Rick Stein's India

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.

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.

Rick Stein begins his Indian journey by exploring the regions that began Britain's love affair with curry - Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The British influence in Kolkata and Chennai remains strong to this day and Rick enjoys the prominence of fish and seafood in so many of their dishes, flavoured with mustard in Kolkata and tamarind in Chennai. Exploring the eating habits of these cities is the start of a fascinating trip for Rick who is inspired to cook dishes like prawns in coconut milk and his mum's version of British Raj curry.