0:00:02 > 0:00:04Walk through any British city
0:00:04 > 0:00:09and you won't have far to go before you find some unfamiliar produce.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13It's all too easy to walk past shops that are a bit different,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16but I just can't resist having a look.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21From Iranian to Italian, Malaysian to Moroccan,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24food in this country has never been so exciting.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Oh, heavens! It's just so fresh and green.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Now, I want to meet some of the unsung heroes behind it all.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36There's no better way to get an insight into people's lives
0:00:36 > 0:00:37than through the food they eat.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Hello, how are you? How are you?
0:00:39 > 0:00:42So, I'm going to join some of the brilliant home cooks that
0:00:42 > 0:00:45have brought their cuisine, and culture, to Britain...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47If yours is called the quick korma,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49this should be called the slow korma.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..to find out what, why and how they cook.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55When we cook, it's joy.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58It's like making a little, little world again.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01You've just changed my life. You do realise that, don't you?!
0:01:01 > 0:01:03You learn now!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06In exchange for the generosity of these home cooks, I'm going
0:01:06 > 0:01:10to make my own dish, to put with theirs, in a celebration...
0:01:10 > 0:01:14of what makes us so different but also what brings us together.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Food is about so much more than taste.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32There are some dishes just designed to draw us together,
0:01:32 > 0:01:37centre pieces that bring the table, and the people around it, to life.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42I want to find out what recipes spark
0:01:42 > 0:01:45a sense of occasion for cultures around the world.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49North African food is a perfect place to start,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52so there's no better place to go than Trowbridge.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58This sleepy Wiltshire town is surprisingly home to
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Britain's largest Moroccan community outside London.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Look around and there's absolutely no evidence of any north African
0:02:06 > 0:02:07culture at all.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10There's not even a little Moroccan cafe.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13But in people's homes, it's a different matter.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18I'm meeting Zoubida and her daughter, Halima, in time for tea.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- Hi.- Hello, I'm Nigel. - Nice to meet you, Nigel.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26Now, this is not what I expect to find in the middle of Trowbridge.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Everybody drink sugar in it?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32I like a little bit of sugar, yes.
0:02:32 > 0:02:38There's a lot of sugar I have to put, that's three, four.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- Wow, you do put a lot of sugar in. - A lot of sugar.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Oh, look at that.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50- Mint.- Oh, I love this stuff, I love it.- Yeah, from my garden.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Why do you pour it from such a height?
0:02:53 > 0:02:55If you put it high, it make bubbles.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00When you make bubbles, it's really good tea. Try it.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01That good or not?
0:03:04 > 0:03:07- You need a bit of sugar? - No, that's just perfect.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- OK. Thank you. - Absolutely beautiful.
0:03:10 > 0:03:11Thank you.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Zoubida arrived in Trowbridge in 1972, to join her husband.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22He was one of many young Moroccans given a so-called alien passport,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25permitting them to work in a local factory.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31That's my mum when she came to the UK.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- Oh, this is so lovely. - Thank you.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37It must have been quite bleak here to arrive here in the winter,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- I have to say. - Yeah, we come in winter, snow.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43I never see that snow before.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Dad used to work long hours so she...
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Cold, he used to work from six to six
0:03:49 > 0:03:51and sometime to ten o'clock.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Only me in the house.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56If somebody knock on door, I don't know what I said.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59This must have been, actually, really a big shock.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01It is, it is, when we first come, yes.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Like many families, they settled, and for Zoubida, there's no better
0:04:09 > 0:04:12way to pass on her heritage than through food.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17The iconic lamb tagine is a dish that beckons the whole
0:04:17 > 0:04:19family to the table
0:04:19 > 0:04:22and I'm keen to find out the secrets of its charm.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30I think of this as almost like the ultimate sharing dish.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- Yeah, it is, yeah.- It's the one that, kind of, everybody gets into.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34Digs their fingers in, yeah.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I'm glad you're cooking in this because I've got one of these.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Mine's not as beautiful as yours,
0:04:39 > 0:04:40but I'm terrified I'm going to break it.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Some of them do crack, but that one's actually been treated.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45She puts it in a hot oven, leaves it in a hot oven.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- So it sort of seasons it. - Yeah, yeah.- Before I start using it.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53So we've started with onions, browned the lamb a little bit.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58We've put ground ginger, turmeric, saffron. What else have we put in?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01- Cinnamon. - And cinnamon, some sticks, yeah.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02So these are quite gentle spices.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Yeah, they are gentle spices, unless you were going to do
0:05:05 > 0:05:08something with a vegetable tagine, then maybe you wanted to
0:05:08 > 0:05:11spice it up a bit, you'd put paprika and other spices on.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14That's parsley and coriander.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- Parsley and coriander? - A nice bouquet, left it there.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Gives it flavour.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24While that cooks, we need to skin some blanched almonds.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- So this looks like a job for all the family.- Yeah.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- Can I help?- Yeah, please.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36- She's usually doing it. - I usually get forced to do it.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's not the best of jobs.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40But you like cooking though, don't you?
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Yeah, I love cooking and I love learning from mum, because we're
0:05:43 > 0:05:47lucky, everyone can cook but you can tell...
0:05:47 > 0:05:50You know your mum's cooking and, yeah, she's fantastic, so...
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Best person to learn from.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55You should be careful because sometimes they pop.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58They do, they ping all over the place. I know.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03- Whoops! - Just like that. Just like that.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07The almonds will be fried and with prunes, softened in cinnamon
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and sugar, with a bit of juice from the pot,
0:06:10 > 0:06:15will go into the tagine to make the centrepiece of Zoubida's meal.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16So what's this for?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19It's for couscous. So did you like a couscous?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21I love couscous.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Mum's going to show you how to make the actual grains.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25You mean from scratch?
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Yeah, from scratch, yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- I've always bought it. - Have you?
0:06:30 > 0:06:33I have. I've always bought my couscous ready rolled.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38So coarse semolina, with a bit of fine. Cold water.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- Is that ready now? - It's nearly ready, that one.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Because I'd love to have a go.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46How wrong can this go?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48If you put too much water in, it could go...
0:06:48 > 0:06:50If I put too much water in? OK.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- That's all right. - Now you've got to use your hands.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56- That's it that's plenty of water, I think.- Is that plenty?- Yeah.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Fast movements.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00And just literally like this.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02I like the way it comes together into lumps
0:07:02 > 0:07:04and I love the smell, as well.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06But to do this every day for a family?
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- It's hard work. - It's quite hard work, isn't it?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11We used to, we used to when we came in to England
0:07:11 > 0:07:14because we don't find any couscous here.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16- So the semolina was here... - Yeah, we find semolina.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19..and that was easy to find because we had semolina pudding.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- Yeah, we're used to doing it. - Zoubida, I've got lumps.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Yeah that's all right. That's fine. That's what those are for!
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Oh, we haven't finished then? - Haven't done it yet.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35All the big grains collect on that side,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38so what she does is put some flour on and rubs it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- Amazing.- So it's near enough all the same size.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- Yes, all the same. - Feel it, what they look like.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48I love the fact that it's so even.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50You've got rid of all my lumps.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Zoubida keeps her couscous fluffy, by steaming three times,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57something she does to the packaged stuff too.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Couscous, you are supposed to steam it three times.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So, should I have been doing that with the couscous that I...?
0:08:02 > 0:08:05You've just changed my life. You do realise that, don't you?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- You learn now.- Before this wonderful meal can be shared,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11the tagine needs a few of the now-plump prunes...
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Oooh, look at that.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18..and a scattering of almonds.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20That's so pretty, Zoubida.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25What I'm loving is the smell of the nuts as much as anything.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28In the background, there's those lovely sweet spices
0:08:28 > 0:08:29and the cinnamon.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36It's the combination of spectacular tagine and the array of other
0:08:36 > 0:08:40dishes like newly baked flatbread, the freshest couscous I've ever
0:08:40 > 0:08:46seen, spicy carrot and a crisp salad that draws everyone to the table.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Look at this sauce.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55That is gorgeous!
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Zoubida's food is about more than just eating.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01It's about being together.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05It's food that you dip into, the table comes alive
0:09:05 > 0:09:09and it's this moment and it's this food and it's fabulous.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17A Moroccan tagine isn't the only dish to spark a sense of occasion.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23For me, the meal that everything stops for as you get round
0:09:23 > 0:09:27the table with the people you love is the good old Sunday roast.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Like Zoubida's dish, what makes this special, is the glorious
0:09:35 > 0:09:39centre piece surrounded by trimmings everyone loves diving into.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I've got a piece of pork here.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47It's the roast meat I love above all others.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50I'm going to rub some salt into the skin.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54I want a crackling top to my pork roast
0:09:54 > 0:09:58and the only real way to get that, is buy a good piece of pork
0:09:58 > 0:10:01and to make sure that the skin's dry before it goes in the oven.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Wet pork won't crisp.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Now, a roast isn't a roast without a really meaty gravy.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12What I've got here are some pork ribs.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17They're not expensive and there is so much flavour there.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Brown the ribs on all sides.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Then in go some roughly chopped carrots and onions.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30Caramelise the edges and then you need liquid, I like chicken stock.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And those bones, with all their meat and all their flavour,
0:10:33 > 0:10:34will enrich that chicken stock
0:10:34 > 0:10:38and you'll end up with the most fabulous liquor, you could imagine.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Add a few bay leaves and some whole black peppercorns,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44then let it simmer.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47And, yes, Sunday lunch is about that big joint of meat,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50sharing it with all friends and family.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53For me, it's about the bits on the side.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And the one I always reach for is bread sauce.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00It's traditionally made with milk warmed with an onion studded
0:11:00 > 0:11:02with cloves and bay leaves.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05But this is bread sauce with a difference.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08A couple more cloves. This time into an apple.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Add a cinnamon stick and when it's nice and hot,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16in go plenty of breadcrumbs.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19The longer these flavours are together,
0:11:19 > 0:11:20the tastier the sauce will be.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Now, the meat that's on those ribs, I'm going to put that to good use.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33So I'm just going to slice the meat off these bones,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36and finely chopped, return it to the gravy.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42To finish off the bread sauce, grate in some fresh apple,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44then add a knob of butter.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48That smells like a cross between mulled cider
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and the best bread sauce in the world.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Just look at this.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58All that crackling, all that luscious meat underneath.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59That little bit of wobbly fat.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06This is the meal we share with our friends, with our family,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10this is the one that gets everyone round the table.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14It's what we're known for, it's what we do so well.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15The great British roast.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22From Sunday roast to lamb tagine, these dishes aren't
0:12:22 > 0:12:27just about the atmospheres they create, they're about heritage.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31They've made their mark on us, and the same is true the world over.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Lovely.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36I love all your things, everything smells so good.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39I've invited Bobby to show me an Indonesian speciality
0:12:39 > 0:12:44and the secret, it seems, is all about the pairing of ingredients.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Jahe, serai. One pair.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50One pair. Ah, proper big spring onions.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Spring onions, that's always paired with parsley.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Spring onion and parsley, OK. A bit like salt and pepper.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59Yeah, that's one pairing.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This is really interesting because I had no idea about this at all.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05It makes total sense, the pairing of ingredients,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09but I never realised the extent to which that is in Indonesian food.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14In Indonesia, food is symbolic of the good health
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and prosperity you wish for your guests.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20This whole fish is prepared with a delicate
0:13:20 > 0:13:22balance of 18 different spices.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27So we're talking about the right amount of spice for the right fish,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30but, I mean, how much is the right amount?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Right, that's what I learned from my mum.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35We never used teaspoon, we never used tablespoon,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38we just used pinch, just use your heart.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Pinch this, pinch that.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44It depends on you, depends on me when I'm cooking.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47And who you're cooking for, who you're sharing your meal with.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- Of course.- I love spice pastes. So are you going to start with that?
0:13:50 > 0:13:51Yep, I will start.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56We're toasting all sorts, from white pepper and nutmeg,
0:13:56 > 0:14:02to cumin and coriander seeds, ground to a paste with shallots,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05fresh turmeric and tamarind.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08So this is your big sharing dish that we're making?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Yes, usually we have a big fish, like a really big tuna or something.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17So you can share for three, four, five or sometimes seven.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21When I came to UK, for the first time ten years ago,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25I thought, oh, it might be quite difficult to get friends come round
0:14:25 > 0:14:28or something like that, but, no.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33Not with that spice paste. It smells so good.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- Absolutely beautiful. - I think that's done for the paste.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Bobby grew up on the island of Java where his family still live,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47but a decade ago, after 11 years with his partner,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49he moved permanently to Leicester.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Exquisite dishes like this have become firm favourites
0:14:55 > 0:14:56with his new friends.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02The fish is lavished with lime juice and the spicy paste and then
0:15:02 > 0:15:06stuffed with the time honoured pairing of spring onion and parsley.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- This is a very fragrant cuisine, isn't it?- I know.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Incredible. I'm getting all these sort of...
0:15:12 > 0:15:15It's like therapy, all this waft of wonderful, wonderful
0:15:15 > 0:15:17scents and smells and spices.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19Let's wrap it up.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23A banana leaf locks in delicate flavours,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28while the fish steams in its own juices, and, like my Sunday roast,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32this beautiful centre piece wants something special on the side.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35So, did you first start cooking, in Indonesia or only here?
0:15:35 > 0:15:37In Indonesia, of course.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42Mum cooks but when I moved to UK, that's all I really, really,
0:15:42 > 0:15:48desperate, if you can't cook, you end up, like, starving.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51I mean, did you cook to remind you?
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Yeah. That's what I'm always thinking about.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Mmm, it's like what we remember when we live in Indonesia.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- I forget that Indonesia is made up of so many islands.- Yes.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- I mean I know obviously know Java, Sumatra, Bali...- Borneo.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09..and Borneo.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14And the biggest Borneo part is in Indonesia. And Commodore Islands.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- Yeah, Timor.- Timor.- Papua.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- But each island will have influences from other countries.- Yes.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24- It's a very exciting cuisine.- Yes.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30We're making a vibrant vegetable dish, for which we'll need
0:16:30 > 0:16:32another fragrant paste.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- A pinch of salt.- Because the salt actually stops these
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- things shooting about, doesn't it? - Yeah.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- We knew I'd do that. - Let me finish it off.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- Thank you. He was a bit slippery. - I know.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Oh, well!
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Shallots and turmeric join ginger and lemon grass, before we add
0:16:56 > 0:17:00rice wine vinegar, coconut milk and a pinch of sugar.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- So about that much?- More I think, Nigel. Don't be so stingy.
0:17:06 > 0:17:12Finally, the veg need just a few minutes to soften.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16What utterly dazzling food! How beautiful is that!
0:17:17 > 0:17:21And that last little seasoning of rice wine vinegar there.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Hello sweetheart! You look fantastic. I love you.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Bobbie's sea bass is stunning, and I can see it means a lot to him
0:17:34 > 0:17:36to share it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39When I serve fish like this to all my friends with it all still
0:17:39 > 0:17:43steaming, with all the spice, it's fantastic.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44I'm so happy with that.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49This delicious recipe has travelled 6,000 miles
0:17:49 > 0:17:52to Bobbie's new home in Leicester.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Thankfully, for my next feast I don't have to travel very far.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03This is Ridley Road market in East London,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07where you can find produce from all corners of the Earth
0:18:07 > 0:18:11and I've come to meet Zoe, who's been shopping here for ten years.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- Cheers.- Hello.- Hi there! - Nice stuff!
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I know. It's got all the stuff here.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20So you are going to show me what delights are on my doorstep,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- aren't you?- Yes, I am. - Do you know, I'm seven minutes away.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- Honestly, it took me seven minutes to get here.- Really?
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Talk about my doorstep. I genuinely... It's crazy!
0:18:28 > 0:18:30- Have you not been to Ridley Road before?- Not shopping.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33OK, well, let's go. Let's check it out.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Zoe was born and raised in South East London,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44but her father is from Ghana.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46She uses this market to get hold of some of the ingredients
0:18:46 > 0:18:50he cooked when she was small.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53When I was younger, my dad used to come home
0:18:53 > 0:18:55with these interesting ingredients.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56So he did some of the cooking?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59He did some cooking and yeah, I had this real interest in the food.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00It was so strange and unusual.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04As I've got older, I've realised that the food which I've
0:19:04 > 0:19:07carried on cooking has been a very strong connection to
0:19:07 > 0:19:12a culture that I wasn't very much exposed to growing up.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Zoe's curiosity about her roots has turned into a passion.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19She loves hosting get togethers over dishes that have
0:19:19 > 0:19:21made their mark in Ghana.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26I mean, the main thing I get here is particular spices and peppers.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28They have lots of different bits and bobs here.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32So this is Waakye leaves, this is ground fish powder,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35this is gari, which is a type of ground cassava.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38These little things are called guinea peppers.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- Is that a hot pepper? - It's got a little bit of heat.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- It's got kind of a nutmeg-y vibe. - Ooh!
0:19:43 > 0:19:46I do want to get some whole crayfish as well.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Zoe's showing me her version of one of West Africa's national
0:19:52 > 0:19:56dishes - Jolof with spicy plantain, or Kelewele,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and a hot shito sauce, which starts with those little guinea peppers.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05So, the thing to do, is hold it with some weight.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Have you ever used one of those before, that, kind of...?
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- I'm sure- you have? Do you know? I haven't. So like that?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Yeah, and then gently work it round and around.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18That's it, just open them up.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19These are tough little chappies.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I know. Sorry, I did give you a hard job.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- Oh, an amazing smell, though. - It's great, isn't it?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28It is wonderful.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33Like Bobby's food, this is all about unique blends of spices.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38Starting with guinea pepper, ginger, thyme and a dollop of tomato puree.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43Add a teaspoon of salt. And we've got...
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- I'm sorry! - 120g of chilli powder.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- 120?- I mean, we're not messing around.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53- This is going to be a hot...- 120g of chilli powder!
0:20:53 > 0:20:54Oh, beautiful, look at that.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56The colour's great.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00So we've got some ground crayfish, a whole pack, please
0:21:00 > 0:21:02and then some ground prawns.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06So these are the little whole little chaps? Oh, look at them.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08They're just so cute!
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Yeah, well, they're tasty as hell I know that much.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15This shito takes around 40 minutes
0:21:15 > 0:21:18and will make a great accompaniment for the Jolof,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22which kicks off by simmering chicken drumsticks in a spicy broth.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26It's thyme, ginger, garlic, onion, guinea peppers,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29scotch bonnets, some salt. I'm just going to add a little
0:21:29 > 0:21:33bit of crayfish now and that's part of the flavour people expect.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36The chicken will go into the oven to crisp and the remaining broth
0:21:36 > 0:21:40and its characteristic flavours, will go into a sauce for the rice
0:21:40 > 0:21:42to cook in. Brilliant.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44And then we can make our tomato sauce.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48This is what transforms plain white rice to the bright red spicy Jolof,
0:21:48 > 0:21:53popular throughout West Africa and for Zoe,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56it's a reminder of where her love of Ghanaian food began.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I think I was about ten or 11 and I was like,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01"Dad, how do you know when that's cooked?"
0:22:01 > 0:22:04And then he looked at me, he looked at the pot and then
0:22:04 > 0:22:06he looked at the splash back and he said,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09"When it's splashing up there, it's done."
0:22:09 > 0:22:13So it was like, OK, and to be honest, for a long time,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15it's how I knew the sauce was ready,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17was when it was sploshing up on the wall.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Onion, chilli, tomato and tomato puree are whizzed up
0:22:21 > 0:22:26and added to a pan of more onion, with chilli and curry powder.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Then, some of that distinctive chicken broth and after
0:22:30 > 0:22:3420 minutes of simmering, add plain, uncooked white rice.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- So you stir that in?- Yes, really thoroughly stir that in
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and make sure it's coated as much as you can.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45- What an awesomely flavoursome way of cooking rice!- Yeah.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Look at that colour. Fantastic.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53For many years, Zoe was happy cooking from her father's recipes
0:22:53 > 0:22:57but in 2013, she travelled to Ghana to find out more about
0:22:57 > 0:22:58her extended family.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The big thing for me is I really wanted to find out
0:23:01 > 0:23:02from my grandmother, her recipes.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05What I realised from that experience, was that it was a really
0:23:05 > 0:23:07great way for us to connect,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10because coming from such vastly different cultures, we didn't
0:23:10 > 0:23:14have, actually, very much in common apart from we both liked cooking.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16So, that was just amazing.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20The idea of, actually, for the first time, meeting quite close members
0:23:20 > 0:23:23of your family through cooking for them, is actually quite lovely.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Cooking with them.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Yeah, they put me under quite a bit of pressure, actually, to
0:23:27 > 0:23:31make them the regional dish and like the household favourite
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and everyone was like, um, is she going to do it?
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Is she going to pull it off?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Quite funnily, my grandma would often say,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40"It's not as good as mine."
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Whether it's in West Africa or Zoe's kitchen, Jolof is a dish
0:23:48 > 0:23:50that's made its mark.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53It's an important part of Zoe's Ghanaian identity
0:23:53 > 0:23:59and it's introduced me to something new and rather wonderful.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Come on in!
0:24:01 > 0:24:03I don't know what I've been doing for all these years
0:24:03 > 0:24:05and have never eaten Ghanaian cooking.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08It's so exciting, it's just absolutely brilliant.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13So from these delicious dishes of West Africa, Bobby's
0:24:13 > 0:24:17beautiful Indonesian fish and Zoubida's Moroccan lamb tagine.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It just begs to be offered round a table with everybody
0:24:20 > 0:24:23getting their hands in and eating it all together.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28And the extraordinary feasts I've had this week have given me an idea.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33My centrepiece is spiced duck paired with sweet shallots and prunes.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38One of the reasons I'm using duck, is because I'm using those
0:24:38 > 0:24:41sweet fruits and the flesh of the duck is very rich
0:24:41 > 0:24:44and will work with prunes and plums very well.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I'm going to start with some shallots.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52And then into the oven, about half an hour at 200.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01Now, the recurring theme in all my cooks' kitchens this week,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03was that of spices.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07And I want to make a spicy relish to accompany that roast duck.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13So, into a pan of gently heated onions,
0:25:13 > 0:25:19I'm grating some peeled ginger, dropping in just a few cloves.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20And then a star anise.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24One of the best bits for me this week, was when Zoubida used
0:25:24 > 0:25:26prunes in her tagine.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29They just add a lovely sweet, fruity warmth.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Finally a large spoonful of redcurrant jelly
0:25:34 > 0:25:36and I'll leave that to gently simmer.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Now in the spirit of dishes to remember,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42I want something to encourage everyone to get their hands in
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and dip in to whatever they like.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I think I'm going to make some bread. Very simple bread.
0:25:48 > 0:25:54Start with about 250g plain flour. I'm using instant dried yeast.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Some salt. Now, to that, I'm going to add some tepid water.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02It wants to be a firm dough but soft enough to roll.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06A little bit of a pummelling and then I'm going to put
0:26:06 > 0:26:10it in a bowl, cover it with a cloth, leave it for about 15-20 minutes.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16So, the duck's had a good half hour.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17Time to pop the plums in.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Duck and plum sauce is a classic combination,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24but I'm using whole plums.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27I can take out the stones once the fruit's gone soft,
0:26:27 > 0:26:28so, back in the oven.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I want to give my flatbread a kick.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39What I'm actually doing is making a spiced butter
0:26:39 > 0:26:43and I'm going to put that between the layers of dough.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50So I've got some good hot chillies, a clove of garlic to crush, some
0:26:50 > 0:26:54flat leaf parsley and that goes in to some butter with a pinch of salt.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00And I'm going to spread that on to the flatbread before I bake it.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06By carefully pairing flavours as Bobby does, like chilli
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and garlic in the bread and sweet plums with the duck,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14I'm ensuring everything works together.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19Lightly fry for a few minutes on either side and they're ready.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Just look at that. Crisp skin duck.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34This duck meat is really juicy.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It's very rich, I'm going to tear it into shreds.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41My fruity shredded duck
0:27:41 > 0:27:45and spicy flatbreads has been influenced by cooks from
0:27:45 > 0:27:52across the country, who draw their inspiration from around the world.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54This is so, so luscious.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56I just can't wait for them to taste that.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Tasting my idea, inspired by theirs.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06This dish belongs at the centre of a table laden with goodies,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10as a thank you for the ideas, stories and food,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13my friends have shared with me.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Thank you all very, very much for coming
0:28:16 > 0:28:20and allowing me into your kitchens. Thank you very, very much indeed.