The BEST episodes directed by David Pritchard
#1 - Lucknow & Punjab
Rick Stein's India - Season 1 - Episode 4
Rick Stein arrives in the cultural city of Lucknow, reputed to be the curry capital of India and possibly the world. He explores this former Moghul stronghold in search for the best chicken korma and learns the complexities of making the perfect pulao. He is told that the food of Lucknow is the ultimate party food and joins thousands of partygoers as they enjoy one of India's major Hindu festivals. Further north in the Punjab, he observes the age-old process of making jaggery and is recruited as a guest judge to find Punjab's new 'Star Chef'. He cooks nimish from Lucknow, a dessert as light as air with hints of saffron, pistachios and cardamom and a Punjabi favourite, paneer jalfrezi.
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - Rajasthan & Himachal Pradesh
Rick Stein's India - Season 1 - Episode 5
Rick Stein arrives in the royal state of Rajasthan, the land of the kings. The majority of Rajasthanis are serious meat eaters with dishes like Junglee Maas, a perfect combination of meat, chillies and spices, easily accessible on game hunts - the favourite pastime of both the Rajputs and Moghuls. This is a land of palaces and hilltop forts, mostly desert and very different from the state of Himachal Pradesh, nestled on the foothills of the Western Himalayas and believed, at one time, to be the abode of the Gods. Due to its mountainous terrain the locals tend to enjoy a diet of wild herbs, rice and dried pulses - foods that can easily be preserved. Rick joins local nobility as they host a gathering in their home village and attains an audience with the Dalai Lama. He cooks a Biryani fit for a Rajput banquet and Rajma, a traditional bean dish from Himachal.
Watch Now:Amazon
#3 - Madurai (Tamil Nadu) & Kerala
Rick Stein's India - Season 1 - Episode 3
Rick Stein arrives in the southern town of Madurai in Tamil Nadu - the land of temples. Here he learns the art of temple cooking and perfects the knack of eating with his hands. He samples the famous south Indian sambar before taking a road trip across the spice laden Western Ghats to the land of coconuts, Kerala. For lovers of fish, the Keralan backwaters are the ultimate paradise and its coastline vital to the history of the spice route. Rick cooks south India's favourite dessert, payasam, and a traditional Keralan pork curry.
Watch Now:Amazon
#4 - Rick Stein's Food of the Italian Opera
BBC Documentaries - Season 2010 - Episode 50
Chef Rick Stein takes a light-hearted look at the role that food played in the creation of Italian opera and shows how music and food are intrinsically linked in Italy. He draws parallels between cooking and composing, noting how both involve the skilful combination of ingredients and how they share the common purpose of bringing pleasure to many. Rick also explains why he thinks the music of Verdi, Rossini and Puccini are linked to the food of the regions where they lived and worked.
#5 - Rick Stein Tastes the Blues
BBC Documentaries - Season 2011 - Episode 213
Ever since the early 1960s, Rick Stein has been in love with the blues and years later he is fascinated by the dishes ingrained in its lyrics - fried chicken and turnip greens, catfish and black-eyed peas, and the rest. In this film, Rick pays homage to the musicians who created this music and to the great dishes of the Mississippi Delta that go hand in hand with the blues.
#6 - Rick Stein's German Bite
BBC Documentaries - Season 2013 - Episode 267
Rick Stein sets out on his German voyage with his usual appetite to unearth some of the country's hidden culinary gems.