1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,840 Six cooks... 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,760 ..six countries, six incredible journeys. 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,680 Argh! 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,080 Stepping outside their comfort zones... 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,520 It's not for the faint-hearted, for sure. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,480 ..our cooks will travel far and wide... 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,120 Route 7 all the way. 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,120 ..to find some of the most exciting food on the planet. 9 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:28,680 If you're back in the UK 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:30,120 you've got tandoori chicken. 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:31,440 Nothing like this. 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,480 It's beautiful. This is the best food I've had in Egypt. 13 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:38,960 It's pure, it's got heritage. It's got love in it, you know. 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,040 They'll go off the beaten track... 15 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,280 Crocodile! Crocodile sausages! 16 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,800 ..meeting extraordinary people... 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,160 ..exploring ways of life unchanged for centuries. 18 00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,200 No electric blenders in the jungle. 19 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,360 Have to do everything by hand. 20 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,680 Take your life into your own hands. We're on the road now. 21 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,080 As they travel, they'll see how the language of food 22 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,160 transcends cultural differences... 23 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,200 I've never huffed on a cheese before. 24 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,520 ..and a world away from home. 25 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,000 This is why I love Australia. 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,560 There's no excuse for a bad pie in Australia. No. 27 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,800 This is the beginning. Where do we end? 28 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,840 They'll learn lessons that could change the way we cook forever. 29 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,080 I've been cooking a barbecue wrongly all my life. 30 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,120 Wow! 31 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,560 This time, Hairy Biker Dave Myers 32 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,240 is travelling to one of the world's most ancient cultures. 33 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,880 The exciting truth is that Egyptian food is the oldest in the world. 34 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,000 And that's what I'm here to find. 35 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,320 Venturing up the Nile to discover where baking began... 36 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,120 I feel like I'm Indiana Jones and The Lost Loaf! 37 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,840 ..he'll find hospitality he'll never forget... 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,880 I love Egypt! 39 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,200 ..and go in search of the oldest recipes in the world. 40 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,360 I could sit there and eat the lot! 41 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,560 'I've travelled the world with my best mate, Si King. 42 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,760 'But he's not been well, the poor sausage. 43 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,640 'Although he's on the mend, he's not ready for a big trip like this. 44 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,600 'So, for the first time, I'm going away without him.' 45 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,400 I'm going to miss you. I'm going to miss you and all. 46 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,240 Because we always look out for each other, don't we? Well, yeah. 47 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,080 Look, just be safe, will you? That's the main thing. 48 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,120 'As a little treat, I'm cooking Si 49 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,000 'one of the Egyptian dishes he'll be missing. 50 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,040 'It's one of our favourites.' 51 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,080 Coriander, salt, baking powder - bit of bounce. Oh, nice. 52 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,360 ♪ It's beginning to look a bit like falafel... ♪ 53 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,360 What you doing? I'm making a list. What for? 54 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,600 My presents. Oh, no. 55 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,160 Oh, go on. For what? 56 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,440 Well, I've got a camel. 57 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,040 You give me the hump, you do. 58 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:11,400 A drum. Yeah, right! 59 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,440 How're they doing? They're falling apart, like they did last time. 60 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,640 I've got a pan of Bombay mix. 61 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:22,920 They've disintegrated. 62 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:25,920 How many times have we done this? 63 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:28,920 OK, so if nothing else comes out of this trip to Egypt, 64 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:31,600 I am going to learn how to make perfect falafel. 65 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,160 My trip will take me to the crossroads of Africa, 66 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,080 Asia and Europe. 67 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,160 I'm starting in Egypt's beating heart, 68 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,200 one of the world's greatest cities - Cairo. 69 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,280 I'm in Egypt! And do you know what? I love it. 70 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,040 I love the bustle, all those nooks and crannies and back streets. 71 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,080 Oh, look at that! 72 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,080 I love Middle Eastern food 73 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,600 and I've travelled pretty widely in this part of the world 74 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,080 but you can't claim to have the full picture until you come here. 75 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,920 For thousands of years, merchants travelling the Spice Route 76 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,960 have set out their stalls on Cairo's streets. 77 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,360 And this is where the classic flavours 78 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,560 of Middle Eastern cuisine first came together. 79 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,840 There's got to be some amazing food here 80 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:38,680 and yet somehow it hasn't made it, 81 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,720 you know, onto our culinary psyche. 82 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,800 Where would one go for an Egyptian? 83 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:44,840 In fact, can you name me one Egyptian dish? 84 00:04:44,840 --> 00:04:48,640 I've been fascinated by tales of Ancient Egypt since I was a boy 85 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,200 'but that was all tombs and mummies. 86 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,760 'Now I want to get to know the food.' 87 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,680 As one of the greatest civilisations ever known, 88 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,720 Egypt's influence spread way beyond its shores. 89 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,000 So I'm hoping to track down not only some ancient recipes 90 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,240 but the origins of dishes we know and love back home. 91 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,560 Now, I've read if you want to find the best food in Cairo 92 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,680 you have to look on the street. 93 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,560 And to breakfast like an Egyptian, that means ful. 94 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,760 Looks good. Is it ful? Ful. Ful. 95 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:26,480 Well, I've found the ful, you know. And it's like beans for breakfast. 96 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,000 But beans are an Egyptian staple, you know. 97 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,440 The average Egyptian's about 1,500 quid a year, 98 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,600 and beans are really important, you know. 99 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,280 They give you a bit of get up and go. That old proverb, 100 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:39,440 a million Egyptians every day pick up a plate of beans and say, 101 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,040 "Beans means ful." 102 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,400 Oh, he's got a salad. 103 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,920 Hello. Hello. Can I have some ful? Ful. 104 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,480 Ful. Ful. Ful with tahini? With tahini, no. 105 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,000 I want the full full experience. 106 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,480 Hot, yeah. Si. I mean gracias! 107 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,520 It's bonkers, I end up trying to speak Italian, 108 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,560 though I can't speak Italian, 109 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,760 on a food stall in Egypt when I come for my morning beans for breakfast. 110 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,680 It's brilliant. Olio, olio, calde. 111 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,960 Oh, I even got a sweetie! Have that for me pudding. 112 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,960 It certainly beats going down the caff at home, you know, 113 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,000 and having me beans on toast. 114 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,360 Ah, so that's me ful. Is that my bread? 115 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,560 Ah, smashing. Ah. 116 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,080 Proper Egyptian breakfast. Look at that bread. 117 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,120 Now, what's this taste like? 118 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,720 Hm. Good. 119 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,720 It's good. Very good, isn't it? Really good. Yeah. 120 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:06,040 It's great. It's spicy, it's tasty, it's beans that are soaked 121 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,080 and then they're boiled in the morning 122 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,560 with some spices and it's like a bean porridge. 123 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,600 Then I've got this salad. 124 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,280 I've got some lemon, I've got some very, very light pickles, 125 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,600 then I've got the aubergine. 126 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,640 Oh, that's hot. 127 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,240 This will give me terrible wind. 128 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,720 Beans are a cornerstone of Egyptian cuisine 129 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,360 but a must-have at breakfast, lunch and dinner is bread. 130 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,000 Grazie! 131 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,400 'I know a fair bit about baking bread 132 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,360 'but no-one knows more than the Egyptians.' 133 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,400 Their word for bread, aish, means life. 134 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,480 You can smell this bread all the way from the other side of Cairo! 135 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,920 It's really good bread, isn't it? Yeah. 136 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,000 'Moustafa is a Cairo foodie and chef who wants to show me 137 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,640 'how important bread is to the people here.' 138 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,280 So, is this everyday Egyptian bread? 139 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,520 We eat, like, five loaves of that bread every day 140 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,000 so it's our main staple diet. What's it called? 141 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,240 It's called baladi bread. Baladi bread. Baladi means local. 142 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,880 Look at that. Talk about freshly baked bread. Yes. 143 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,640 It couldn't get any fresher, could it? Do you want to try a piece? 144 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,920 I'd love some. Absolutely. Ashraf. Aish. 145 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,840 Wow. Try it, smell the bread. Oh, it smells great. 146 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:30,520 It's made, actually, just yeast, flour, bran and water. That's it. 147 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,640 That's why it's not chewy, it's not gooey, 148 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,960 have that nice smoked flavour. Nice bite to it, hasn't it? 149 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:42,320 'Baladi bread - it's very like our pitta bread, but thinner. 150 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,400 'After this, pitta is going to feel like chewing a flip-flop.' 151 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,440 How many loaves of bread a day would this bakery make? 152 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,920 Average of between 19,000 and to 20,000 loaves of bread a day. 153 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,480 Wow. In 12 hours. But every loaf's the same size. 154 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,040 It's all the same size and that's the talent. 155 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,240 In Egypt, access to bread is almost a human right 156 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,440 and production is subsidised by the government. 157 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,640 The poor get their five loaves a day 158 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,240 for the equivalent of just two and a half pence. 159 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,400 So important is bread that in 2008, threats to the subsidy led to riots. 160 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:26,040 With chants of "bread, freedom and social justice", 161 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,240 revolutionaries eventually overthrew the government. 162 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:33,360 Even we have a saying, you can touch anything we have 163 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,640 but don't touch my bread because that's the thing I'll fight you for. 164 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:38,720 It's the people's bread. Yes, it is. 165 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,680 See how he makes it look so simple and so easy. 166 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:47,840 So it's one, two, flip, flip. 167 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,640 You flip, you flip back and just use your hand to... 168 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,840 Ah, he turns it over. Yeah. 169 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,160 To meet demand, these guys need to produce a loaf every two seconds. 170 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,760 Luckily, the thin loaves take only a couple of minutes to bake. 171 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,600 Moustafa tells me there are thousands 172 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:10,880 of these backstreet bakeries in Cairo. 173 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,920 And wherever you find a bakery, 174 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,080 you'll find a nearby stall selling fresh falafel. 175 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,640 But is it right that it's the oldest falafel in the world? 176 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,440 It's the same everywhere, like, everybody's claiming it's, 177 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,480 "We created this, we created that", but falafel or tamiya is Egyptian. 178 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,320 The word itself is derived from the word falafil. 179 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:36,600 It's three chapters, means full of beans, and that's what falafel is. 180 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,600 Now, to my mind, that means Egyptian fava bean falafel 181 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:44,440 must predate the chickpea falafel that we get at home. 182 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,080 The chickpeas is a bit dense. 183 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,520 The fava beans is more fluffier. 184 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,520 Get the nice crisp from the outside, really nice creamy from the inside. 185 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,640 I must admit, I have problems with falafel. OK. 186 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,080 I've tried making it with the fava beans, you know, 187 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,080 with the dried broad beans. 188 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,120 I've tried with chickpeas. My falafel fall to bits. 189 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,680 The problem is if you boil the beans actually you make it fall apart. 190 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:11,560 You don't boil? That's where we go... I've been boiling my beans. 191 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:14,120 No. You just soak them for in warm water 192 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:17,360 for a couple of hours, warm water. 193 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,120 If you use cold water you soak it overnight. 194 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,840 Yeah, yeah, yeah. So gives you the nice creamy 195 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,800 and nice texture like you will taste in here. Fantastic. 196 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,840 It is a world of beans, Egypt, isn't it? 197 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:30,880 It is, just like...it's really... Wow. 198 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,000 That's how it look like, it's like nice balls. 199 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,440 They're beautiful, aren't they? Yeah. It is really nice. 200 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:36,880 You want to try it? Yeah. 201 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,400 What's good about it is you can get all the nutrition, 202 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,240 you get salad, you get the tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. 203 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,240 You get all those nice greens and with the beans, the proteins. 204 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,920 And the baladi bread. Yeah, the people's bread, country bread. 205 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,160 Yeah, of course. Do you want to try? 206 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,400 That's delicious, isn't it? 207 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,320 The texture's incredible because they're crispy on the outside, 208 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,160 in the middle they're soft but you can taste the herbs. Yep. 209 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,920 There's all the flavour. This is superb. 210 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,320 I want to try one just by itself. Thank you. 211 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,840 The crunch. I just love it. 212 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,320 Oh, that's the best falafel I've ever had. 213 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,000 Oh, just like yours, right? No, mate. No, no, no! 214 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,480 No, but I tell you what - now I have something to aim for. 215 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,520 I'm beginning to see how simple food like this, and bread in particular, 216 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,440 has shaped Egyptian culture. 217 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,800 And that seems to have been the case for thousands of years. 218 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,320 If I am to understand the cuisine here 219 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,720 and see how its influence has spread across the world, 220 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,240 I need to travel back in time. 221 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,600 In Egypt, that's easily done. 222 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,320 I'm leaving downtown Cairo and heading to the Land of the Pharaohs. 223 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,040 Hello. Can I have one for the big one? One? 224 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,600 Is it just one pyramid or do you see the three? 225 00:13:05,680 --> 00:13:07,720 This ticket, just all of them. 226 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:12,800 Everything? Oh, brilliant. Yeah, one, please. Eight pound. Thank you. 227 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,160 'Eight quid for one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 228 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:16,760 'Oh, that's a bargain!' 229 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,720 Shukran. Thank you. 230 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,880 Today is the first day of Eid al-Adha, 231 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,640 the four-day Feast Of the Sacrifice, 232 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,040 and Cairo's crowds have popped out to stretch their legs. 233 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:44,240 But for me, seeing the pyramids is the fulfilment of a boyhood dream. 234 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,640 They're absolutely breathtaking. 235 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,600 When this was built, you know, 4,500 years ago, 236 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,360 we were just starting to balance, you know, Stonehenge. 237 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,760 One big lump on two lumps. 238 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,000 And look at it. It makes me heart flutter a bit. 239 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,240 You know like when you stand on top of a tall building and look down? 240 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,120 It's that kind of feeling. 241 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,080 And yet when you see something that's so familiar but it's bigger, 242 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,440 it's more impressive, it's... 243 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,800 It's more awe-inspiring than any cathedral I've ever seen. 244 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:35,800 But, you know, it's taken me 57 years to get to this point 245 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,840 and it was well worth the wait. 246 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,600 I'd always thought the pyramids were built by slaves, but in fact, 247 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,080 they were built by paid labourers. 248 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,320 Their take-home pay wasn't in cash. 249 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,760 They were paid in bread and beer. 250 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:59,120 So you could say that this lot were built on the back of the humble loaf! 251 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:04,880 It's great to see so many people here soaking up the culture 252 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,800 but the crowds are mad. It's time to escape. 253 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,160 Well, this trip just keeps getting better and better. 254 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:16,680 I finally get a bike at last. 255 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,720 It's going to be chaos. 256 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,160 I've even got a little camera so you can watch with us. 257 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,880 Hey! I love Egypt! 258 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,640 'Egyptian roads aren't for the faint-hearted. 259 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,680 'There seem to be no rules.' 260 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,160 Overtaken by a lad on a pink scooter! 261 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,320 On a plateau above the drifting desert sands is Saqqara, 262 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,000 home to the world's oldest pyramids. 263 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,040 In the surrounding dunes, 264 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:16,320 they've found thousands of tombs and I can't wait to see inside one. 265 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:22,160 'Incredibly, I've got the place to myself.' 266 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,880 Oh! 267 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,720 'This is the tomb of Ti. 268 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,040 'Apart from being the royal hairdresser, 269 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,520 'he was in charge of the pharaoh's fields.' 270 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,800 His tomb is engraved with images of farming 271 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,040 from 4,500 years ago. 272 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,760 Look, this one's interesting. 273 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,600 This is like the story of baking, isn't it? 274 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,200 You've got pictures here of people 275 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,480 and they're kind of grinding the wheat. 276 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:07,480 And there, judging by their elbows, they appear to be kneading the dough. 277 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,720 They were so clever, the Egyptians. 278 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,600 Those conical pots up there, they're like the proving baskets 279 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,960 we have today to put the bread in. 280 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,520 But they do bake them in them as well as proving. 281 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,120 As you go down, you can see, there, 282 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:22,800 they're shielding their faces because the heat from the fire 283 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,600 and they're cooking them in the pots. 284 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,760 Gosh! Look here, the scribes, they're recording everything. 285 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:31,800 Could it be...it's almost like 286 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,000 they're writing the first ever cookbook. 287 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,600 You know, this is a step-by-step guide 288 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,560 on how to make a 4,500-year-old loaf. 289 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:46,320 So that, to my mind, makes it the world's oldest recipe. 290 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,360 It's fascinating. 291 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,080 Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. 292 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,360 Egypt's farming history stretches back millennia 293 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,240 as people settled all along the banks of the Nile. 294 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,600 70 miles south of Cairo is the oasis of Fayoum. 295 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,760 I'm told it's the garden of Egypt 296 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,920 so there should be some great produce to be found there. 297 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,160 Egyptian history is as rich as it is long. 298 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,960 When our forefathers gave up life as hunter-gatherers and started farming, 299 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:29,120 one of the first places cultivated was the Nile Valley. 300 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:32,840 10,000 years ago, 301 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,480 'rich soil deposited by the river attracted the first settlers.' 302 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:42,080 Today, an incredible 95% of Egyptians live along the river 303 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,560 and that makes it more than just a tad crowded. 304 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,560 To spread the river's life-giving waters further afield, 305 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,560 Ancient Egyptians became masters of irrigation 306 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,480 and as a result were able to produce a huge range of crops. 307 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,400 Now, I've read about a plant that's indigenous to Egypt 308 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,040 and has almost mythical health-giving properties. 309 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,800 It's called molokhia and it's what's brought me here today. 310 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,360 Hello, Ruby! I'm Dave. 311 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,120 It's good to meet you. Hey. 312 00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:23,520 'Ruby is a fellahin, or tenant farmer on a property 313 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:28,360 'which has guesthouses, and I'm told he grows molokhia.' 314 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:30,120 Right, after you, sir! 315 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:39,360 'Thanks to irrigation, Ruby is also able to grow sweetcorn, lemons, 316 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:41,760 'bananas and oranges, 317 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,240 'all of which will soon be ready to harvest.' 318 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,000 Wow! 319 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:55,240 Not ripe yet. They're lovely, though. 320 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,200 'Around the edges of the fields are olive trees.' 321 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:05,040 Look at those! 322 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,120 Never done this before, you know, olives from a tree. 323 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:10,040 Hmm. Mmm! 324 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:13,520 It's not like I thought, look. 325 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:15,480 Tastes slightly spicy, it's there, 326 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,280 but it's very different to what we get in a jar at home. 327 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,280 I mean, obviously the oil's there, it's heaving with oil. 328 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,680 It's so fertile here, isn't it? 329 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,480 It is like the garden of plenty. 330 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:33,400 Is he going to climb the tree? 331 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,680 I'm not going up, have you seen the spikes on the palm? 332 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,080 He's not going up there. He IS going up there. 333 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,840 Blooming heck, 334 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,240 he's shinned up that tree, he's in his 60s. 335 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,200 He's just disturbed a hive of bees. 336 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,160 Here we go. Crikey. 337 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,040 I've only ever really seen dates, we take it for granted, in that 338 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:54,760 cellophane wrapper at Christmas. 339 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,160 Here we go. 340 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:02,000 This is my first fresh date straight from the tree, 341 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,720 couldn't be any better... It's sticky, it's unctuous. 342 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,120 Oh, it's like Marsala wine, Madeira, 343 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:14,640 it's all my Christmases rolled into one. 344 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:16,160 That was brilliant, Ruby. 345 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:24,200 Oh. 346 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,120 'There seems to be a division of labour on the farm. 347 00:21:47,120 --> 00:21:50,600 'Ruby tends to the fields, while the house and animals 348 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,480 'are looked after by his wife, Nadia.' 349 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:56,520 Hey? 350 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:57,640 Oh, right. 351 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:00,680 Just up there. Oh, it's heavy. 352 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:05,520 Oh, right, sorry. 353 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:08,920 Good? 354 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,320 Hey, thank you! I think she said I'm a man. 355 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,480 All the girls are out having a laugh. 356 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:21,720 What's the bag made from? 357 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,000 Goat skin, do you just fill this up every day with some milk? 358 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,400 And then, how long do you leave the whole thing for? 359 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:36,320 So you leave it for three days, and shake it. 360 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:43,760 Smells cheesy. 361 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:46,680 Humph it? 362 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,080 What, like the bagpipes? 363 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,240 No...yeah? Oh. 364 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,160 Good? 365 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,040 Do you know, I've never huffed on a cheese before. 366 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,720 I'm wearing it, my beard's soaked in cheese, 367 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,960 my glasses, I can't see, 368 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,720 you're covered in it and all, do you want...? 369 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,000 I tell you what, it isn't like this with Delia Smith, is it? 370 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,160 See that's, that's professional huffing for you, look. 371 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,560 Big fish, little fish, cardboard box. 372 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,560 'Having made a doubtful contribution to the cheese making, 373 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,680 'I'm off to gather the ingredients 374 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,280 'for the mythical unpronounceable soup.' 375 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:47,560 Is it makle? Makama? Ma... 376 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:53,240 Molok-hee. 377 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:54,880 Molok-hee, sounds Scottish. 378 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,000 Tastes nice, it's quite bland. 379 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,520 It's a bit like privet! 380 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,600 'Of course, being Egypt, the soup has to be served with bread. 381 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,720 'The loaves made in homes like Ruby's are flat breads but 382 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,280 'nothing like the baladi bread I ate in Cairo. 383 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:26,880 'These are massive 384 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,960 'and ingeniously, they don't need a rolling pin.' 385 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,640 Because one young lady, she takes the ball of dough, 386 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,320 it's very, very loose dough, it's very slack dough, 387 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,640 which, as we all know, that's going to be really good bread. 388 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,120 That's how you start off, the dough goes on. 389 00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:46,120 This lady takes it so far, you keep the circle with a twist, 390 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:49,800 all without kneading, all without rolling, and it's perfectly circular. 391 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,200 There's a wonderful rhythm to it 392 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,280 because when one piece of dough is ready for the oven 393 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,360 the bread's ready to come out, and it's magic. 394 00:24:57,360 --> 00:24:58,840 It's just the art of flour, 395 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,600 water, air and a bit of salt. 396 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,240 Doesn't that look handsome bread? Can I have a go? 397 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:06,480 Ah, brilliant, right. 398 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:11,000 Can I... 399 00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:22,760 So, the technique is... 400 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,560 'Oh, this bread! It's like trying to knit a jellyfish 401 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:35,120 'but luckily the molokhia is easier to handle.' 402 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:37,680 Ah, this is what's known as the pick through. 403 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,440 You know, this reminds me of when I was kid and I'd sit there 404 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,240 shelling peas with my mother, and she used to make me whistle 405 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,000 because if I stopped whistling she knew I was eating the peas. 406 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:52,920 'I'd love to help chop the leaves and garlic 407 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,160 'but I've got a more important job.' 408 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:00,640 He's one month old. Some ways, I have the future of Egypt in my hands. 409 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,040 I'll tell you what, son, you're going to grow up 410 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:06,680 with some good bread, aren't you? 411 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,200 'Once the leaves are chopped, a stock is prepared.' 412 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,880 So, it's salt, chicken stock and cumin. 413 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,400 It's just a nice basic broth. 414 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,080 And there it goes in. 415 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,880 'The molokhia only needs to cook for about five minutes.' 416 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:24,680 What's that? 417 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,080 Samna. Zem-na? Zem-na! 418 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,000 Oh, it's buffalo ghee! 419 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:33,720 'A generous dollop of crushed garlic is quickly fried.' 420 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,120 Ah, that smells good. Like everything you see in this dish, 421 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:39,640 it's all from within the radius of the farm. 422 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:42,280 So, the garlic's browned. 423 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,320 Whoar! 424 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:52,720 There you are, you see. 425 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,440 In true Delia style, she's deglazing the pan 426 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:57,680 with a little of the stock 427 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:01,360 so you waste none of the goodness at the bottom of the pan. Finis? 428 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:10,840 Hey. 429 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,800 'In traditional Egyptian households, the men 430 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:15,800 'and children eat before the women.' 431 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,520 This bread's absolutely stunning. 432 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:26,640 It's got texture, we saw it baked ten minutes ago. 433 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,560 The soup's wonderful, it reminds me of wild garlic soup. 434 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:32,640 Very nourishing, very good for you, 435 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,640 and very tasty, very pure tasting food. 436 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,680 And I think that's the thing about Egyptian cuisine, I think 437 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:39,160 that's its triumph. 438 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:40,720 It's not complicated, 439 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:45,560 so the ingredients, the quality and the care in preparation is massive, 440 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,040 and you can taste it. 441 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,680 It's simple food and simplest is best 442 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,120 and simple works because the ingredients 443 00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:55,160 are absolutely superb. 444 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:59,400 It's pure, it's got heritage, it's got love in it, you know. 445 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,880 'Ruby's family's hospitality is boundless, but there's 446 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,560 'so much more for me to discover.' 447 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:07,280 Bye, Ruby! Thank you. 448 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,040 'And I've still got half the country to explore.' 449 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:14,840 Bye. 450 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:16,120 Bye! 451 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:26,200 From Fayoum, I'm heading 300 miles south to Luxor in search 452 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,320 of some classic Egyptian dishes and the world's earliest bread. 453 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:36,640 Once the capital of Ancient Egypt, Luxor is 454 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,920 one of the hottest, driest cities on earth. 455 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,120 Welcome to Alaska! 456 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,360 Thanks to the river, it's amazing what they can grow 457 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,880 but I mustn't be waylaid by the produce. 458 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,040 I'm crossing to the West Bank. 459 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,800 Most people come here for the archaeology, but 460 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:58,960 I'm hoping to find living history, 461 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:03,000 proof of an ancient food revolution that changed the world. 462 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,560 This place used to be a popular stop for day-trippers. 463 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,520 But these days, tourists are thin on the ground. 464 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:19,200 Oh, crikey, it's, oh... 465 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,280 'Luckily I'm here.' 466 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:22,480 And Egyptian cotton? 467 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,880 Can I pick a colour? Yes, nice colour. 468 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:28,680 Can I have blue? Can I have blue? 469 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,040 'Oh, it's well over 40 degrees. 470 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,880 'I need to cover my head before the sun boils my brain.' 471 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:38,320 That's better. 472 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,080 Nice? 473 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,600 I think so, I feel the spirit of TE Lawrence 474 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,760 is upon me - Myers of Arabia. 475 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:46,880 Shukran, thank you. 476 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,840 Now, I've suddenly remembered I'm halfway through the trip 477 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,040 and I haven't looked at Kingy's list for pressies. 478 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:56,200 Have you seen this? Camel, rug, mummy (large). 479 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,320 Oh. I'll pick up a few bits here and that'll do him. 480 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:02,680 This one, nice. 481 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,520 Obelisk, obelisk. Handmade. 482 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:07,360 No broken, no broke. 483 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,280 I think he'd love that. You see that bobby-dazzler? 484 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,120 It's not on his list. 485 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:14,400 How much? 486 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,720 200? 100. 487 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:24,040 120. 488 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:26,440 120. 489 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:30,680 150. 490 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,240 A bargain. He's going to love that. 491 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,200 I think I'd better have a dark bag for that one! 492 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,360 I don't know how I'll get it home in one piece. 493 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,000 Do I have to buy the three? 494 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:48,920 Yeah. How much for three? 495 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:52,800 Oh, go on, then. 496 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:57,280 'Well, these blokes can spot a sucker when they see one.' 497 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,200 No. I don't want them. No, no. 498 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,800 No, I've got plenty. 499 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:04,960 No, no, I've got one. I've got a scarab. 500 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,080 Not the same, not same. No, I've... 501 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:09,200 You don't see my shop. 502 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:10,960 No, I'm fine, it's lovely. 503 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,000 'For 30 quid I've got an armful of tat, 504 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:15,760 'so I'm getting out while I can.' 505 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,880 To find the origins of our daily bread, I don't have to look far. 506 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:25,640 The temples were built in the desert 507 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,400 but the land nearby has always been farmed. 508 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:31,840 Mahmoud? It's Dave. 509 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,360 Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too! Nice to meet you too. 510 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:35,480 Thank you. 511 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,680 'I've arranged to meet Mahmoud, whose family have farmed 512 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,720 'here for generations. 513 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,120 'Today, they're starting their weekly bake. 514 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:48,040 'So far, I've only eaten flatbread, but this is different. 515 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,040 'It's called shamsi bread and it 516 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:53,200 'changed the eating habits of the planet. 517 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,800 'Without this ancient recipe we wouldn't have sandwiches 518 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,920 'or even toast.' 519 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,720 All I really know about shamsi bread is it is the first known 520 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:04,920 leavened bread in the world. 521 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:07,120 So, if we're talking of ground zeros, 522 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,640 this is it for the loaf as we know it, Jim. 523 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,160 What's in there, Mahmoud? 524 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,080 So there's no yeast, there's no, nothing to leaven the bread yet. 525 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,880 Ah, here comes the yeast. 526 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:26,680 What is that yeast? 527 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,480 That's what we call a sour dough bread, which is the oldest, 528 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,600 the best way of making bread in the world. 529 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:36,920 'The word "shamsi" means sun 530 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:41,640 'and this is still the only bread in Egypt that's left to rise. 531 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:45,360 'There's no record of how the Ancient Egyptians first came up with 532 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:47,840 'the idea of using yeast to leaven bread. 533 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,560 'It's my guess that it was a happy accident. 534 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:54,600 'With the sun this hot, 535 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:58,000 'the yeast wouldn't have needed long to work its magic.' 536 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,400 How long do you leave it to sit in the sun for? 537 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,720 Aha, I think where I live, Mahmoud, it'd take about two days! 538 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,240 Would you ever buy bread? 539 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,040 I have to make the bread in my house. 540 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:47,320 Yes. Yeah. 541 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,640 Mahmoud, why is she cutting the bread and pinching it? 542 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:57,880 Decoration? 543 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:02,560 A-ha, a-ha. 544 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:06,000 'While the bread rises, a fire is lit beneath the clay oven.' 545 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,760 What she's doing now is she's got the rag dipped in water to 546 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:13,840 clean the oven out with it, she can also tell if the oven's hot 547 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,480 because obviously it's sizzling, 548 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:17,360 but I think, like most baking, 549 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:20,200 you get some steam in the oven, you get a better bread, 550 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,000 so it's like a threefold thing. 551 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:29,640 Right, it's in the oven, 20 minutes, 552 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,440 this is where the magic starts. 553 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:36,520 'And we don't have to wait long before a wonderful 554 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:38,440 'smell wafts our way.' 555 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,240 Oh! 556 00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:41,920 You would like to try a little bit? 557 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:43,840 Oh, gosh, yes. 558 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,520 That's absolutely wonderful bread, 559 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,880 the crust on it, from the wood-fired oven, 560 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,760 the inside, it's soft, it's got texture, it's got spring, 561 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:01,760 it's got life because of that yeast. 562 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:05,240 It also has a wonderful taste, it's flavoursome bread. 563 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:07,080 Do you know what I've learnt from this, 564 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,800 that I find absolutely awe-inspiring, 565 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:14,600 is that not so very far from this very spot, it was where mankind first 566 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,280 started to leaven bread - that is to use yeast to make bread. 567 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,960 Before they started in this place, 568 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,200 everybody in the world ate flatbread. 569 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,760 This really is like finding the Holy Grail, you know, 570 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:32,120 I feel like I'm Indiana Jones and the Lost Loaf. 571 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,480 It really is a privilege, Mahmoud, to be here with you and your family. 572 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:37,360 I've got huge respect for you all. 573 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,640 And, by crikey, your bread is amazing. 574 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:41,760 Thank you. 575 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:43,560 But can I have a loaf to take with me? 576 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,040 Yeah, of course. Yes! 577 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:01,840 'Mahmoud's village overlooks the enormous Temple of Ramesses III.' 578 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,240 Hello! Shamsi bread! 579 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:14,040 'Rameses ruled Egypt 1,200 years before the birth of Christ 580 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:17,720 'and shamsi bread would have been a staple of his household.' 581 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,760 If you imagine like the Victorians when they came here, thinking 582 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,200 they were so clever with their Empire, they must have 583 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:28,760 thought this was built by people from another planet. 584 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,720 'We know so much about the Ancient Egyptians 585 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:39,760 'because their civilisation lasted for over 3,000 years 586 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:43,960 'and they left behind an incredibly detailed record of their lives.' 587 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:52,120 'I'm going to a small tomb built not for royalty but for a scribe. 588 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:53,720 'The guide book says it's one of 589 00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:56,960 'the most beautifully decorated ever discovered.' 590 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:05,320 Oh, wow, Mahmoud, these colours are incredible, aren't they? 591 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,280 How have they stayed like this over the years? 592 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:09,520 How old is this tomb? 593 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,320 Crikey, so, we're over 3,000 years ago, cos this is extraordinary. 594 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,760 All of this is about food. 595 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:36,680 This is also a record of what life was like for ordinary people. 596 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:51,800 Yeah. 597 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:54,640 What's this scene? 598 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:16,240 So food had a part with the dead as well as the living. 599 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:20,400 You need to feed the spirit. Yes. 600 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:24,760 Yes. It's the same, it's like shamsi bread. That's fantastic, I mean, 601 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:28,920 we're seeing, when we made the shamsi bread the ladies were doing exactly 602 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,600 the same cuts to make the same shape for my loaf that I have with me. 603 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,160 The lady didn't know why they did it but they certainly did it 604 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:36,440 3,500 years ago 605 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:39,880 and it's such a rich heritage that the Egyptians have. 606 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:42,680 You know, it really is a window on the past. 607 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,280 It's been great to have a glimpse through it as well. 608 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:49,760 'Tombs here show how important food was to the Ancient Egyptians, 609 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:51,280 'in death as in life. 610 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:53,600 'On special occasions, 611 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:57,160 'families here still take food to the graves of their loved ones.' 612 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,600 On my journey so far, I've eaten street food or food with families. 613 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:09,000 But there's a restaurant in Luxor that has a speciality I've been 614 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,600 told that I shouldn't miss. 615 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:14,240 Ayman? It's Dave. Dave. 616 00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:17,560 Hello! Nice to see you. Oh, it's great to meet you. Pleasure. 617 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:20,880 'To try this speciality, I've got to earn my keep.' 618 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:22,720 Ah, this is great, Ayman. 619 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:24,600 Back in a kitchen cooking with a mate. 620 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,680 Egyptians love their pigeons, don't they? 621 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:37,640 Why on Thursday? 622 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:50,960 Is pigeon an aphrodisiac? 623 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:54,960 Gets you going? Yes. 624 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:56,080 'Ooh la la! 625 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,480 'To turn these birds into natural Viagra 626 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:00,720 'they need stuffing with red onion, 627 00:40:00,720 --> 00:40:02,400 'finely chopped coriander, 628 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:03,560 'and chopped garlic.' 629 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:06,840 So, what's your favourite Egyptian dish? 630 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:12,240 How many children do you have? 631 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:17,920 Night off! 632 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:20,600 'The flavours are sauteed to bring out the sweetness, 633 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,200 'then it just needs seasoning.' 634 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:27,320 Yes, chef. 635 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:31,240 'Rice and cracked wheat or freekeh are separately simmered in stock. 636 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:36,160 'Once cooked, it's all mixed together ready for stuffing.' 637 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,040 Open wide, patient. 638 00:40:57,240 --> 00:41:00,040 'The stuffed pigeons are poached for ten minutes. 639 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:04,440 'Then seared over a high heat.' 640 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:08,400 They look nice and plump, don't they? This is effectively equivalent 641 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,800 of putting your dinner on a sun bed, you know, a little more flavour 642 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:13,720 and makes it look better, 643 00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:16,240 and everybody looks better with a tan - moi? 644 00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:19,160 'Once crispy, they're ready to serve.' 645 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,360 This is a pharaoh's feast, isn't it? 646 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:25,480 'Even in one of Luxor's poshest restaurants, 647 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:27,400 'the food is unpretentious. 648 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:29,880 'In a country as fertile as this, 649 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:32,120 'the ingredients speak for themselves.' 650 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:34,000 Look at that stuffing! 651 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:35,600 The freekeh's huge now. 652 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:38,640 That's delicious. 653 00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:40,280 This is really good. 654 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:41,840 The freekeh's lovely. 655 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:44,040 It's really quite nutty, it's got some bite to it, 656 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:47,200 but it's not crunchy. I've cooked freekeh at home before 657 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,920 and found it, maybe it's the way I've done it, it's been a little 658 00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:50,960 too kind of crunchy. 659 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:53,440 But this isn't, it's got the texture of brown rice 660 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:56,800 but has loads and loads of flavour and I suspect part of that is 661 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,000 because it's cooked in the pigeon stock. 662 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:02,840 The pigeon flesh, it's really, really juicy, it's lovely. 663 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:05,080 'I couldn't possibly reveal 664 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:08,320 'if stuffed pigeon works as an aphrodisiac but I can tell you 665 00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:12,240 'that in the morning I had a certain spring in my step!' 666 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:30,880 ♪ Good times 667 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,200 ♪ These are the good times... ♪ 668 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,120 There comes a time in every man's life 669 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:38,280 when he's got to smarten up a bit, and this for me is it. 670 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:44,280 'Heading south towards Aswan, 671 00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:47,040 'I'm finally getting to travel on the river. 672 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:51,040 'This historic vessel is the Steam Ship Sudan. It's the last 673 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:54,200 'word in vintage style, so one feels duty bound 674 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:56,240 'to dust off one's coolest suit.' 675 00:42:56,240 --> 00:42:58,080 ♪ Good times 676 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,920 ♪ These are the good times 677 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:06,200 ♪ Our new state of mind... ♪ 678 00:43:07,720 --> 00:43:10,320 When the British first came on holiday 679 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:11,640 to Egypt in the late 1800s 680 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:14,520 they travelled up the Nile on steamships like this. 681 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:17,080 Fortunately, not much has changed. 682 00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:22,520 Oh, yes! I'm glad I dressed up now. 683 00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:26,360 Oh, ding dong! 684 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:31,320 Beautiful, it's beautiful, oh, shukran. 685 00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:33,760 You're welcome, sir! You're welcome. 686 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:36,160 Thank you. Shukran. 687 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,240 The first tours of Egypt were organised by Thomas Cook 688 00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:44,200 and the paddle steamer Sudan 689 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,760 is the last survivor of the company's early vessels. 690 00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:49,360 Some tea. Merci. 691 00:43:53,600 --> 00:43:57,600 Agatha Christie travelled on this very boat in the 1930s. 692 00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:00,360 She was so inspired by the whole experience, 693 00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:01,960 she wrote Death On The Nile. 694 00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:09,600 The clientele are mainly French these days, 695 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:12,080 so there's a high-end kitchen where I hear 696 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:15,320 they make Egypt's most popular dessert, Uum Ali. 697 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:17,600 Good morning, chef! 698 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:19,560 Good morning. 699 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:21,680 Hey, good morning! It's lovely to meet you. 700 00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:25,320 So, what do you have there, is that a puff pastry? A mille feuille? 701 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:32,880 This is coconut. Yeah. 702 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:36,600 Some, some golden sultanas. Yeah. 703 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:43,320 So that's some roasted hazelnuts. Yes. 704 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:45,040 This is building up really nicely. 705 00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:50,800 And a tiny, tiny amount of cinnamon. Small. 706 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,760 Small, yeah, you don't want too much cinnamon. 707 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:55,880 Now some hot milk. Hot milk. 708 00:44:57,360 --> 00:45:00,920 Ooh, when the hot milk hits the pudding, you can smell 709 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:03,200 the cinnamon, the toasted coconut, 710 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:07,040 the roasted almonds, it's going to be good. 711 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,400 Did you used to eat this dish when you were a child? 712 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:25,000 Do you think your Uum Ali is better than your mother's? 713 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:33,760 What's this, chef? 714 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:36,120 It's just cream Chantilly. Chantilly cream. 715 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:38,440 I mean, the wonderful thing about this dessert, 716 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:41,600 I mean, Uum Ali, it sounds so Egyptian, 717 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:46,760 but Uum Ali - it's O'Malley, as in the Irish. There's an Irish lady, 718 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:50,200 a Mrs O'Malley, and she was the lover of the Khedive 719 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:53,560 and she made this dessert for him and his children and it spread through 720 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:58,240 Egypt like a plague of locusts and the Egyptians love it to this day. 721 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:01,240 Do you know, this is like the most delicate, refined 722 00:46:01,240 --> 00:46:03,320 bread and butter pudding I've ever seen. 723 00:46:03,320 --> 00:46:07,040 'The Uum Ali takes just 15 minutes to bake and smells amazing.' 724 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:13,120 Oh. 725 00:46:17,240 --> 00:46:19,760 Oh, it's smelling good, and it's looking good. Yeah. 726 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:28,440 The coconut's been toasted, and those wonderful hazelnuts, and you've 727 00:46:28,440 --> 00:46:31,600 got the milk instead of the custard so it's lighter, it's got the most 728 00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:35,880 wonderful Chantilly topping for sweetness, it's absolutely lovely. 729 00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:39,200 Do you know, I'm going to cook this for Kingy when I get home. 730 00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:40,400 This is a keeper. 731 00:46:42,240 --> 00:46:44,880 Ah, shukran, chef, thank you. 732 00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:06,280 The last stop on my journey is as far south as the boat can take me. 733 00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:12,520 The city of Aswan sits at the top of Lake Nasser and is an ancient staging 734 00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:16,360 post for trade between Egypt and the rest of Africa. 735 00:47:16,360 --> 00:47:19,160 You know, the further south I get, the more timeless 736 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:21,160 and remote, you know, Egypt seems. 737 00:47:21,160 --> 00:47:24,800 You get away from the hustle and bustle of the cities in the north 738 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:28,200 and you can practically taste the history, you can feel it the air. 739 00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:33,000 In 1902, the British dammed the Nile. 740 00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:35,640 The rising waters flooded local villages, 741 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:38,200 displacing a people who'd been living beside the river 742 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:40,240 for thousands of years. 743 00:47:40,240 --> 00:47:43,200 This ancient civilisation, the Nubians, 744 00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:46,160 were forced to resettle, many of them around Aswan. 745 00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:53,960 It's the last day of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice. 746 00:47:55,880 --> 00:47:59,000 And a chance for me to try an ancient Nubian dish that has 747 00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:02,880 become a favourite across the entire Arab world. 748 00:48:02,880 --> 00:48:10,640 'I've been invited by the ferrymen, Bassem and his uncle, Ezzat, to join their family celebrations.' 749 00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:22,120 Oh... Bassem, it's beautiful, a beautiful home you have. Welcome. 750 00:48:22,120 --> 00:48:24,040 So, do the whole family live here? 751 00:48:36,680 --> 00:48:38,440 Ah, so you're in the desert, 752 00:48:38,440 --> 00:48:41,320 you're sleeping under the stars with the people you love. Yeah. 753 00:48:41,320 --> 00:48:42,960 Hey, hello. 754 00:48:45,640 --> 00:48:47,840 'I've heard that Nubians go to great lengths to 755 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:49,920 'guard their ancient traditions 756 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:51,760 'and that includes their food.' 757 00:48:54,520 --> 00:48:56,200 So, what's on the menu today? 758 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:08,680 'Unfortunately, both meals are still on the hoof.' 759 00:49:10,440 --> 00:49:14,160 That's lunch. You see, it's a sheep and it's being slaughtered 760 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:18,160 but, you know, if you're going to eat it, you have to face up to it, 761 00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:19,800 it was a living thing. 762 00:49:19,800 --> 00:49:24,080 'All over world, millions of Muslim households are sacrificing 763 00:49:24,080 --> 00:49:26,480 'their best animal to mark this feast. 764 00:49:30,920 --> 00:49:34,840 'Mercifully for the sheep, and for me, here it's a quick 765 00:49:34,840 --> 00:49:36,960 'and efficient process.' 766 00:49:43,320 --> 00:49:46,080 Oh, children put their hand prints. 767 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:52,960 'A whole sheep is a lot of meat. 768 00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:55,400 'But nothing will get wasted.' 769 00:50:14,760 --> 00:50:17,040 So that's proper social care, isn't it? 770 00:50:17,040 --> 00:50:19,520 It's care for your neighbours. Yeah. Yeah. 771 00:50:21,080 --> 00:50:22,120 Hey, the liver. 772 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:27,800 And that's breakfast. 773 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:32,280 Aha, the heart. Yep. 774 00:50:34,120 --> 00:50:37,800 'The offal is still warm. I've never eaten liver this fresh.' 775 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:41,640 Breakfast! Hello, I'm Dave. 776 00:50:41,640 --> 00:50:43,840 Moushira. Pleased to meet you, Moushira. 777 00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:45,280 Me too. 778 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:46,800 Chef, what should I do? 779 00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:49,480 Cut. Uh-huh. Just, how? 780 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:51,280 Yes, like this. Yeah? 781 00:50:56,000 --> 00:50:57,320 Right, so the liver... 782 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:01,000 ..the heart, again chopped? 783 00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:02,520 Yeah. 784 00:51:02,520 --> 00:51:03,800 The heart's good meat. 785 00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:07,800 I mean, you need to core it properly, and that's the testicles, 786 00:51:07,800 --> 00:51:08,840 they go in as well. 787 00:51:10,040 --> 00:51:12,240 Tough old nuts. 788 00:51:12,240 --> 00:51:13,440 Sheep's nuts are all right. 789 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:16,200 It's a lot of good meat, it's lean. 790 00:51:16,200 --> 00:51:19,200 I mean, that, if you didn't know, you'd think was a chicken breast, 791 00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:20,880 it's really good meat. 792 00:51:20,880 --> 00:51:24,000 Do you think I have the potential to make a Nubian chef? 793 00:51:31,240 --> 00:51:34,680 Got the spicing going in and it's that Middle Eastern trinity 794 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:37,760 of coriander, cumin and salt. 795 00:51:37,760 --> 00:51:41,480 It's really pure, simple cooking but it's really, really fresh, 796 00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:43,280 couldn't get much fresher meat. 797 00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:45,640 It's going to be really nice, you know. 798 00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:49,840 Hello. Hello. Hello. 799 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:53,600 So, this is the main event, this is the fatta. 800 00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:58,120 It is mutton, it's not lamb, it's grown on a bit, and it's very fresh. 801 00:51:58,120 --> 00:51:59,960 What is the spice, is that cumin? 802 00:52:05,240 --> 00:52:07,160 Flavour's going to build up lovely. 803 00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:24,240 'True to form, there will, of course, be fresh bread. 804 00:52:24,240 --> 00:52:26,280 'The Nubians have a recipe so ancient, 805 00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:29,080 'it predates the invention of the oven, 806 00:52:29,080 --> 00:52:32,320 'it's traditionally made on a hot plate.' 807 00:52:32,320 --> 00:52:33,920 What's the bread made from? 808 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:38,120 Yes. 809 00:52:44,440 --> 00:52:46,720 Oh, dried okra, we call it okra. 810 00:52:46,720 --> 00:52:47,920 Ah, it's interesting 811 00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:51,480 because it's the first bread I've had in Egypt that's a corn bread. 812 00:52:51,480 --> 00:52:53,600 Could I taste a little bit? Yeah. Yeah. 813 00:52:59,920 --> 00:53:02,000 Hm, that's good, isn't it? 814 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:04,000 You like it, really? Yeah. 815 00:53:06,240 --> 00:53:08,400 Yeah, I could sit there and eat the lot. 816 00:53:08,400 --> 00:53:09,440 Yeah. 817 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:12,320 Good, good? 818 00:53:12,320 --> 00:53:15,400 It's really good. Thank you. 819 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:16,480 Yeah. 820 00:53:19,960 --> 00:53:24,560 'Breakfast is just the start of the feast, but what a way to begin! 821 00:53:24,560 --> 00:53:28,960 'The fresh liver is served with side dishes of ful, falafel and pickles.' 822 00:53:28,960 --> 00:53:31,000 Come in, yeah. 823 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:34,040 Hello. 824 00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:38,920 Come on, chef. 825 00:53:43,560 --> 00:53:44,800 It's beautiful, 826 00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:48,760 this is the best food I've had in Egypt. I'm sorry, the rest of Egypt. 827 00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:52,760 The liver with the rest of the offal, it's so soft, 828 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:54,840 spicy and flavoursome. 829 00:53:54,840 --> 00:53:58,800 The bread's great, and you get chips with your breakfast. 830 00:53:58,800 --> 00:54:02,120 Ha, it's so wrong, but it's so right. 831 00:54:02,120 --> 00:54:04,080 Do you think I'm too old to be adopted? 832 00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:10,960 'And between courses, there's time for a smoke.' 833 00:54:15,240 --> 00:54:18,280 They do this seven times, it takes away the evil eye. 834 00:54:24,920 --> 00:54:25,960 Nubian chimney! 835 00:54:27,920 --> 00:54:31,040 'After an hour of fairly vigorous boiling and bubbling, 836 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:33,000 'the mutton is done. 837 00:54:33,000 --> 00:54:35,440 'Fatta isn't just mutton, though. 838 00:54:35,440 --> 00:54:38,080 'It's a clever dish assembled from a number of elements, 839 00:54:38,080 --> 00:54:40,320 'each with a distinctive flavour.' 840 00:55:00,920 --> 00:55:03,960 Ah, this looks good. This is a proper feast, isn't it? 841 00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:06,840 Hm. 842 00:55:07,960 --> 00:55:10,120 That's so good, it's a wonderful dish, 843 00:55:10,120 --> 00:55:13,360 the thing is the mutton is just falling off the bones. 844 00:55:13,360 --> 00:55:14,800 It's really, really tender 845 00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:17,520 but I love the textures of it. 846 00:55:17,520 --> 00:55:19,840 You know, you've got the bread which was crispy, 847 00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:21,240 soaked in that wonderful stock, 848 00:55:21,240 --> 00:55:24,000 remember the spices in the stock, then you get the rice, 849 00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:26,200 half of it's fried, half isn't. 850 00:55:26,200 --> 00:55:29,560 Then you've got the tomato sauce, with loads and loads of onions 851 00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:30,600 and garlic, 852 00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:32,960 and then, of course, you've got the mutton on the top. 853 00:55:32,960 --> 00:55:34,320 The lovely thing is, 854 00:55:34,320 --> 00:55:36,960 you share it together, it's a festival dish. 855 00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:43,360 'Of course, at any party, after the feasting, there's entertainment.' 856 00:55:46,320 --> 00:55:48,040 'And, on occasions like this, 857 00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:50,600 'the village band goes from house to house.' 858 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:05,400 'Time to bust out my Strictly moves.' 859 00:56:26,560 --> 00:56:29,040 It's been an amazing week... I'll sit this one out. 860 00:56:32,760 --> 00:56:35,120 I went looking for the pure Egyptian food, 861 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:37,280 and in a way I found that in Cairo, 862 00:56:37,280 --> 00:56:40,240 but as I got south it got better and better. 863 00:56:41,440 --> 00:56:44,880 I feel I've discovered a cuisine that should be appreciated 864 00:56:44,880 --> 00:56:46,200 more than it is. 865 00:56:46,200 --> 00:56:49,440 Not only do Egyptians know the secret of the perfect falafel, 866 00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:51,560 it turns out they're responsible 867 00:56:51,560 --> 00:56:54,520 for inventing our daily bread, and the Nubians 868 00:56:54,520 --> 00:56:58,640 can take credit for a dish that's a favourite across the Arab world. 869 00:57:01,640 --> 00:57:05,200 In Egypt, the ingredients are king, or rather, pharaoh. 870 00:57:05,200 --> 00:57:06,440 The food may be simple 871 00:57:06,440 --> 00:57:08,760 but it's good enough to have kept the people going 872 00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:10,160 for thousands of years. 873 00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:17,200 It's a culture, a religion of beauty and grace, 874 00:57:17,200 --> 00:57:20,280 that's what I found by the bucketful in Egypt. 875 00:57:20,280 --> 00:57:21,480 I've also learnt 876 00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:25,080 that I can dance and enjoy myself without being full of beer. 877 00:57:26,680 --> 00:57:29,840 I have to go now, I have to go now. 878 00:57:29,840 --> 00:57:33,800 'Unfortunately I've got a plane to catch and I'm a five-hour 879 00:57:33,800 --> 00:57:35,200 'drive from the airport.' 880 00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:45,560 'Crikey, when I ordered a taxi this wasn't quite what I had in mind.' 881 00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:51,040 Bye-bye! 882 00:57:57,680 --> 00:57:58,720 Shukran. 883 00:58:13,560 --> 00:58:16,360 Next time, Scottish chef Tony Singh 884 00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:20,360 goes in search of the authentic flavours of India. 885 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:22,280 I'm starving and I want to find out what 886 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:24,080 we have for breakfast in Punjab. 887 00:58:24,080 --> 00:58:25,400 And uncovers his family roots 888 00:58:25,400 --> 00:58:29,000 on a journey that never stops surprising. 889 00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:30,240 Been asked in for tea.