0:00:03 > 0:00:07You know, we believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Whoa! Look at them!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15..outstanding food producers...
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Oh, look at that.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19..and innovative chefs...
0:00:19 > 0:00:22..but we also have an amazing food history.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24- Oh, brilliant!- Oh, wow.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Don't eat them like that, you'll break your teeth.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30Now, during this series,
0:00:30 > 0:00:35we're going to be taking you on a journey into our culinary past.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Everything's ready, so let's get cracking.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- We'll explore its revealing stories...- BOTH: Wow!
0:00:42 > 0:00:44..and meet the heroes who keep our culinary past alive.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48It's a miracle what comes out of the oven.
0:00:48 > 0:00:54'And of course be cooking up a load of dishes that reveal our foodie evolution.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Look at that. That's a proper British treat.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03We have a taste of history.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Quite simply...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08BOTH: The best of British.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25# It's harvest time
0:01:25 > 0:01:29# When the farms have safely gathered in their crops... #
0:01:29 > 0:01:33It's that time of year that's always celebrated with food.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Thanksgiving for the harvest is at the heart of many traditional festivals.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And, throughout the calendar, lots of our religious ceremonies
0:01:47 > 0:01:50share their origins with pagan celebrations of the cycles of nature,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54and the season's bountiful produce.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56WHISTLE BLOWS
0:01:56 > 0:02:01So it's only fitting that food has always been an essential element
0:02:01 > 0:02:03in all of our festivities.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06This time next week, it will be Christmas Day itself.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10From fasting at Passover, Lent and Ramadan...
0:02:10 > 0:02:13..to fabulous feasting at Christmas, Hanukkah and Diwali...
0:02:15 > 0:02:19..our festival rituals have produced some of the nation's favourite dishes.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Oh, it is delicious!
0:02:21 > 0:02:27When celebrating all things British, our finest of foods are at the centre of every festival.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35So in this show, we're paying tribute to some of the UK's greatest festive delicacies.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42And first in the Best of British kitchen,
0:02:42 > 0:02:47we're getting the party started with the mother of all British roast dinners.
0:02:47 > 0:02:53If there has ever been a bird to celebrate a festival with, it's the goose.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57And the goose has graced our Christian tables for years.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03In England, the goose was traditionally eaten on Michaelmas in September,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08the feast day of the Archangel Michael, who defeated Satan in the War of Heaven,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and was celebrated as protector against the darkness in winter.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Traditionally, this was also rent day for peasants.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22And on this occasion, landlords would accept a fattened goose as payment.
0:03:22 > 0:03:28So it was believed that eating goose on Michaelmas Day would bring good fortune all year.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34And nowadays, it makes a star turn for our Christmas tables.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36It certainly does. And...
0:03:36 > 0:03:41we're pairing our goose with some fabulous autumnal English apples.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44That's right.
0:03:44 > 0:03:50Here's our traditional roast goose with apple and sausage stuffing balls and a cider gravy.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52The perfect festive treat.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Aaah! Let's go and cook our goose.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57Now then, OK.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01The first thing we need to do, really, is prep it.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06Prep this lovely bird for the oven. Now, what we're going to do...
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Goose, by the very nature of what they are, there is a lot of fat in there.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15And that's great. That's not a bad thing, it keeps the meat really moist.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16That one there.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18These are this goose's love handles.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21You see? Will you get off me love handles, you!
0:04:21 > 0:04:23I've got them too!
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Right, now, look. So just pull it, like that.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- And there's areas here as well. - Ooh! Ooh!- Just prod it.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34It's giving me goose pimples all over watching you do that!
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'Next, quarter an onion, and put it inside the bird.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Followed by three bay leaves.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Open wide!
0:04:49 > 0:04:53SINGS: 'Tis the seasoning... Rub with salt and pepper.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Don't be frightened with the seasoning. Look at that. That's lovely.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- Mmm. Fabulous. - Now I want to wash me hands, mate.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05Its little lily legs, if you just put it in like that, they're going to burn. We don't want that.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10So we're making little boots. That's just going to stop his legs charring.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Now, half an hour before the end of cooking, we're going to take them off,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18just to brown off, but that way, the legs are going to be delicious.
0:05:18 > 0:05:24And the goose needs to be popped into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for a fan oven...
0:05:24 > 0:05:31- Yes.- ..for one hour initially, then drop the temperature to 160 for a further hour.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32Have you got it?
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Time to bash on with the giblet gravy.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47'Giblets make great stock.'
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'Along with the classic trio of carrots, onions and celery.'
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Just chopped in a rustical fashion.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01It's funny as well, geese are quite expensive,
0:06:01 > 0:06:06and by nature of cooking expensive food at a festival or a celebration.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09There is a sense of occasion to it, isn't there, Si?
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Oh, yeah, absolutely.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Stick of celery joins the carrot and the onion...
0:06:14 > 0:06:17in the pot...
0:06:17 > 0:06:20with my good friends, giblets.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22And simmer that for about an hour and a half.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Now we can start to prepare the stuffing.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- Stock's on.- Yes.- Goose is on.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Mr Stuffing.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32While Dave's getting the bits together for the stuffing,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36I'm going to pick through and chop the goose liver.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42'Cut the liver in half, pulling out the hard tubes that run through it.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47'We only want the soft, rich liver meat for our stuffing.'
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Now I need a Bramley apple.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56A nice, gnarly, English Bramley, straight from the tree.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Geese and apples go together so well.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Love it. It's going to give a nice sharpness to the stuffing.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Now to temper that, I'm going to add a couple of teaspoons full of sugar.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10That's going to start to caramelise and make it really sticky and lovely.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15- I love this, because these are really old, proper, traditional techniques.- Yeah.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18To... You know, dressing a bird for table.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22You've dressed it for the oven, it comes out, and then you dress it for table.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- It's brilliant. Lovely conventions of celebration at a festival.- Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33The goose is the symbol of St Martin, a quiet monk who wanted to live his life as a humble hermit.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37When the people wanted to make him their bishop, Martin ran away,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39and hid in a barn amongst a flock of geese.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43But the geese wouldn't stop honking, and poor old Martin was discovered,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and reluctantly led away to be ordained bishop.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47He wasn't very happy.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Oh, crumbs!
0:07:49 > 0:07:55So he is the patron saint of geese, and the patron saint against poverty, among other things.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59So that's how whenever you see a stained glass window, it's St Martin with a goose,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- and it's like, prosperity, and I suppose...- Yeah.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06- Again, it's part of the goose's image as being a celebratory bird. - Absolutely.
0:08:06 > 0:08:12- Geese have been to more parties than the average Essex girl. - No, you're not wrong.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16I'm happy with that if you are, Mr King.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- That's lovely, mate.- Yeah? - Absolutely lovely.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Pop the liver in and just cook that for a minute.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- Now, this is precious, isn't it? - Beautiful.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29You know, we're wasting nothing of the goose.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Its giblets are going to make the wonderful gravy,
0:08:32 > 0:08:33we've got its liver in the stuffing,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37we've got all the fat rendered out for our roast potatoes for the next month.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42- And the bird itself, we're going to eat it stripped to the bones.- Yeah.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49'Now we're adding the onions, goose liver and apple to 500 grams of sausagemeat.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53'Then the same weight of breadcrumbs, and some freshly chopped sage.'
0:08:56 > 0:08:59And we just need some salt and pepper in here, Kingy.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03- No worries. On its way.- The best way is to get your hands in here, you know?
0:09:03 > 0:09:04Oh, definitely.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06So... Yeah...
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- Right, that'll be enough, now. - There we go. That'll do.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10Lovely.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15'The goose has been in the oven now for nearly two hours,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18'but before you get it out, cut some apples in half.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:26'Brush them with a little oil, and nestle amongst the stuffing balls.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31Now that just needs to roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- And do you know what?- Yes? - Guess what?- What?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- The goose is ready to come out. - You have cooked your goose.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41- I have cooked the goose.- Shall we swap, then?- I think we should.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- Oh, look at that.- Yes!
0:09:43 > 0:09:46You beauty. Oh!
0:09:48 > 0:09:49Right.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52- OK.- That's beautiful. That goose is cooked perfectly.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55I hear you say, though, you've just told me,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58the apples and the stuffing are going to take 20 minutes to half an hour.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00What about the goose?
0:10:00 > 0:10:05It needs to rest, so we put that on a platter, cover it with foil, then a tea towel,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08and it's just to relax in a nice ambient temperature,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12which gives us time to make the cider and giblet gravy.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15'We're going to use all of those wonderful goose juices,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17'once we've strained off the fat.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:23'And we'll save that for later, as it'll make the best roast potatoes ever.'
0:10:23 > 0:10:28- So that is goose gold.- Look at that. That's all that flavour from the cooking.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32'Now we've got to sieve the giblet stock.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Have you seen what Dave's doing with the sieve now?
0:10:34 > 0:10:39He's just, like wobbling it, so it makes sure that every single piece of flavour and moisture
0:10:39 > 0:10:42is out of those vegetables and the goose neck.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- Giblets.- Right?- Fabulous.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Add two tablespoons of flour to the meat juices in the pan.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Now, what we're going to do with that...
0:10:56 > 0:11:00- ..is mix it in...- Cider. Good dry cider.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- I think about half this bottle'd do.- Yeah.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Don't worry about the lumps, cos we'll whisk them out,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10and we're going to pass this through a sieve anyway.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- Right.- The gravy's done.- Yes.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16- Mother Goose is resting.- Yes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Stuffing balls and apples... - Yeah, go on!
0:11:19 > 0:11:24- Oh, Dave, look how those apples have gone. They're beautiful, aren't they?- I know.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27- Shall we just arrange, like an Elizabethan platter?- Lovely. Oh, fabulous.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Apple, stuffing... apple, stuffing ball.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Apple.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35- Apple.- Dave?- Yeah.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41- You know what?- What, mate?- I THINK WE'VE GOT THE IDEA OF STUFFING BALL, APPLE, STUFFING BALL, APPLE!
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Good grief. He keeps repeating it!
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- Apple. - SIMON LAUGHS
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Stuffing.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- SIMON SNORTS - Stuffing.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55There we go. Now that certainly is a party on a plate.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00Be it Michaelmas, Christmas, Easter or your birthday.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Top tip about carving -
0:12:03 > 0:12:05be confident.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- Mm.- Thank you.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- It's nice and juicy.- It's absolutely beautiful.- It's cooked perfectly.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Right...
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Got to have some of that stuffing with it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- And a bit of apple. - Oh, yeah.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26- Very, very good.- Mmm.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Lovely texture, goose. Lovely with the apples.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Nice gamey flavour.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37In my opinion, that is a true festival bird.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38Mm-hmm.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- But without the wellies.- Oh, aye.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43You don't get that at Glastonbury, do you?
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Our roast goose with apple and sausage stuffing and cider gravy
0:12:47 > 0:12:51is a fine treat for any table or celebration.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55So go on, give goose a gander.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00We love our festival treats.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05# Pancake day, pancake day
0:13:05 > 0:13:06# Now's the time to fry them... #
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Now, there's one day in our food festival calendar
0:13:09 > 0:13:12that hasn't changed for centuries.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13Beautiful.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Absolutely beautiful.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18We love pancakes and Pancake Day so much,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22we buy more than three times the usual amount of eggs, milk and flour to make them.
0:13:22 > 0:13:29And supermarkets start ordering their stocks in months in advance.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31And here's the pancake recipe.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Four ounces of flour...
0:13:32 > 0:13:34..and half a pint of milk.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37One egg...
0:13:37 > 0:13:38..and a pinch of salt.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Come on, Ken, we haven't got all day, you know.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46Here I've got the flour, which has been sifted with the salt. I'm going to add one egg...
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Mix it all together.
0:13:48 > 0:13:55You gently whisk that around. Now, you gently beat the egg gently until all the flour's added in.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58You want just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02And then you just roll it around like this.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05And may the best pancake win.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- That's going to make a very thin pancake, isn't it? - That is the idea.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11There we are. A perfect pancake.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12- Yes!- Hooray!
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- Fantastic.- Yes!
0:14:15 > 0:14:17But who made the first pancake?
0:14:17 > 0:14:22- Who do you reckon made the first pancake? Does it go back a very long way?- I just said that.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24I would think it goes right back to Neanderthal Man.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- But he didn't have all that gear, did he?- No, he didn't. He just had to use hot stones.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30She's right, you know.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35Archaeological evidence shows we've always eaten some form of pancake using flour and water.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40But Pancake Day as we know it began as a Christian festival called Shrove Tuesday.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Shrove Tuesday is the day before the beginning of Lent,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and Lent lasts for six weeks, and during that time,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Christians are supposed to give up anything that they like,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52special treats or favourite sorts of foods.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Nobody was supposed to eat any eggs or meat,
0:14:54 > 0:14:59they weren't supposed to cook their food in any fancy way, or use any fat of any sort.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02So the day before Lent began, Shrove Tuesday,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06the women of the towns would go through their cupboards,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and using up all the kinds of foods, they'd have a great cooking spree.
0:15:09 > 0:15:15As well as making pancakes to use up all the naughty, rich ingredients before the fasting period of Lent,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Shrove Tuesday also meant that you had to be shriven.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21I've never liked the sound of that. It always sounded painful.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- CHURCH BELLS - It just meant going to church to confess your sins.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25Aah!
0:15:25 > 0:15:29And legend has it that back in the 14th Century,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32one woman in a village called Olney heard the bell calling her to church,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and rushed out of the house still holding her frying pan.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Yes, and the people of Olney have held pancake races ever since.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Women have to toss their pancake three times whilst they hurtle towards the church.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45On your marks, go!
0:15:45 > 0:15:46And the prize?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49A kiss from the verger.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52And today, we're still flipping mad for them.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I-I-I-I love pancakes very much!
0:15:55 > 0:15:58And we're curiously competitive about them, too.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03How many scouts managed to set a new world record for the most people flipping a pancake?
0:16:03 > 0:16:08You've got 108, making a new Guinness World Record!
0:16:08 > 0:16:09CHEERING
0:16:09 > 0:16:13The humble pancake, just made out of flour, milk and eggs,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17and rolled in lemon and sugar, has become a cause for celebration itself.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Well, if you ask me, Si, you can't beat it.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29The fantastic thing about modern multicultural Britain
0:16:29 > 0:16:32is that as well as enjoying all the ancient traditions from our isles,
0:16:32 > 0:16:37we now also get to take part in festivals from around the globe.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41MUSIC: "Holiday" by Madonna
0:16:44 > 0:16:48We Brits, we love a good party, especially if it involves great food.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52And the Indian festival of Diwali is renowned for both.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58Diwali is like our Harvest Festival plus Christmas and New Year
0:16:58 > 0:17:00all rolled into one.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04For Hindus and Sikhs, it marks both the end of the harvest season,
0:17:04 > 0:17:05and the start of a new year.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10It's the last major celebration before winter,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13and streets all over the world are lit up with decorations and fireworks.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15From Delhi...
0:17:15 > 0:17:17FIREWORKS
0:17:17 > 0:17:20..to Leicester.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24It's home to one of the biggest celebrations outside of India.
0:17:24 > 0:17:2935,000 people come out to party during the five days and nights of Diwali here.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Now during Diwali, it's traditional to give gifts,
0:17:32 > 0:17:37so we're here in Leicester to find out about that great festival gift
0:17:37 > 0:17:38that is the Indian sweet.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39Ho-ho-ho-ho!
0:17:42 > 0:17:47Bobby's Restaurant is a Leicester institution, famed for its Diwali sweets.
0:17:47 > 0:17:54We're meeting Bobby and his son Dhamesh to find out more about some of these amazing goodies.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59- Hello, sir.- That's a Diwali card. That's my father.- Hello, sir. Very nice to meet you.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- Dave...- Happy Diwali. Thank you! - ..and Si.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Happy Diwali. Nice to meet you.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08- So it's a family business, then? - It's a family business, yes. We've been going for 35 years.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12My father and my mother started it,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and throughout the years all the family members have worked here, over that much time.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- Yeah.- So, you know... And Diwali's a family festival.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- Look at this! - That's a lot of sweet treats.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23It certainly is.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- At the top we've got things made with cashew nuts.- Yes.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Ground cashew nuts, pistachios, saffron...
0:18:29 > 0:18:33- These are mixed, they've got rose petal filling inside.- Yes.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- We've got chickpea flour sweets, we've got milk-based sweets... - Crumbs.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39- Quite interesting.- Very interesting.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43Do the sweets at Diwali, or is it all the time, you have a tradition
0:18:43 > 0:18:45of the silver and gold leaf on the top?
0:18:45 > 0:18:48You can have silver leaf and gold leaf all the time,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51- but it's nicer at Diwali, because obviously it signifies...- Yeah.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56You know, it's nicer to look at, and also when you're giving somebody a gift,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- it's like giving them something valuable.- Precious.- Exactly.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03- How lovely.- It looks like a jeweller's, the case of sweets. - It does.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05It does look like a jeweller's.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07It just looks very special.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Now, the one that's really famous, the really famous sweety sweet...
0:19:12 > 0:19:15- Jalebis.- Jalebis, yeah.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16Aah. Da-da!
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Here's one I made earlier.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20DAVE LAUGHS
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- That's an... You're quicker than us! - I know!
0:19:23 > 0:19:25You try that.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Ah, fabulous, thank you.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Ooh.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Oh, they're warm.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33With Jalebis, they've got to be crunchy yet sweet.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34- Oh!- They're lovely.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- Dhamesh, would you do us a favour? - Go on.
0:19:37 > 0:19:43If we were to say to you, could you please put us, in a little Diwali box...
0:19:43 > 0:19:49..a good selection of what you think is the finest of Indian sweets.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Certainly. No problem at all.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Now that's a good selection, if ever I saw one.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- Well, it's what I like.- Yeah.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10So how many sweets would you sell during Diwali?
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I'd estimate up to a couple of thousand kilos.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16- It's like giving a box of chocolates.- OK.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20You know, for people, it's giving a gift to others, you know. Often gifts to the temple.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24It's nice, as opposed to a box of chocolates, a box of mithai.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- We call them mithai, which means sweets.- Ah, right!
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- OK, so that's...- Mithai's a collective term for sweets.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34- The collective term for all these fabulous sweets.- That's right. - Thank you so much.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38'We're taking our haul of sweets to share with Indian food writer, Roopa Gulati,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41'to find out more about the ancient traditions of Diwali.'
0:20:41 > 0:20:46- Now, Roopa, we've got some sweets. - Ooh! Some Diwali goodies.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Diwali delights.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50- SHE GASPS - Look at that.- Oh, look at those.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55- A box of wonders.- What a selection. You've got the whole of India in a box over there.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I think there's nothing more symbolic of Diwali
0:20:58 > 0:21:01than the sweetmeats that are served at this time of year.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04The ingredients that go into all the sweets, they're so auspicious,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09milk, cream, sugar, honey, water.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14You know, they are pure ingredients that are often offered at temples.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15- Yes.- To the deities.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Barfi really is my favourite. you know, if you can just catch the silver on top of it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21It's pure silver.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24And you know it's pure silver, because it won't tarnish.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- It's silver that's beaten until it's wafer thin.- Yeah.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30And you can't, actually, when you're putting it on top of sweets
0:21:30 > 0:21:33or rice or anything, you can't actually touch it with your fingers,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36because it sticks, it goes everywhere.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41Diwali is the best festival. It's of bling. You cannot overdo it.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Because you're celebrating the new year, and that's what Diwali's about.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49It's the victory of good over evil, you know, light over darkness.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- The festival of light. - It's the festival of light. Little lamps on Diwali nights.- Yes.
0:21:53 > 0:22:00Because the lamps are so important, because you're paying homage to Lakshmi.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04- The goddess of prosperity, of wealth.- Yes.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06And the lights are there to show her the way,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10and if your house is dark, she may get lost and not bestow her great wealth on you.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13The atmosphere down on the street, it's great,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and it strikes me that Diwali has become a festival for everybody.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- And I think it's celebrated the world over.- Yes.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22It's about friendship and bonding and reconnecting.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- It's a bit like Christmas in that sense.- Sure.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Because families, wherever they are, they will make some attempt to actually come home.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34And also it's about children. Dressing up in new clothes, having lots of parties, and being together.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37So I think that's what Diwali means to me.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- I think it should mean that to everybody, I'm sure.- I think so.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Because what a beautiful, beautiful thing.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- What a beautiful thing it is, and a lovely thing to be involved with, actually.- Mmm.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51- We're really privileged, feel really privileged to be here.- Yeah. - It's fantastic.- Yes.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53ALL: Happy Diwali!
0:22:54 > 0:22:59Now, each one of our traditional food ceremonies is only kept alive
0:22:59 > 0:23:02as long as its customs are passed on from one generation to the next.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07And there's one town in England which has devoted itself
0:23:07 > 0:23:09to preserving a ritual dating back a thousand years.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11It's Whitstable in Kent.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17A town made famous by its oysters, and now its oyster festival.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Over the course of one week in July, 80,000 oyster lovers
0:23:21 > 0:23:26come to consume hundreds of thousands of this seafood delicacy.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31The native Whitstable rock oyster was first prized for its distinctive taste by the Romans,
0:23:31 > 0:23:37who shipped them back to Rome, and the Whitstable oyster found international fame.
0:23:37 > 0:23:43So by the Middle Ages, Whitstable had grown into a thriving fishing port.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Oysters provided the main income for hundreds of local fishermen.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52And the oystermen of Whitstable depended on the elements for a good catch.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59But since the elements were controlled by God, getting him on side was crucial.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02So every July, before the oyster season began,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05a blessing of the oyster catch took place.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11And today, centuries later, vicar Simon Tillotson continues the tradition
0:24:11 > 0:24:16with a symbolic ceremony, and it's a good excuse to put his best clobber on.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22So we're about to set off, walking down to the sea
0:24:22 > 0:24:26to do the banding of the oysters.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31And it's an annual event, this is where I put on my big robe.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- Which one am I wearing today, Barry? - White.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35Where is it, then?
0:24:35 > 0:24:37That's not Barry, was it?
0:24:37 > 0:24:41The oyster festival still takes place around the feast day of St James,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43the patron saint of oystermen.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52I really enjoy this every year. It's always got a real buzz to it.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54The whole town comes out to this landing of the catch.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57It's a fantastic event, full of vitality,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and I really enjoy it, I really enjoy doing this.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03They're getting ahead of me!
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Can you wait a bit, please?
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Today, tradition and religion combine to make a great family event,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15which draws a big crowd of both locals and tourists alike.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Oysters.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Signs of your wonderful creation.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25We ask your blessing on these oysters...
0:25:25 > 0:25:27'In lots of Britain today,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30religion is not nearly as widely seen as it used to be,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33but in this particular festival, there is still a place for the church,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36which is really great.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40And that's because Whitstable has still kept lots of its traditions from the past.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42We bless the oysters as they come in,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46the church is welcomed to be part of it, and we are one with the town,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48so we all mix in together, really.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52We ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56And we give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Once the serious business of blessing the catch is over, the fun can begin.
0:26:00 > 0:26:05Hey, mate, did they have samba bands back in the Middle Ages?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08No, but they definitely had alien insects on stilts.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Um, I think they're meant to be octopuses.- Oh.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Well, I suppose this is a celebration of the sea.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18But the main purpose of the parade is to close the medieval ceremony.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22The mayor presents local restaurateurs with the newly-blessed oysters,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25which are then enjoyed by thousands of people,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27served fresh, straight from the shell.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Lovely!
0:26:29 > 0:26:30ACCORDION MUSIC
0:26:37 > 0:26:43It's a great event. We come down here, we enjoy the day, enjoy the sea breeze and everything else.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44Most of all, the food.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49We've been down the road to the harbour, and it's quite crowded down there, isn't it?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51We thought we'd come back here and find the oysters.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54Oh, that's beautiful.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58You've got to treat 'em right, though. Nice piece of lemon on 'em.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Lovely. Lovely and fresh.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Ooh. They're supposed to be an aphrodisiac.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05I'll let you know about that tomorrow.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06HE CHUCKLES
0:27:13 > 0:27:19But if raw oysters don't float your boat, the oyster isn't off limits.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24Top chef and Whitstable local Mark Stubbs wants to share his festival special -
0:27:24 > 0:27:27boozy battered oyster fritters.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29We're going to serve them in a lovely Guinness batter,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33and from that point on, it changes the texture and the taste of the oysters.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36If you've never tried an oyster before, you should really try these.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41- And then progress into eating a natural oyster.- Ooh, that sounds divine. Let's get cracking.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45What we want to do is to remove the liquid that is around the oyster.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Make one cut...
0:27:48 > 0:27:51..and then turn the oyster onto tissue to dry it out.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Guinness an oysters are a famous combination together, OK?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57So a fresh can of Guinness, and it's important that we've just opened it up
0:27:57 > 0:28:00to keep all the bubbles, to make it nice and light and airy.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Now, we're making a light tempura.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06All we do is, here's our flour, cornflour and a touch of baking powder,
0:28:06 > 0:28:07and a pinch of salt in there.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11And we just literally add the Guinness to get the right consistency.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14And what we're looking for is like a dropping consistency.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Now, the beauty of making a tempura is it doesn't have to be all smooth.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21It can be a little bit lumpy, it really doesn't matter.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23This one is a beautiful batter to use.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28If you want a light and crunchy batter, but you don't want to use a beer or stout,
0:28:28 > 0:28:29any fizzy liquid will do.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32You can even use sparkling water.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Now we take the product itself, which is the oysters,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39and we just gently lay them into the batter.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42So just lightly coating the oysters in the batter.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43Not damaging the oysters,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46and then just put them into the fryer.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Hold them for about 10 seconds, let them drop,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51and they'll float to the top.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53From shucking the oysters and opening them,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56and making the batter, you can have half a dozen done
0:28:56 > 0:28:58in two minutes, two and a half minutes.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02As long as you're a good oyster opener.
0:29:02 > 0:29:03And that, really, is it.
0:29:03 > 0:29:10The batter on the oyster is really light, crispy, and if we look here, we can just hear it.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12You can hear it all just cracking.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15And it's that good that I'm going to have to eat a piece now.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Hey, save some for the locals, Marky!
0:29:17 > 0:29:21- They're lovely.- You like them? - Lovely. Really nice.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25- I've never had them in tempura batter before.- And you like them? - Delicious.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28There we go. Thank you very much. No problem.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31But it's not just the fantastic oysters that draw crowds to the festival.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36When the oystermen were using them, and if we go back to, say, 1880,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39and if you imagined yourself here then,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42you would have seen about 100 of these moored out in the bay.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46They also come to get their fix of local tradition and history.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49# We've suffered years of much abuse
0:29:49 > 0:29:52ALL: # And we say so, and we hope so... #
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Mark Lawson, a member of the local sea shanty group,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58loves to keep these Whitstable traditions alive.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Mate, I tell you what, I'm getting beard envy.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Whoa! Me too!
0:30:02 > 0:30:05I think the reason the town keeps the tradition going
0:30:05 > 0:30:09is that oysters are very much core to Whitstable's identity.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11It was the major industry in the town.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15At the height of the oyster fisheries in the 1880s,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18we were sending 1.25 million oysters to London alone,
0:30:18 > 0:30:23and another 750,000 to the rest of the country and abroad.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28So, although it was a scruffy little working town, Whitstable was very, very prosperous.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30It just didn't look it!
0:30:32 > 0:30:37What I love about this festival, is the way the people of Whitstable keep all those traditions going...
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Go!
0:30:40 > 0:30:46..but add ones of their own, like the oyster-eating competition.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Whitstable local Sue Sanders is mad for it.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53I've been coming to Whitstable oyster festival for five or six years now
0:30:53 > 0:30:56and I always take part in the oyster-eating competition.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01I know it's a terrible waste of oysters because they should be savoured,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04crushed delicately in your mouth and allowed to slip down,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07but this is all about opening your throat and throwing them down.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09It's a speed event.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15The Whitstable oyster certainly gets its dues at this festival!
0:31:15 > 0:31:20It's been blessed, dressed with lemon, and don't forget the Guinness batter!
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Yes, it's been eaten by the thousand!
0:31:23 > 0:31:26They've eaten so many there won't be any left for me.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Ah, dude, don't be so shellfish!
0:31:34 > 0:31:37Now we're back in the Best of British Kitchen to pay homage
0:31:37 > 0:31:43to another festival dish which is fast becoming a national favourite, the biryani.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50The biryani is a proper festival dish. It's a party dish.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53It's regal, it's royal and it's the ultimate one-pot wonder.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56Note that Ramadan isn't a party.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Everybody just waits until it goes dark.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02It's true, you fast during the day but you're not fasting for 40 days.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05- Every night it's a feast.- Yes!
0:32:05 > 0:32:10But the big one is Eid and that's when it's quite appropriate to cook a biryani.
0:32:12 > 0:32:18The first sighting of the new moon marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting,
0:32:18 > 0:32:23And the start of Eid, the three-day festival which is celebrated with prayer,
0:32:23 > 0:32:27the giving of gifts and, you've guessed it, lavish feasting!
0:32:27 > 0:32:32And here's our Best of British take on this classic Eid dish,
0:32:32 > 0:32:38an elaborate creation of succulent spicy meat, layered with saffron-infused rice.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41This beef biryani is a sumptuous one-dish wonder,
0:32:41 > 0:32:46perfect for sharing with friends and family on any special occasion.
0:32:46 > 0:32:53Right, basically we've got braising steak here.
0:32:53 > 0:32:58We're going to trim the nasties off it, which won't take very long because it's very good meat.
0:32:58 > 0:33:03This is the extra sinewy bit that you don't really want
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- because you want it to be a really nice easy eat.- Oh, aye.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- You want it to melt in the mouth, don't you?- Yes.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14It's quite cheap to do, it feeds a heap of people, but it's just brilliant.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Every flavour has its place in the dish,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21and every flavour ends up on your plate.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Now, the all-important spice paste.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27It's an easy job for the food processor.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32You'll need two onions, four cloves of garlic, a thumb of ginger...
0:33:34 > 0:33:37..and two fresh red chillies.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43You can deseed it if you want it mild, or leave the seeds in if you want it spicy.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47It's a festival, it's a party, let's have some spice in our lives.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Add 50ml of water, and whizz to a thick paste.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Look at the colours of that, and there's no food colouring in sight.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Listen to that baby go.
0:33:59 > 0:34:04We're just going to brown this off. Don't overfill the pan because you want it to fry,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06you don't want it to stew.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09Lovely.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14And look, that's the deep colour that you want
0:34:14 > 0:34:20but it's just flashed because the plan is so hot. Look at that, beautiful.
0:34:23 > 0:34:29Now, to the dry spice mix. Take your pestle and mortar.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Take five cloves.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Cloves, to me, define the taste of a biryani.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37It just comes through right at the back end.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41While Dave's doing that, all I've done is fried it off in some oil,
0:34:41 > 0:34:47the juices have run, you come out and you stick it back into your biryani pot.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52To the cloves and the cumin seeds, add two teaspoons of coriander seeds.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57A piece of cinnamon bark. Take 12 cardamom pods.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00The flavour is in the black seeds in the middle of the cardamom.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And start to crush.
0:35:04 > 0:35:05Oh! Get real, get spicy.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12I find cooking Asian food like this, cooking Indian food, is the most exciting.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15You've got spices, you've got the fire, and I feel like an alchemist.
0:35:15 > 0:35:21There are occasions that you could draw comparison to you being a bit of a mad professor.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27Now look at that. That's my dried spices, look how it's building up.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32I'm just going to grate half a nutmeg into that. Heavenly, isn't it?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34You have a smell at home.
0:35:38 > 0:35:44Just add this dry spice mix to the pureed onions and garlic, ginger and chillies.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49This is an absolute banging flavour bomb. Here you are, Kingy.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- This is going to be brilliant. - Yes, it's great.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57This spice mix needs to be cooked so just fry this
0:35:57 > 0:36:02for about 10 minutes gently until it starts to brown.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10- There are many legends surrounding the biryani.- It's a mystical dish.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15One is there's a lady called the sleeping beauty from the Taj Mahal.
0:36:15 > 0:36:20It's said she made the biryani like one dish that could feed an army.
0:36:20 > 0:36:27And it's said that the word biryani comes from the Farsi word birian, which means to fry beforehand.
0:36:30 > 0:36:36The smell is starting to intensify now so that's not too far away.
0:36:36 > 0:36:42It's lovely and fresh, isn't it? The cumin is cooking off, the cardamom.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46All of those dried spices, they need to cook.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50What we're going to do with this beautiful paste,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54we're going to now put it in to our beef.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Look at the juices that come off that beef, now it's been resting.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02The lovely thing about biryani is you waste no flavours. Never.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Add the spice paste mix to the meat.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Then 200 ml of thick natural yoghurt.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15Pour in 450ml water and two bay leaves.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Season with pepper,
0:37:17 > 0:37:21then pop on the lid and let it simmer for an hour and a half.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27It may seem like a complicated dish but it's SO worth it.
0:37:27 > 0:37:33And we think there's nothing better you can do with a winter's afternoon than build a biryani!
0:37:34 > 0:37:37As you know, biryani always contains rice
0:37:37 > 0:37:41and the rice will cook off the spices and the vapour from the meat.
0:37:41 > 0:37:46That's the beauty of biryani, but the rice should be pre-cooked a little bit.
0:37:46 > 0:37:47While Dave's doing that,
0:37:47 > 0:37:53another element to the biryani is layers of fried onion.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Nothing clever about this. I've just got water, salt...
0:38:03 > 0:38:04..and rice.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Simmer this rice for five minutes, no more.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13We want it part-cooked, not cooked.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18They say the test of a good biryani is if you drop a lump of it onto the table,
0:38:18 > 0:38:20no two grains of rice will be stuck together.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26You know, a biryani has a lot of processes,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28but you can get ahead with yourself.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31so I might as well get on and do the garnishes.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35I'm just going to hard-boil three eggs and roast off some almonds.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39This goes on the top, right at the end, so that will be two hours away.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43This is where this festival dish, with its many components,
0:38:43 > 0:38:48begins to come together and your sense of satisfaction starts to really kick in.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Just put the coriander into the part-cooked rice.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53The almonds are ready for their sultanas,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57and the onions are approaching perfection!
0:38:57 > 0:39:01That's the colour that you're looking for. Look at that, lovely.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04So set those aside ready for the build.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09We need to put in now two teaspoons of sugar to the meat. Keep it level.
0:39:09 > 0:39:15- After all, it's a biryani, not a pudding.- Then just mix it in.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19We should just leave that to cook to reduce for another 10 minutes.
0:39:19 > 0:39:25- It's very lovely.- It is, isn't it? I love you.- I love you too.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37- We're there, mate. Look at that. There's very little liquid left, it's all flavour.- All the elements.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- And that meat's falling apart. - So the meat goes in first.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43- Half the meat in first. - Look at that, man.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47I love it when you get meat like this, just falling apart.
0:39:49 > 0:39:54We heated 100ml of full fat milk with a heaped teaspoon of saffron strands,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56and left it to infuse overnight.
0:39:56 > 0:40:01The aromatic flavour of saffron is essential to a biryani,
0:40:01 > 0:40:08and so is the deep yellow colour, said to represent royalty and celebration.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13It's going to stain the rice. Eating with your eyes first.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- Oh, that's lovely man. - It looks the biz.
0:40:16 > 0:40:22You take some of those fantastic onions that you spent a great deal of time on.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Beautiful thing, Kingy.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26- It's lush, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31- And the final layer of the meat. - Just quality control.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35Heaven!
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Now we're going to wrap this up in foil.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50This may seem like overkill, but this is very, very important
0:40:50 > 0:40:56because it's imperative that you keep all of those flavours in that dish.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Now just pop that into a preheated oven,
0:40:58 > 0:41:06160 degrees for a fan oven and 180 for a regular oven for about 30 minutes.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08And that will be our biryani.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16Oh, look at that!
0:41:18 > 0:41:23Look, it looks like a celebration dish, it looks like a festival dish.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25It's happy to be here, it's happy to be created
0:41:25 > 0:41:27and we're happy to eat it.
0:41:29 > 0:41:35As a final flourish, add the toasted almonds, sultanas, eggs and chopped parsley.
0:41:38 > 0:41:44- The festival biryani.- The beef biryani to beat all biryanis.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48Time for a party on your palate!
0:41:48 > 0:41:52Look at that laughing gear on standby. Go on!
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Happy days.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12- That's really good.- Beautiful. The spices, Dave, are epic.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15It's so well-balanced.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20- And that's where the alchemy is, isn't it? In the spicing.- Yep.
0:42:23 > 0:42:29Ladies and gentlemen at home, you're going to love this. It's superb.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32And do you know what, Si? We're not alone in loving a biryani.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- Genghis Khan was partial.- Was he? - Loved a biryani, did Genghis.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38It didn't do anything for his temper, did it?!
0:42:44 > 0:42:48So from the ancient thanksgiving customs of British fishermen...
0:42:48 > 0:42:53To the Hindu traditions of India, which have found a home in our cities, and our hearts...
0:42:53 > 0:43:00Our British festival customs have given us a rich variety of wonderful dishes,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03perfect for any party or celebration.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05And, if you want to find out more...
0:43:05 > 0:43:10Visit:
0:43:10 > 0:43:14To discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17And to find out how to cook up tonight's recipes.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk