The Incredible Spice Men

[Meena Profile]

Monday 19th August

BBC2 8.30pm

Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala tour the country 'spreading the joy of spices.'

[Suelle Profile Website]

I'm looking forward to this! It sounds very interesting, but I hope it's not spoilt by too much focus on 'the lads' and the travelling. What I've read makes the pair sound a bit like the Hairy Bikers.

[Mamta Profile]

Thanks for that , I will put it on 'record' now.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Looking forwards to this


I like Mr Todiwalla - I've met him several times and he's just as nice and as knowledgeable as he comes across on TV; Mr Singh I don't know

[Dena Profile]

For some reason my TV didn't record this, can anyone tell me if it is to be repeated please? Critics have raved about it. What did you think?

I've got one of Cyrus Todiwalla's books "International Cuisine - India" that has some great recipes

[jeral Profile]

Dena, I see a repeat scheduled for Sunday 25th at 11.00 a.m.

My box misses things sometimes, tsk, did get this one, but I haven't watched it yet so no comments on it.

[Mamta Profile]

I watched it, it is funny, as well as informative. I liked it.
Spicy fish was interesting.
They cook the roast pork not too different to how I normally cook the leg of lamb, tandoori style.
I will vouch for their B & B pudding with cardamoms, pistachios and sultanas. I have been flavouring mine with cardamoms for quite a few years, it works well and nuts also work.
I will definitely be watching again. If nothing else, their banter makes me laugh !

[Dena Profile]

Thank you jeral. Will try to watch in real time on Sunday.

Good reviews from you too Mamta, I'm looking forward to it.

[Meena Profile]

I've been really enjoying this, they've been doing what I normally do when "spicing things up a bit." But what makes me chuckle, like you Mamta, is their banter. They are a funny pair!

[Mamta Profile]

There is some rivalry going on underneath that happy banter, don't you think?

[Dena Profile]

I must be getting a grumpy old woman. I've gone off Rick Stein and I personally am not sure that these two guys can really carry a show. I was disappointed this time round I'm afraid.

[Mamta Profile]

I must be getting a grumpy old woman.

You may be right Dena, me too

...I personally am not sure that these two guys can really carry a show. I was disappointed this time round I'm afraid.

I have to agree with you there. There was something wrong there in this episode, wasn't there? I thought it was some kind of 'not trusting' or 'not liking' each other. Perhaps it is just inability to carry the show, as you say, who knows? The thing is that both of them are supposed to be great chefs individually!
I sometimes wonder about some food shows by these well known chefs, that are based around such ordinary, everyday Indian foods. Perhaps they should get Indian house-wives to do it for them. After all, it is they that cook such things every day of their lives. They will do it without making huge money from TV companies !
I have to say that most of my British or non-Indian cooking has been learnt from friends, acquaintances, colleagues and people I meet on my travels, not from chefs, much as I enjoy watching them or looking at their glossy books.

[Dena Profile]

I'm glad I'm not the only one Mamta . I think these chefs are just jumping on the bandwagon - easy money for not a lot. I suppose it could be that cookery programmes are the new black

I think you are right in getting Indian housewives to do it for them. Though saying that I didn't like the HB's when they did use housewives. But then I don't like them.

Definitely a grumpy old woman these days. Watching the Great British Bake off and finding that boring now. Really enjoyed the first one(s) but this one .

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I think Madhur Jaffrey and Anjum Anand both do home cooking despite the fact that the BBC insist on calling Anjum a "chef" (she so isn't; the episode where she tried to run a restaurant kitchen for a day was hilarious)

Why can't we have chefs and "ordinary" cooks both?

And remeber, "The Incredible Spice Men" is not about Indian home cooking - it's about developing fusion cooking which is different

Off to Mr Todiwalla's tonight

[jeral Profile]

The programme does seem to be very ordinary British food with spices added. I'm afraid I tend to drift off whilst watching it, which is a pity because I wouldn't mind jotting down some of their spice combination tips.

[kavey Profile Website]

I don't know Tony Singh but I've met Cyrus Todiwala a few times, most recently last Tuesday night at a blogger event for turkey.

Mr Todiwala is exactly the same in real life as on telly, I find. He's hilarious, he rambles and rambles, he loves telling a tall story, he's very very gregarious and he gets huge joy from sharing food and cooking with others. I wonder why he doesn't do classes, but perhaps all that he does already is enough for him!!

He was telling us about pouring some oil and he described the shape of the oil pouring from the spout as akin to a rat shitting. I asked him, please could he tell us the circumstances and reasons in which he was watching rats shitting!!! He said, in India we have a lot of rats, really large ones, but still I was giggling, imagining why he'd watch them. But then he explained about a spice in India, the long tailed pepper, he said, actually the hindi name (which I've forgotten) translates to rat shit, because the "tail" is that shape, which is where he took the expression from.

His banter is very warm and very funny in person, and he's very quick and witty.

I didn't see the episode but would imagine the banter was mostly pretty friendly, though anyone can have bad days or get sick of each other, I'd guess!!!!