0:00:03 > 0:00:07We've packed our passports and bought our phrase books...
0:00:07 > 0:00:09HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:00:09 > 0:00:14..because we're off on our biggest, craziest adventure yet.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Delicious.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Delicious. Meow, meow, bn-eeep!
0:00:20 > 0:00:23TARZAN-LIKE CRY
0:00:23 > 0:00:26We're travelling further than we've ever done before
0:00:26 > 0:00:31to uncover the authentic roots of Britain's favourite takeaway foods...
0:00:31 > 0:00:36I've always wanted to know how to make proper sweet-and-sour sauce.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38..going off the beaten track
0:00:38 > 0:00:41and being welcomed into some of Asia's hidden worlds.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44How marvellous is this!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48From the high-rises and hot woks of Hong Kong...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51The heat on this is really, really intense but listen,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54it's like a jet engine.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55I love it!
0:00:55 > 0:00:58To the sweltering tropics of Thailand...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59We love a tuk-tuk!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03..where they say it's impossible to eat badly.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Thai food's arrived in Britain but, by crikey,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08it's only the tip of the iceberg.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12And we fulfil a lifelong ambition to explore Japan.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17- That is perfect.- Wow! Look at that. - I've just had a sushi-gasm!
0:01:17 > 0:01:23We finish up in South Korea where the spicy cuisine is sensational.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28This will go down a bomb down the local.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31So leather-up and take to the road
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- for one extremely hairy - Asian adventure!
0:01:57 > 0:01:59We've got a trip of a lifetime ahead of us.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Two weeks travelling all over Japan to unlock
0:02:03 > 0:02:06the secrets of Japanese food and there's only one place to start.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13I can't believe it, mate. We're here in Tokyo.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Oh, we've been dying to come here for years. Land of the Rising Sun.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22- Sashimi, Sushi, noodles and neon. - What are we waiting for?- Sugoi!
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Tokyo is the world's largest metropolis.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34And it's the gastronomic capital of the world.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It is home to over 13 million people
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and has more Michelin stars than Paris.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47- Do you know what, Si?- What?- I think we're going to love this place.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Japanese is Dave and I's all-time favourite food.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54And it seems we're not alone.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Sushi now outsells some of our most popular
0:02:58 > 0:03:01sandwiches in supermarkets across the UK,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05making Japanese one of our best-loved lunchtime takeaways.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Now, since our diet, we've both been watching what we eat.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The Japanese have the lowest obesity rates in the world and
0:03:13 > 0:03:16we want to find out how they do it.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19We want to discover the secrets of sushi.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22We want to get under the skin of the national obsession with the noodle.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24We want to find out what people are eating in restaurants.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- And in their homes.- Oh, enough blathering, Kingy. I'm starving.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Let's eat.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Armed with a good Japanese phrase book and a voracious appetite...
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- A potent combination, there's no time to waste, David.- Yowzah.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Now I reckon today's the day to hunt out more traditional Japanese food.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Tradition here equals seafood which equals sushi,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- which equals...- Tokyo fish market.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50It is the engine room that drives Japanese food.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It's the biggest, best fish market in the world.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56We've dreamt of visiting the Tsukiji fish market for 20 years
0:03:56 > 0:03:59but it means an early start.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- 4.30 in the morning. Is it worth it?- Yes! It is.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07This is the lodestone for sushi lovers.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14The Tsukiji fish market in central Tokyo is a living, breathing
0:04:14 > 0:04:19example of just how important fish is to Japanese cuisine.
0:04:19 > 0:04:242,000 tonnes of seafood arrive here every day by ship,
0:04:24 > 0:04:30truck and plane from all six continents of the world.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33There is every variety of fish you could possibly think about.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37You can buy anything, from penny-apiece sardines,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- to £500 a pound sea slug caviar. - Oh, wow! Look at this.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Look at the size of those tuna.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45We're here to taste the freshest sushi known to man
0:04:45 > 0:04:48at a traditional sushi bar near the market.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51We're meeting local sushi fiend Marina.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- Marina.- Hi.- How are you?
0:04:55 > 0:04:57- I'm Si.- Hi. Marina. Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you, Marina.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- Sorry, watch out. Hey, it's quick here, isn't it?- Yes.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05I'm so looking forward to this. I mean, we're both sushi hounds.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07We love sushi. We love Japanese food.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09She's going to give us
0:05:09 > 0:05:13an insight into how sushi here differs from sushi back home.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Now before we start, you can take your little plate here. Yeah.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21And you've got the soy sauce in there so you can put a little bit.
0:05:21 > 0:05:27- Just soy?- Yes. Don't make it a bath. - Don't make it a bath! Say when?
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- That's it. Yeah.- Oh! Is that it?- Yeah. The good...
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The proper Japanese only put a little bit of soy sauce
0:05:34 > 0:05:35on the plate.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Now do we put our wasabi in that and squidge it around?
0:05:38 > 0:05:40It's going to be wasabi in each sushi,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42so you don't need to add it yourself.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46These bars specialise in just two types of sushi - nigiri,
0:05:46 > 0:05:51which is rice with fish on top and maki, little rolls with fish inside.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56But there are over 20 different varieties of seafood.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Sushi in Britain tends to revolve around salmon and tuna
0:06:00 > 0:06:03but here, there's mackerel, sea urchin and fish roe.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05We're starting with cuttlefish
0:06:05 > 0:06:09and the sushi equivalent of a sirloin steak, fatty tuna belly.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13THEY SPEAK JAPANESE
0:06:13 > 0:06:17So when you put it in your mouth, put it sideways.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- Ginger on top?- Mmm!
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Sideways. Shall we?
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Mixed with the rice and the fish, goes around the mouth a bit better.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- Lovely.- Wasn't it?- Mmm! I've just had a sushi-gasm!
0:06:34 > 0:06:38In Japan, people use their fingers instead of chopsticks to eat sushi
0:06:38 > 0:06:43and the ginger is just a palette-cleanser.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45It's interesting looking at the nigiri here.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48It's a big piece of fish and a small piece of rice.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52At home, it's teensy-tiny piece of fish and loads of rice.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56How often during the day do the Japanese people eat sushi?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Not so often. Once a week, once a month,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01if you have a family gathering.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So is sushi still seen as being celebratory or expensive
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- to the Japanese?- Mm. It is, it is.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11- Now, back in the days, it was a snack, it was a street snack.- Yeah.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15So it's very different but nowadays, yes, it became a specialty food.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26It may take years to become a sushi master, Kingy,
0:07:26 > 0:07:31but I know a delicious recipe that we can all master in minutes.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We're in the middle of Tokyo in Kiyosumi gardens.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38The buildings of Tokyo are encroaching on it,
0:07:38 > 0:07:40but here there are is an aura of peace.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42What we are going to do here is show you ways of making
0:07:42 > 0:07:46great sushi that bridges that gap between East and West
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and gives you something lovely to make for your tea.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53I am going to do you a kaisen don which fundamentally is a bowl of rice
0:07:53 > 0:07:55with a load of sashimi on the top.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57I am going to be making a California roll,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59which is nothing to do with Japan,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02it's got more to do with what you get in the supermarket,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05but when it's made properly it's really delicious.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07It all starts with rice, doesn't it?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Everything. Everything starts with rice.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12This is Japanese sushi rice - you can get it in all the supermarkets.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Now, obviously, we are in a wooden teahouse of extreme beauty
0:08:15 > 0:08:18in the middle of Tokyo, and it's took a lot of trouble to get here.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22We can't light a fire or boil stuff, so we've had to make the rice first.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Put half a sheet of nori seaweed
0:08:25 > 0:08:28on a bamboo rolling mat covered in clingfilm.
0:08:28 > 0:08:35Take the rice and cover that entire sheet of seaweed with the rice.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42Then, for colour, taste and texture, add black and white sesame seeds.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Remember, this is the OUTSIDE of the California roll.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51So now you pick this up carefully - the rice will stick to it -
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and turn it over and press it down.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Now the filling... which to the Japanese people,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58it all goes a bit off-piste!
0:08:58 > 0:09:00So, we take some crab sticks.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06As its name suggests, the California roll doesn't come from Japan.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09The man who invented the California roll,
0:09:09 > 0:09:10was a gentleman called
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Ichiro Mashita at the Tokyo Kaikan hotel
0:09:13 > 0:09:16in Los Angeles, and he found, in the 1970s,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20that many Americans couldn't face eating fatty tuna - the fools -
0:09:20 > 0:09:23so he found the texture of avocado was similar
0:09:23 > 0:09:27so he got away with avocado. And it was cheaper.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Also, the reason for the inside-out roll -
0:09:29 > 0:09:31the Americans didn't like the seaweed on the outside.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33"Ew, seaweed! We can't do that!"
0:09:33 > 0:09:36So he puts the seaweed on the inside - an inside-out roll -
0:09:36 > 0:09:39so he hid it in the middle.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Now, some mayonnaise.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43It's wrong, but it's right.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Some more of those lovely sesame seeds down the middle.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49One item that is authentic,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52is this grated Japanese horseradish, or wasabi.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Now you take your mat, roll it up...
0:09:59 > 0:10:02..and then just deftly, with confidence, turn it over.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Squidge squidge...
0:10:07 > 0:10:08Roll...
0:10:12 > 0:10:14And there we have...
0:10:16 > 0:10:18..perfect California roll.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22So, that's the sushi done.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Now, I'm starting on the sashimi,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27which is essentially thinly sliced raw fish.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31I'm using sea bream, tuna and salmon.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Make sure you check with your fishmonger
0:10:33 > 0:10:35that the fish is sushi grade,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39which means it's been pre-frozen, so it's safe to eat raw.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41One cut.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43You don't stop, it's one.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Look at that. How beautiful is that?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54If you don't mind, Si, I'll pinch a few slivers so I can transform
0:10:54 > 0:10:57my Californian roll into a rainbow roll!
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Lay pieces of fish and avocado at an angle,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06along your California roll to create a rainbow effect
0:11:06 > 0:11:11wrap it in clingfilm and give it a good squeeze so it sticks together.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16If you cut straight through the clingfilm, it keeps the fish on top.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Remember to take the clingfilm off, however!
0:11:18 > 0:11:21There you are, mate. Your rainbow roll.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23It's proper East meets West fusion.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Every piece of sushi has kind of got a different vibe to it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Now, I need to assemble my sashimi masterpiece.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34On the cooked rice I am adding Japanese shiso leaves,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36but any salad leaves will do.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Lay the raw fish on top with some tuna tartare for texture,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and drizzle with a dressing made from
0:11:43 > 0:11:47citrus seasoning called yuzu, sashimi pepper and soy sauce.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51- That looks absolutely lovely! - Yeah.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Finish off with black seaweed, salmon roe and wasabi,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59which can be found in any good Oriental supermarket.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I love that, and I think we've created
0:12:04 > 0:12:07a true culinary souvenir that we can take home.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15ENGINES START UP
0:12:15 > 0:12:17ENGINES REV
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I'm beginning to realise just how healthy
0:12:31 > 0:12:33the traditional Japanese diet really is -
0:12:33 > 0:12:37rice, fish and pickled vegetables are the cornerstones of their cuisine.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40It's ridiculously low in fat!
0:12:40 > 0:12:45Do you know, Kingy, the average Japanese man only weighs 9.5 stone,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47but there's one group of gentlemen,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49who weigh at least three times that!
0:12:51 > 0:12:52You know who they are?
0:12:52 > 0:12:54TOGETHER: Sumo!
0:12:54 > 0:12:57We're heading across town to the Ryogoku district
0:12:57 > 0:13:02which has been the centre of the sumo world for over 200 years.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Sumo is as old as Japan itself.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08It's the national sport,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and has millions of fans.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Being allowed in the ring, is a true honour.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20- Konnichiwa.- Konnichiwa.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23A bout of sumo rarely lasts for more than a minute.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27The rules are simple -
0:13:27 > 0:13:29the wrestler who first exits the ring
0:13:29 > 0:13:32or touches the ground with any part of his body
0:13:32 > 0:13:34besides the soles of his feet, loses.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Do you know, I've seen sumo on the telly.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44It's... It's... It's big, isn't it?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48(Don't say that.)
0:13:50 > 0:13:52The daily routine here is very strict.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56They train from dawn on an empty stomach...
0:13:59 > 0:14:02..and don't sit down for breakfast until 11.30.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05The more junior wrestlers are in charge of cooking breakfast.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10Today that means us and wrestler Ray.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Is there anything we can do to help?
0:14:12 > 0:14:15We might not be good at wrestling, but we're good at cooking.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17OK, maybe you can cut some chicken.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18Yes, certainly.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Yeah, no problem.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It doesn't matter what size sumo you are,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25if you are 250kg or 120kg,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- you will both fight together.- Yes.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33- Isn't that a bit unfair?- Oh, that's why everybody try to get big.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37You eat and drink hard, because there's no weight limit.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- There is no weight limit? - No weight limit.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43In order to pile on the pounds,
0:14:43 > 0:14:48sumo wrestlers all have to eat the same 10,000 calorie breakfast each day.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52The centrepiece is a traditional hot pot called chankonabe,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56but this is the super-sized version.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- So, is that the chanko pot? - Yes, this is.- OK.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- So, would you like to try put it in? - Yeah. All of it in?
0:15:04 > 0:15:07The hot pot is packed with meat and tofu for protein
0:15:07 > 0:15:09and fistfuls of traditional veg.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11It all looks pretty healthy,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14but the wrestlers put on weight by eating huge quantities of it,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18along with copious portions of rice and a fry-up on the side!
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Now, after breakfast, the lads take a nap in their dorm,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25before another round of fighting and a 10,000 calorie tea.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Now it is time for us to show the boys what we're made of.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33We'll start with a practice called shiko.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Now, if you want to join in at home, do feel free, you know.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Now I will show you a small partner.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Haha. I think it might be your go first, Kingy!
0:16:05 > 0:16:07THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:16:08 > 0:16:11It's like hitting a wall.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16This is a clear demonstration of why being bigger is sometimes better.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22PUSH! PUSH!
0:16:30 > 0:16:32It's like pushing against a tree.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34And the tree is pushing back.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Thank you so much, Ray, for showing us this side of a sport
0:16:39 > 0:16:43that we didn't understand and appreciate and now we do.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46The food, the camaraderie, the people, the sumo - it's fantastic.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50It's been an enormous privilege. Thank you.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Do you know, I love it here. I could live here.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01It's just so delightful - motorcycles, raw fish and pickles.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Enough dreaming, we've got work to do.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Time to get to grips with one of the ingredients
0:17:09 > 0:17:11that defines Japanese cuisine.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13We are heading for the quiet backstreets
0:17:13 > 0:17:15of Tokyo's Chiyoda district
0:17:15 > 0:17:18where we'll be joining a group of local ladies
0:17:18 > 0:17:22who are taking a masterclass in how to make miso, run by teacher Maki.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Miso is a paste made from fermented soya beans,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and it's used in everything from soups and stews to sweets.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Making your own miso is enjoying a big comeback
0:17:34 > 0:17:36and in vogue again with career women in Tokyo,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40in the same way that baking has become so popular in Britain recently.
0:17:42 > 0:17:48OK, from now, we will make rice miso together.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50CHEERS
0:17:50 > 0:17:51Come on, Maki!
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Miso comes in different varieties,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56but we're making classical rice miso.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59It is made from an enzyme-rich rice called koji,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01salt and boiled soya beans.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06- Oh, they're warm! - Yes, boiled.- Oh, yeah.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09So, that's the three basic ingredients. It's all we need.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10Yes.
0:18:10 > 0:18:16So, please mash the soya beans by your hand on the plastic bag.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18You need your weight.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Miso soup is an integral part of the Japanese diet,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25A miso soup a day, keeps the doctor away, they say.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28OK, so once the beans are smooth,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31make a ring of paste on the table.
0:18:32 > 0:18:39- It's OK. Now, yes. OK, next step, mix the salt and koji.- Together?
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Together, yes. Like this. Yes, yes, like this.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Koji is a bit like yeast.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48As it ferments, it breaks the beans down, turning them into miso.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52The beans and the koji get kneaded together and shaped into balls.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- OK. Oh, good balls.- Thanks.- Thanks!
0:18:56 > 0:18:58THEY LAUGH
0:18:58 > 0:19:05- And then please throw the balls into the pot.- Throw?- Throw?- Throw!- Whee!
0:19:05 > 0:19:11- Wow!- Ho! Sorry.- So, you need to remove the air completely.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15- That's gone.- Well, he's removed the air, all right! He's welded the ball!
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Hey!
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The miso is sprayed with alcohol so it doesn't go mouldy,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and left to ferment for up to a year.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Do you know, we'd love to use some of your miso
0:19:28 > 0:19:30and cook a dish for the ladies.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34If we cook for you, would you come and join us and have a taste?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37- See what you think?- Yes.- Brilliant. - Now, this is a challenge!- Yes!
0:19:37 > 0:19:38THEY LAUGH
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- We've done it again, haven't we?! - We have!
0:19:40 > 0:19:43We could have made it easy and just ate it ourselves.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- But now we have ladies who know... - About miso.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50- And, clearly, very good food. - Yes.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Now, we're cooking something very Japanese,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55in a bid to win over the ladies.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Black cod marinated in white miso,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00served with oriental green vegetables.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Anyway, this is black cod.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07It's a cold water fish from the Northern Pacific.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08Black cod isn't really cod.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12It's sablefish, and it's especially rich in omega 3 oils,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16which helps prevent heart disease. It's a bit pricy, mind.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21But miso has such a strong flavour, it will enhance any white fish.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It'll make cheaper fish like pollock
0:20:23 > 0:20:27and other such things which aren't quite so tasty, really delicious.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30The first process is to marinade this lovely, lovely fish in all
0:20:30 > 0:20:34manner of wonderful ingredients from the Orient.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37We've kind of used lots of nice Japanese bits that you can
0:20:37 > 0:20:39get in supermarkets at home.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Or you can get something that's roughly equivalent.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44To make the marinade, mix the miso up with some Sake,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48some freshly-grated ginger, and some sugar.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52We want this fish to be sweet and tasty.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54And possibly the best fish you've ever tasted.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Then finish off with a splash of Japanese rice wine vinegar.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02- Right, mate, that's it.- That's it.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Just put your little pinkie in there, just for a minute. Oh, this...
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Keep the skin on, because we want the fish to hold together.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16While the fish marinates, there's time to make the sesame dressing.
0:21:16 > 0:21:22Now, there's a key about toasting sesame seeds. You see this here?
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Look. I just want to show you a top tip when you're toasting.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29What happens is, you'll see a sheen on the top of the sesame seed.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31And that means that the oil's coming out
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and that's starting to toast, nice and gently.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- It's gone a sheen on it like a sumo's buttock!- Hasn't it? Look.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39At that point, what you have to do is make sure that you keep
0:21:39 > 0:21:42a close eye on it, because they go like that.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45The seeds aren't just a sprinkling over the top of the veg.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50They're going to juj up a dressing that should be like Japan in a bowl!
0:21:52 > 0:21:56We're starting with Dashi, which is a Japanese fish stock,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59citrus juice, and a sprinkling of sugar and pepper.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Grind the seeds, not too finely.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09You want a bit of a rough paste, you know, not "paste" paste. See?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11You want a bit of a texture on your greens, don't you?
0:22:11 > 0:22:12You do, mate, you do that.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Just stir them into the dressing, and we're ready to cook.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18A splash of vegetable oil.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I want quite a lot of heat in this, so no olive oil.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Nothing that's going to flavour it or burn.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28Now, take your fish, skin side down. And sizzle it off.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32And we cook it until we've got a little crust on it.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Oh, the smell of it is epic!
0:22:36 > 0:22:37I think I'm there now, Si.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40It's beginning to colour through just a little bit at the bottom.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43And the marinade is just kind of starting to caramelise.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45So I'm going to cover this.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Turn the heat down, so it just steams for about four minutes
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and cooks through in its own "vapeur".
0:22:52 > 0:22:54While the fish cooks, steam the greens.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59We're using choi sum, but you can use pak choi or even spinach.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04OK, Kingy, skates on! Finish the fish with a sizzle.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09It's there, Kingy. Good grief! This is like Miso MasterChef!
0:23:09 > 0:23:10Time to plate up!
0:23:11 > 0:23:15- Wow!- Oh, I hope it's as good as it looks!- Wow!
0:23:15 > 0:23:17You don't have to be nice, but it would help!
0:23:17 > 0:23:18THEY LAUGH
0:23:22 > 0:23:30- Mmmm!- Is it good?- Fantastic!- Oh, yes!- Get in! Get in!- Excellent.- Mmmm!
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- Tasty!- Good?- Mmm!
0:23:34 > 0:23:39- What do you think? - Tastes very Japanese!- Yes!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41THEY CHEER
0:23:41 > 0:23:45What can we say?! Yes! Oh, what a compliment indeed! Thank you.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50- We're doing our best to learn. - Yes, we are. We are.- Thank you.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:23:56 > 0:23:59And as the sun sets on our miso triumph,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02like the rest of Tokyo, we've got that Friday feeling!
0:24:03 > 0:24:05# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:24:05 > 0:24:07# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:24:07 > 0:24:09# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:24:09 > 0:24:11# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:24:11 > 0:24:13# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo! #
0:24:13 > 0:24:17There's one group of residents who have a very good reason to party.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21And that's Tokyo's army of office workers, known as "salary men".
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Friday marks the end of a long working week that involves
0:24:24 > 0:24:29commuting on the most crowded public transport system in the world.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Tonight, we're guests of Taku, Shuya, and Kiyohiko.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Their favourite haunt is a narrow alley called Memory Lane,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42packed with dimly-lit bars known as Izakaya.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46These are to the salary men what our local pub is to us.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51But, unlike at home, you're still allowed to smoke tabs.
0:24:51 > 0:24:57- Cheers!- On a Friday night! Just explain to us, what do you guys do?
0:24:57 > 0:24:59What is a salary man?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02The first thing is, we are salary men, we have to make money,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06we have to work hard, probably long hours compared to British companies.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08So how many hours?
0:25:08 > 0:25:15Start nine o'clock and finish like eight, nine, ten in the evening.
0:25:15 > 0:25:1716 hours days and six days a week aren't uncommon
0:25:17 > 0:25:21and overtime is often unpaid.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24When do your families see you? Do you just see families at weekends?
0:25:24 > 0:25:29- I have a wife and, erm... - Is she OK about you...?- No, no.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- Before, I used to go out, like, every night.- Yeah.- After working.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37- Even like 11 o'clock or 12 o'clock, I'd still go out drinking.- Yeah.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40But these days, after getting married, like my wife said,
0:25:40 > 0:25:41- "Come home early!"- Yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46But sometimes I just try to grab some beers and go home like,
0:25:46 > 0:25:4810 o'clock or 11 o'clock.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Yeah, me too!
0:25:49 > 0:25:50THEY LAUGH
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Then I say I've been working late, and it's been dreadful! Yeah.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Back home, a night down the local means a few pints of lager
0:25:56 > 0:25:57and a packet of crisps.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59But for these guys,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03the food they eat at bars like these replaces the family meal.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11A salary man's staple is Yakitori, which means "grilled bird".
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Most commonly chicken, but pork skewers are popular too.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20The meat is basted with a sweet sauce of soy and mirin called tare.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22A bit like, well, teriyaki.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24So, by the way, a little bit of explanation.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29That chicken skin, some people say no skin, but we love skin.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34- Japanese people love skin. Now, what I'm eating is liver.- Liver, yeah.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- And that gives me a lot of blood. - Yeah.- So when you're tired...- Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- ..you're going to eat it.- Iron. - Iron, iron.- Puts zip in your pip!
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I've got the chicken, and it's like the tenderest,
0:26:45 > 0:26:46juiciest chicken thigh.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49The great thing is, it's such good beer food, isn't it?
0:26:49 > 0:26:51- Definitely, yeah. - It's savoury, it's tangy.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54And of course, it's like tapas, you can order more.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59- It's just lovely and convivial. I love it here!- It's good, isn't it?
0:26:59 > 0:27:03- Cheers!- God bless Friday!
0:27:06 > 0:27:09The eating part of the evening is done.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13But the night is yet still young, Mr King.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15And, if you're a salary man in Tokyo,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18there's only one way to push through until the dawn!
0:27:20 > 0:27:21Hello, Tokyo!
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Karaoke!
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Here I am! Come on, now!
0:27:26 > 0:27:27THEY SING
0:27:27 > 0:27:29So, mate, we're so far from home,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31but I had a thoroughly good Friday night.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Good food, good company, and a bit of a sing-song!
0:27:34 > 0:27:37- And it feels kind of familiar, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38It's like a bit of...
0:27:38 > 0:27:41there's a bit of drinking, there's a bit of kebab going on.
0:27:41 > 0:27:42It might be a slightly different environment,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45but the vibe's there, definitely. A good night, I think.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Yes, it was a good night. So, it's a good night from me...
0:27:48 > 0:27:51- And it's a good night from him. - Good night!- Good night.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Do you know, mate, I think whatever the Japanese do,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57they put their heart and soul into it.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01And the passion is what makes their food so incredible.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06You're right, they really appreciate and respect their food.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11Whether it's a fast-food snack or a gourmet sushi experience.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14And it's that attitude, together with the wholesomeness
0:28:14 > 0:28:17of the ingredients, that's the secret to their health.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Well, I don't know about you, mucker,
0:28:21 > 0:28:24but I can't wait to find out what the rest of Japan has to offer.