
0:19:56 > 0:19:57DAVE LAUGHS
0:19:59 > 0:20:02'Around the edges of the fields are olive trees.'
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Look at those!
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Never done this before, you know, olives from a tree.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Hmm. Mmm!
0:20:11 > 0:20:13It's not like I thought, look.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Tastes slightly spicy, it's there,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18but it's very different to what we get in a jar at home.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I mean, obviously the oil's there, it's heaving with oil.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's so fertile here, isn't it?
0:20:23 > 0:20:25It is like the garden of plenty.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Is he going to climb the tree?
0:20:33 > 0:20:35I'm not going up, have you seen the spikes on the palm?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38He's not going up there. He IS going up there.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Blooming heck,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42he's shinned up that tree, he's in his 60s.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46He's just disturbed a hive of bees.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Here we go. Crikey.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I've only ever really seen dates, we take it for granted, in that
0:20:53 > 0:20:54cellophane wrapper at Christmas.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Here we go.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02This is my first fresh date straight from the tree,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04couldn't be any better... It's sticky, it's unctuous.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Oh, it's like Marsala wine, Madeira,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14it's all my Christmases rolled into one.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16That was brilliant, Ruby.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24Oh.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'There seems to be a division of labour on the farm.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50'Ruby tends to the fields, while the house and animals
0:21:50 > 0:21:53'are looked after by his wife, Nadia.'
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Hey?
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Oh, right.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Just up there. Oh, it's heavy.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05Oh, right, sorry.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08Good?
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Hey, thank you! I think she said I'm a man.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15All the girls are out having a laugh.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21What's the bag made from?
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Goat skin, do you just fill this up every day with some milk?
0:22:27 > 0:22:29And then, how long do you leave the whole thing for?
0:22:33 > 0:22:36So you leave it for three days, and shake it.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43Smells cheesy.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Humph it?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48What, like the bagpipes?
0:22:49 > 0:22:51HE BLOWS
0:22:57 > 0:22:59No...yeah? Oh.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Good?
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Do you know, I've never huffed on a cheese before.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I'm wearing it, my beard's soaked in cheese,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10my glasses, I can't see,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13you're covered in it and all, do you want...?
0:23:13 > 0:23:17I tell you what, it isn't like this with Delia Smith, is it?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26See that's, that's professional huffing for you, look.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31DAVE MAKES RHYTHMIC SOUNDS
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Big fish, little fish, cardboard box.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41'Having made a doubtful contribution to the cheese making,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43'I'm off to gather the ingredients
0:23:43 > 0:23:46'for the mythical unpronounceable soup.'
0:23:46 > 0:23:47Is it makle? Makama? Ma...
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Molok-hee.
0:23:53 > 0:23:54Molok-hee, sounds Scottish.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Tastes nice, it's quite bland.
0:24:10 > 0:24:11It's a bit like privet!
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'Of course, being Egypt, the soup has to be served with bread.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'The loaves made in homes like Ruby's are flat breads but
0:24:20 > 0:24:23'nothing like the baladi bread I ate in Cairo.
0:24:25 > 0:24:26'These are massive
0:24:26 > 0:24:30'and ingeniously, they don't need a rolling pin.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Because one young lady, she takes the ball of dough,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36it's very, very loose dough, it's very slack dough,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39which, as we all know, that's going to be really good bread.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42That's how you start off, the dough goes on.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46This lady takes it so far, you keep the circle with a twist,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49all without kneading, all without rolling, and it's perfectly circular.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51There's a wonderful rhythm to it
0:24:51 > 0:24:54because when one piece of dough is ready for the oven
0:24:54 > 0:24:57the bread's ready to come out, and it's magic.
0:24:57 > 0:24:58It's just the art of flour,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00water, air and a bit of salt.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Doesn't that look handsome bread? Can I have a go?
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Ah, brilliant, right.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Can I...
0:25:21 > 0:25:22So, the technique is...
0:25:24 > 0:25:25THE WOMEN LAUGH
0:25:28 > 0:25:31'Oh, this bread! It's like trying to knit a jellyfish
0:25:31 > 0:25:35'but luckily the molokhia is easier to handle.'
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Ah, this is what's known as the pick through.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39HE WHISTLES
0:25:40 > 0:25:43You know, this reminds me of when I was kid and I'd sit there
0:25:43 > 0:25:46shelling peas with my mother, and she used to make me whistle
0:25:46 > 0:25:49because if I stopped whistling she knew I was eating the peas.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52'I'd love to help chop the leaves and garlic
0:25:52 > 0:25:55'but I've got a more important job.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:56BABY CRIES
0:25:56 > 0:26:00He's one month old. Some ways, I have the future of Egypt in my hands.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05I'll tell you what, son, you're going to grow up
0:26:05 > 0:26:06with some good bread, aren't you?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11'Once the leaves are chopped, a stock is prepared.'
0:26:12 > 0:26:14So, it's salt, chicken stock and cumin.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17It's just a nice basic broth.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19And there it goes in.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22'The molokhia only needs to cook for about five minutes.'
0:26:22 > 0:26:24What's that?
0:26:24 > 0:26:27- Samna.- Zem-na? Zem-na!
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Oh, it's buffalo ghee!
0:26:30 > 0:26:33'A generous dollop of crushed garlic is quickly fried.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Ah, that smells good. Like everything you see in this dish,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39it's all from within the radius of the farm.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42So, the garlic's browned.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Whoar!
0:26:47 > 0:26:48SIZZLING
0:26:51 > 0:26:52There you are, you see.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56In true Delia style, she's deglazing the pan
0:26:56 > 0:26:57with a little of the stock
0:26:57 > 0:27:01so you waste none of the goodness at the bottom of the pan. Finis?
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Hey.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13'In traditional Egyptian households, the men
0:27:13 > 0:27:15'and children eat before the women.'
0:27:20 > 0:27:22This bread's absolutely stunning.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26It's got texture, we saw it baked ten minutes ago.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30The soup's wonderful, it reminds me of wild garlic soup.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Very nourishing, very good for you,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and very tasty, very pure tasting food.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37And I think that's the thing about Egyptian cuisine, I think
0:27:37 > 0:27:39that's its triumph.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40It's not complicated,
0:27:40 > 0:27:45so the ingredients, the quality and the care in preparation is massive,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and you can taste it.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50It's simple food and simplest is best
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and simple works because the ingredients
0:27:53 > 0:27:55are absolutely superb.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59It's pure, it's got heritage, it's got love in it, you know.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02'Ruby's family's hospitality is boundless, but there's
0:28:02 > 0:28:05'so much more for me to discover.'
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Bye, Ruby! Thank you.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10'And I've still got half the country to explore.'
0:28:13 > 0:28:14Bye.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Bye!
0:28:22 > 0:28:26From Fayoum, I'm heading 300 miles south to Luxor in search
0:28:26 > 0:28:30of some classic Egyptian dishes and the world's earliest bread.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36Once the capital of Ancient Egypt, Luxor is
0:28:36 > 0:28:39one of the hottest, driest cities on earth.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Welcome to Alaska!
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Thanks to the river, it's amazing what they can grow
0:28:45 > 0:28:47but I mustn't be waylaid by the produce.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54I'm crossing to the West Bank.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Most people come here for the archaeology, but
0:28:56 > 0:28:58I'm hoping to find living history,
0:28:58 > 0:29:03proof of an ancient food revolution that changed the world.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13This place used to be a popular stop for day-trippers.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16But these days, tourists are thin on the ground.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Oh, crikey, it's, oh...
0:29:19 > 0:29:21'Luckily I'm here.'
0:29:21 > 0:29:22And Egyptian cotton?
0:29:24 > 0:29:26- Can I pick a colour? - Yes, nice colour.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Can I have blue? Can I have blue?
0:29:31 > 0:29:34'Oh, it's well over 40 degrees.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36'I need to cover my head before the sun boils my brain.'
0:29:36 > 0:29:38That's better.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Nice?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42I think so, I feel the spirit of TE Lawrence
0:29:42 > 0:29:45is upon me - Myers of Arabia.
0:29:45 > 0:29:46Shukran, thank you.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Now, I've suddenly remembered I'm halfway through the trip
0:29:49 > 0:29:53and I haven't looked at Kingy's list for pressies.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Have you seen this? Camel, rug, mummy (large).
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Oh. I'll pick up a few bits here and that'll do him.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02This one, nice.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Obelisk, obelisk. Handmade.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07No broken, no broke.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11I think he'd love that. You see that bobby-dazzler?
0:30:11 > 0:30:13It's not on his list.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14How much?
0:30:16 > 0:30:19200? 100.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24120.
0:30:25 > 0:30:26120.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30150.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40A bargain. He's going to love that.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I think I'd better have a dark bag for that one!
0:30:43 > 0:30:45I don't know how I'll get it home in one piece.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Do I have to buy the three?
0:30:47 > 0:30:48- Yeah.- How much for three?
0:30:51 > 0:30:52Oh, go on, then.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57'Well, these blokes can spot a sucker when they see one.'
0:30:57 > 0:30:59No. I don't want them. No, no.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01No, I've got plenty.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04No, no, I've got one. I've got a scarab.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08- Not the same, not same. - No, I've...
0:31:08 > 0:31:09You don't see my shop.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10No, I'm fine, it's lovely.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14'For 30 quid I've got an armful of tat,
0:31:14 > 0:31:15'so I'm getting out while I can.'
0:31:20 > 0:31:23To find the origins of our daily bread, I don't have to look far.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25The temples were built in the desert
0:31:25 > 0:31:28but the land nearby has always been farmed.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Mahmoud? It's Dave.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34- Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you too! Nice to meet you too.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35Thank you.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38'I've arranged to meet Mahmoud, whose family have farmed
0:31:38 > 0:31:40'here for generations.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43'Today, they're starting their weekly bake.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48'So far, I've only eaten flatbread, but this is different.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50'It's called shamsi bread and it
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'changed the eating habits of the planet.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56'Without this ancient recipe we wouldn't have sandwiches
0:31:56 > 0:31:58'or even toast.'
0:31:58 > 0:32:02All I really know about shamsi bread is it is the first known
0:32:02 > 0:32:04leavened bread in the world.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07So, if we're talking of ground zeros,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09this is it for the loaf as we know it, Jim.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12What's in there, Mahmoud?
0:32:16 > 0:32:19So there's no yeast, there's no, nothing to leaven the bread yet.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Ah, here comes the yeast.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26What is that yeast?
0:32:28 > 0:32:32That's what we call a sour dough bread, which is the oldest,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35the best way of making bread in the world.
0:32:35 > 0:32:36'The word "shamsi" means sun
0:32:36 > 0:32:41'and this is still the only bread in Egypt that's left to rise.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45'There's no record of how the Ancient Egyptians first came up with
0:32:45 > 0:32:47'the idea of using yeast to leaven bread.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52'It's my guess that it was a happy accident.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54'With the sun this hot,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58'the yeast wouldn't have needed long to work its magic.'
0:32:58 > 0:33:00How long do you leave it to sit in the sun for?
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Aha, I think where I live, Mahmoud, it'd take about two days!
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Would you ever buy bread?
0:33:38 > 0:33:40I have to make the bread in my house.
0:33:46 > 0:33:47- Yes.- Yeah.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Mahmoud, why is she cutting the bread and pinching it?
0:33:56 > 0:33:57Decoration?
0:34:01 > 0:34:02A-ha, a-ha.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06'While the bread rises, a fire is lit beneath the clay oven.'
0:34:07 > 0:34:10What she's doing now is she's got the rag dipped in water to
0:34:10 > 0:34:13clean the oven out with it, she can also tell if the oven's hot
0:34:13 > 0:34:15because obviously it's sizzling,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17but I think, like most baking,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20you get some steam in the oven, you get a better bread,
0:34:20 > 0:34:22so it's like a threefold thing.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Right, it's in the oven, 20 minutes,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31this is where the magic starts.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36'And we don't have to wait long before a wonderful
0:34:36 > 0:34:38'smell wafts our way.'
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Oh!
0:34:40 > 0:34:41You would like to try a little bit?
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Oh, gosh, yes.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46CRUNCHING
0:34:51 > 0:34:53That's absolutely wonderful bread,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56the crust on it, from the wood-fired oven,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59the inside, it's soft, it's got texture, it's got spring,
0:34:59 > 0:35:01it's got life because of that yeast.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05It also has a wonderful taste, it's flavoursome bread.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Do you know what I've learnt from this,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09that I find absolutely awe-inspiring,
0:35:09 > 0:35:14is that not so very far from this very spot, it was where mankind first
0:35:14 > 0:35:19started to leaven bread - that is to use yeast to make bread.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Before they started in this place,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25everybody in the world ate flatbread.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28This really is like finding the Holy Grail, you know,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32I feel like I'm Indiana Jones and the Lost Loaf.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35It really is a privilege, Mahmoud, to be here with you and your family.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37I've got huge respect for you all.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40And, by crikey, your bread is amazing.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41Thank you.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43But can I have a loaf to take with me?
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- Yeah, of course.- Yes!
0:35:57 > 0:36:01'Mahmoud's village overlooks the enormous Temple of Ramesses III.'
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Hello! Shamsi bread!
0:36:05 > 0:36:06THEY CHUCKLE
0:36:09 > 0:36:14'Rameses ruled Egypt 1,200 years before the birth of Christ
0:36:14 > 0:36:17'and shamsi bread would have been a staple of his household.'
0:36:20 > 0:36:23If you imagine like the Victorians when they came here, thinking
0:36:23 > 0:36:26they were so clever with their Empire, they must have
0:36:26 > 0:36:28thought this was built by people from another planet.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34'We know so much about the Ancient Egyptians
0:36:34 > 0:36:39'because their civilisation lasted for over 3,000 years
0:36:39 > 0:36:43'and they left behind an incredibly detailed record of their lives.'
0:36:46 > 0:36:52'I'm going to a small tomb built not for royalty but for a scribe.
0:36:52 > 0:36:53'The guide book says it's one of
0:36:53 > 0:36:56'the most beautifully decorated ever discovered.'
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Oh, wow, Mahmoud, these colours are incredible, aren't they?
0:37:05 > 0:37:08How have they stayed like this over the years?
0:37:08 > 0:37:09How old is this tomb?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Crikey, so, we're over 3,000 years ago, cos this is extraordinary.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22All of this is about food.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36This is also a record of what life was like for ordinary people.
0:37:50 > 0:37:51Yeah.
0:37:53 > 0:37:54What's this scene?
0:38:13 > 0:38:16So food had a part with the dead as well as the living.
0:38:19 > 0:38:20- You need to feed the spirit.- Yes.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Yes. It's the same, it's like shamsi bread. That's fantastic, I mean,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28we're seeing, when we made the shamsi bread the ladies were doing exactly
0:38:28 > 0:38:32the same cuts to make the same shape for my loaf that I have with me.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35The lady didn't know why they did it but they certainly did it
0:38:35 > 0:38:363,500 years ago
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and it's such a rich heritage that the Egyptians have.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42You know, it really is a window on the past.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It's been great to have a glimpse through it as well.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49'Tombs here show how important food was to the Ancient Egyptians,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51'in death as in life.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53'On special occasions,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57'families here still take food to the graves of their loved ones.'
0:39:00 > 0:39:05On my journey so far, I've eaten street food or food with families.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09But there's a restaurant in Luxor that has a speciality I've been
0:39:09 > 0:39:10told that I shouldn't miss.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- Ayman? It's Dave.- Dave.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- Hello!- Nice to see you.- Oh, it's great to meet you.- Pleasure.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20'To try this speciality, I've got to earn my keep.'
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Ah, this is great, Ayman.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Back in a kitchen cooking with a mate.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Egyptians love their pigeons, don't they?
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Why on Thursday?
0:39:49 > 0:39:50Is pigeon an aphrodisiac?
0:39:53 > 0:39:54- Gets you going?- Yes.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56'Ooh la la!
0:39:56 > 0:39:58'To turn these birds into natural Viagra
0:39:58 > 0:40:00'they need stuffing with red onion,
0:40:00 > 0:40:02'finely chopped coriander,
0:40:02 > 0:40:03'and chopped garlic.'
0:40:04 > 0:40:06So, what's your favourite Egyptian dish?
0:40:10 > 0:40:12How many children do you have?
0:40:16 > 0:40:17Night off!
0:40:17 > 0:40:20'The flavours are sauteed to bring out the sweetness,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22'then it just needs seasoning.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Yes, chef.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31'Rice and cracked wheat or freekeh are separately simmered in stock.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36'Once cooked, it's all mixed together ready for stuffing.'
0:40:47 > 0:40:49Open wide, patient.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00'The stuffed pigeons are poached for ten minutes.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04'Then seared over a high heat.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:08They look nice and plump, don't they? This is effectively equivalent
0:41:08 > 0:41:11of putting your dinner on a sun bed, you know, a little more flavour
0:41:11 > 0:41:13and makes it look better,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and everybody looks better with a tan - moi?
0:41:16 > 0:41:19'Once crispy, they're ready to serve.'
0:41:20 > 0:41:22This is a pharaoh's feast, isn't it?
0:41:22 > 0:41:25'Even in one of Luxor's poshest restaurants,
0:41:25 > 0:41:27'the food is unpretentious.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29'In a country as fertile as this,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32'the ingredients speak for themselves.'
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Look at that stuffing!
0:41:34 > 0:41:35The freekeh's huge now.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38That's delicious.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40This is really good.
0:41:40 > 0:41:41The freekeh's lovely.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44It's really quite nutty, it's got some bite to it,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47but it's not crunchy. I've cooked freekeh at home before
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and found it, maybe it's the way I've done it, it's been a little
0:41:49 > 0:41:50too kind of crunchy.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53But this isn't, it's got the texture of brown rice
0:41:53 > 0:41:56but has loads and loads of flavour and I suspect part of that is
0:41:56 > 0:41:59because it's cooked in the pigeon stock.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02The pigeon flesh, it's really, really juicy, it's lovely.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05'I couldn't possibly reveal
0:42:05 > 0:42:08'if stuffed pigeon works as an aphrodisiac but I can tell you
0:42:08 > 0:42:12'that in the morning I had a certain spring in my step!'
0:42:13 > 0:42:16MUSIC: Good Times by Chic
0:42:29 > 0:42:30# Good times
0:42:30 > 0:42:33# These are the good times... #
0:42:33 > 0:42:35There comes a time in every man's life
0:42:35 > 0:42:38when he's got to smarten up a bit, and this for me is it.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44'Heading south towards Aswan,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47'I'm finally getting to travel on the river.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51'This historic vessel is the Steam Ship Sudan. It's the last
0:42:51 > 0:42:54'word in vintage style, so one feels duty bound
0:42:54 > 0:42:56'to dust off one's coolest suit.'
0:42:56 > 0:42:58# Good times
0:42:59 > 0:43:01# These are the good times
0:43:03 > 0:43:06# Our new state of mind... #
0:43:07 > 0:43:10When the British first came on holiday
0:43:10 > 0:43:11to Egypt in the late 1800s
0:43:11 > 0:43:14they travelled up the Nile on steamships like this.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17Fortunately, not much has changed.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Oh, yes! I'm glad I dressed up now.
0:43:25 > 0:43:26Oh, ding dong!
0:43:28 > 0:43:31Beautiful, it's beautiful, oh, shukran.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33You're welcome, sir! You're welcome.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36Thank you. Shukran.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42The first tours of Egypt were organised by Thomas Cook
0:43:42 > 0:43:44and the paddle steamer Sudan
0:43:44 > 0:43:47is the last survivor of the company's early vessels.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49Some tea. Merci.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57Agatha Christie travelled on this very boat in the 1930s.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00She was so inspired by the whole experience,
0:44:00 > 0:44:01she wrote Death On The Nile.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09The clientele are mainly French these days,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12so there's a high-end kitchen where I hear
0:44:12 > 0:44:15they make Egypt's most popular dessert, Uum Ali.
0:44:16 > 0:44:17Good morning, chef!
0:44:17 > 0:44:19Good morning.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Hey, good morning! It's lovely to meet you.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25So, what do you have there, is that a puff pastry? A mille feuille?
0:44:31 > 0:44:32- This is coconut.- Yeah.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36- Some, some golden sultanas.- Yeah.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43- So that's some roasted hazelnuts. - Yes.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45This is building up really nicely.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50- And a tiny, tiny amount of cinnamon. - Small.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Small, yeah, you don't want too much cinnamon.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55- Now some hot milk.- Hot milk.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00Ooh, when the hot milk hits the pudding, you can smell
0:45:00 > 0:45:03the cinnamon, the toasted coconut,
0:45:03 > 0:45:07the roasted almonds, it's going to be good.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09Did you used to eat this dish when you were a child?
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Do you think your Uum Ali is better than your mother's?
0:45:32 > 0:45:33What's this, chef?
0:45:33 > 0:45:36- It's just cream Chantilly. - Chantilly cream.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38I mean, the wonderful thing about this dessert,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41I mean, Uum Ali, it sounds so Egyptian,
0:45:41 > 0:45:46but Uum Ali - it's O'Malley, as in the Irish. There's an Irish lady,
0:45:46 > 0:45:50a Mrs O'Malley, and she was the lover of the Khedive
0:45:50 > 0:45:53and she made this dessert for him and his children and it spread through
0:45:53 > 0:45:58Egypt like a plague of locusts and the Egyptians love it to this day.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01Do you know, this is like the most delicate, refined
0:46:01 > 0:46:03bread and butter pudding I've ever seen.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07'The Uum Ali takes just 15 minutes to bake and smells amazing.'
0:46:12 > 0:46:13Oh.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19- Oh, it's smelling good, and it's looking good.- Yeah.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28The coconut's been toasted, and those wonderful hazelnuts, and you've
0:46:28 > 0:46:31got the milk instead of the custard so it's lighter, it's got the most
0:46:31 > 0:46:35wonderful Chantilly topping for sweetness, it's absolutely lovely.
0:46:35 > 0:46:39Do you know, I'm going to cook this for Kingy when I get home.
0:46:39 > 0:46:40This is a keeper.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Ah, shukran, chef, thank you.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06The last stop on my journey is as far south as the boat can take me.
0:47:07 > 0:47:12The city of Aswan sits at the top of Lake Nasser and is an ancient staging
0:47:12 > 0:47:16post for trade between Egypt and the rest of Africa.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19You know, the further south I get, the more timeless
0:47:19 > 0:47:21and remote, you know, Egypt seems.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24You get away from the hustle and bustle of the cities in the north
0:47:24 > 0:47:28and you can practically taste the history, you can feel it the air.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33In 1902, the British dammed the Nile.
0:47:33 > 0:47:35The rising waters flooded local villages,
0:47:35 > 0:47:38displacing a people who'd been living beside the river
0:47:38 > 0:47:40for thousands of years.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43This ancient civilisation, the Nubians,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46were forced to resettle, many of them around Aswan.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53It's the last day of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59And a chance for me to try an ancient Nubian dish that has
0:47:59 > 0:48:02become a favourite across the entire Arab world.
0:48:02 > 0:48:10'I've been invited by the ferrymen, Bassem and his uncle, Ezzat, to join their family celebrations.'
0:48:15 > 0:48:22- Oh... Bassem, it's beautiful, a beautiful home you have.- Welcome.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24So, do the whole family live here?
0:48:36 > 0:48:38Ah, so you're in the desert,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41- you're sleeping under the stars with the people you love.- Yeah.
0:48:41 > 0:48:42Hey, hello.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44THEY LAUGH
0:48:45 > 0:48:47'I've heard that Nubians go to great lengths to
0:48:47 > 0:48:49'guard their ancient traditions
0:48:49 > 0:48:51'and that includes their food.'
0:48:54 > 0:48:56So, what's on the menu today?
0:49:05 > 0:49:08'Unfortunately, both meals are still on the hoof.'
0:49:10 > 0:49:14That's lunch. You see, it's a sheep and it's being slaughtered
0:49:14 > 0:49:18but, you know, if you're going to eat it, you have to face up to it,
0:49:18 > 0:49:19it was a living thing.
0:49:19 > 0:49:24'All over world, millions of Muslim households are sacrificing
0:49:24 > 0:49:26'their best animal to mark this feast.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34'Mercifully for the sheep, and for me, here it's a quick
0:49:34 > 0:49:36'and efficient process.'
0:49:43 > 0:49:46Oh, children put their hand prints.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52'A whole sheep is a lot of meat.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55'But nothing will get wasted.'
0:50:14 > 0:50:17So that's proper social care, isn't it?
0:50:17 > 0:50:19- It's care for your neighbours. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:50:21 > 0:50:22Hey, the liver.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27And that's breakfast.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Aha, the heart. Yep.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37'The offal is still warm. I've never eaten liver this fresh.'
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Breakfast! Hello, I'm Dave.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43- Moushira. - Pleased to meet you, Moushira.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Me too.
0:50:45 > 0:50:46Chef, what should I do?
0:50:46 > 0:50:49- Cut.- Uh-huh. Just, how?
0:50:49 > 0:50:51- Yes, like this.- Yeah?
0:50:56 > 0:50:57Right, so the liver...
0:50:58 > 0:51:01..the heart, again chopped?
0:51:01 > 0:51:02Yeah.
0:51:02 > 0:51:03The heart's good meat.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07I mean, you need to core it properly, and that's the testicles,
0:51:07 > 0:51:08they go in as well.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Tough old nuts. SHE LAUGHS
0:51:12 > 0:51:13Sheep's nuts are all right.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16It's a lot of good meat, it's lean.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19I mean, that, if you didn't know, you'd think was a chicken breast,
0:51:19 > 0:51:20it's really good meat.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24Do you think I have the potential to make a Nubian chef?
0:51:31 > 0:51:34Got the spicing going in and it's that Middle Eastern trinity
0:51:34 > 0:51:37of coriander, cumin and salt.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41It's really pure, simple cooking but it's really, really fresh,
0:51:41 > 0:51:43couldn't get much fresher meat.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45It's going to be really nice, you know.
0:51:48 > 0:51:49- Hello.- Hello.- Hello.
0:51:51 > 0:51:53So, this is the main event, this is the fatta.
0:51:53 > 0:51:58It is mutton, it's not lamb, it's grown on a bit, and it's very fresh.
0:51:58 > 0:51:59What is the spice, is that cumin?
0:52:05 > 0:52:07Flavour's going to build up lovely.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16CHILDREN LAUGH AND SHOUT
0:52:20 > 0:52:24'True to form, there will, of course, be fresh bread.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26'The Nubians have a recipe so ancient,
0:52:26 > 0:52:29'it predates the invention of the oven,
0:52:29 > 0:52:32'it's traditionally made on a hot plate.'
0:52:32 > 0:52:33What's the bread made from?
0:52:37 > 0:52:38Yes.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Oh, dried okra, we call it okra.
0:52:46 > 0:52:47Ah, it's interesting
0:52:47 > 0:52:51because it's the first bread I've had in Egypt that's a corn bread.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53- Could I taste a little bit? - Yeah. Yeah.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Hm, that's good, isn't it?
0:53:02 > 0:53:04- You like it, really?- Yeah.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08Yeah, I could sit there and eat the lot.
0:53:08 > 0:53:09Yeah.
0:53:11 > 0:53:12Good, good?
0:53:12 > 0:53:15- It's really good.- Thank you.
0:53:15 > 0:53:16Yeah.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24'Breakfast is just the start of the feast, but what a way to begin!
0:53:24 > 0:53:28'The fresh liver is served with side dishes of ful, falafel and pickles.'
0:53:28 > 0:53:31Come in, yeah.
0:53:33 > 0:53:34Hello.
0:53:37 > 0:53:38Come on, chef.
0:53:43 > 0:53:44It's beautiful,
0:53:44 > 0:53:48this is the best food I've had in Egypt. I'm sorry, the rest of Egypt.
0:53:48 > 0:53:52The liver with the rest of the offal, it's so soft,
0:53:52 > 0:53:54spicy and flavoursome.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58The bread's great, and you get chips with your breakfast.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02Ha, it's so wrong, but it's so right.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04Do you think I'm too old to be adopted?
0:54:07 > 0:54:10'And between courses, there's time for a smoke.'
0:54:13 > 0:54:15HE GIGGLES
0:54:15 > 0:54:18They do this seven times, it takes away the evil eye.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21LAUGHTER
0:54:24 > 0:54:25Nubian chimney!
0:54:27 > 0:54:31'After an hour of fairly vigorous boiling and bubbling,
0:54:31 > 0:54:33'the mutton is done.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35'Fatta isn't just mutton, though.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38'It's a clever dish assembled from a number of elements,
0:54:38 > 0:54:40'each with a distinctive flavour.'
0:55:00 > 0:55:03Ah, this looks good. This is a proper feast, isn't it?
0:55:05 > 0:55:06Hm.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10That's so good, it's a wonderful dish,
0:55:10 > 0:55:13the thing is the mutton is just falling off the bones.
0:55:13 > 0:55:14It's really, really tender
0:55:14 > 0:55:17but I love the textures of it.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19You know, you've got the bread which was crispy,
0:55:19 > 0:55:21soaked in that wonderful stock,
0:55:21 > 0:55:24remember the spices in the stock, then you get the rice,
0:55:24 > 0:55:26half of it's fried, half isn't.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29Then you've got the tomato sauce, with loads and loads of onions
0:55:29 > 0:55:30and garlic,
0:55:30 > 0:55:32and then, of course, you've got the mutton on the top.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34The lovely thing is,
0:55:34 > 0:55:36you share it together, it's a festival dish.
0:55:39 > 0:55:43'Of course, at any party, after the feasting, there's entertainment.'
0:55:43 > 0:55:44SINGING AND DRUMMING
0:55:46 > 0:55:48'And, on occasions like this,
0:55:48 > 0:55:50'the village band goes from house to house.'
0:56:03 > 0:56:05'Time to bust out my Strictly moves.'
0:56:26 > 0:56:29It's been an amazing week... I'll sit this one out.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35I went looking for the pure Egyptian food,
0:56:35 > 0:56:37and in a way I found that in Cairo,
0:56:37 > 0:56:40but as I got south it got better and better.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44I feel I've discovered a cuisine that should be appreciated
0:56:44 > 0:56:46more than it is.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Not only do Egyptians know the secret of the perfect falafel,
0:56:49 > 0:56:51it turns out they're responsible
0:56:51 > 0:56:54for inventing our daily bread, and the Nubians
0:56:54 > 0:56:58can take credit for a dish that's a favourite across the Arab world.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05In Egypt, the ingredients are king, or rather, pharaoh.
0:57:05 > 0:57:06The food may be simple
0:57:06 > 0:57:08but it's good enough to have kept the people going
0:57:08 > 0:57:10for thousands of years.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17It's a culture, a religion of beauty and grace,
0:57:17 > 0:57:20that's what I found by the bucketful in Egypt.
0:57:20 > 0:57:21I've also learnt
0:57:21 > 0:57:25that I can dance and enjoy myself without being full of beer.
0:57:26 > 0:57:29I have to go now, I have to go now.
0:57:29 > 0:57:33'Unfortunately I've got a plane to catch and I'm a five-hour
0:57:33 > 0:57:35'drive from the airport.'
0:57:41 > 0:57:45'Crikey, when I ordered a taxi this wasn't quite what I had in mind.'
0:57:49 > 0:57:51Bye-bye!
0:57:57 > 0:57:58Shukran.
0:58:02 > 0:58:05MUSIC: Theme to Lawrence Of Arabia
0:58:13 > 0:58:16Next time, Scottish chef Tony Singh
0:58:16 > 0:58:20goes in search of the authentic flavours of India.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22I'm starving and I want to find out what
0:58:22 > 0:58:24we have for breakfast in Punjab.
0:58:24 > 0:58:25And uncovers his family roots
0:58:25 > 0:58:29on a journey that never stops surprising.
0:58:29 > 0:58:30Been asked in for tea.