GORDON: This is your baby? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: How do we get in this thing? Oh, my goodness me. Man. It's cozy in here. Let's go. AMRITH: Yeah. Shall we? GORDON: Boom! (bleep) Holy (bleep). What the (bleep)? Crazy (bleep)! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Man, this drive is crazy. Potholes every two seconds. Whoa. I'm in Kannur, India, right on the edge of that beautiful Arabian Sea. Now this region is suited to grow some of the best spices anywhere in the world. I'm dying to get a firsthand look on how they influence the food here. So I'm starting my journey on the coast of Kerala, which has served as one of India's main hubs of the spice trade for thousands of years. In terms of local cuisine, the harbors along the coast are where the action happens. They are where the spices go out and the amazing seafood comes in. Seems like the perfect place for me to begin my adventure. Thank you very much. Perfect. Oh, man, that was bumpy. Now I'm heading to the local fish market to meet an accomplished chef, Shri Bala, who specializes in Southern Indian cuisine. Oh, my lordy. SHRI BALA: Gordon! Gordon, here. Look at me. GORDON: There you are. Good morning. Oh, my goodness. How are you? SHRI BALA: Superb. GORDON: Shri Bala comes from an Indian food dynasty, learning recipes from the first-ever Indian cookbook, written by her grand aunt. This chef, TV host and food historian is a champion of the humble but complex flavors and spices of South India. SHRI BALA: This is my paradise. GORDON: Paradise? Yes. That ride wasn't paradise for me, that was a nightmare. We were in a tuk-tuk, dodging left and right. SHRI BALA: That is our culture. Come, please. GORDON: Right. Shri Bala promised she'd teach me a very important lesson right out of the gate, and I'm excited to get started. MAN: Coconut? GORDON: Coconut? MAN: Coconut? GORDON: Yes. SHRI BALA: I've got a surprise. Why don't you try this? Open it. GORDON: Coffee? SHRI BALA: Could be. GORDON: Right. It's clear. It smells really of nothing, really. SHRI BALA: Nothing at all. (laughs) (coughs) GORDON: What have you put in there? GORDON: Oh, it's a surprise, okay. SHRI BALA: Yeah. Now drink this. GORDON: My mouth is on fire. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Oh, my god. Mmm. Mmm. SHRI BALA: Hope it's cooling you down? GORDON: Okay, that's better. That is delicious by the way, really good indeed. SHRI BALA: So you have had your first lesson. There are more to come. GORDON: Right. SHRI BALA: Come, come, come. GORDON: Wow, that welcome drink wasn't welcoming at all. Lesson number one in South India, they like it hot. So make sure you have something on hand to cool you down. That was super powerful. SHRI BALA: Yeah, that's the bird's eye chili. GORDON: The bird's eye chili, and this is the godsend, this is the saving grace. GORDON: Right. Shri tells me why this is the Shangri-La of spice. The region has been one of the world's leading exporters of spices like pepper, cardamom and chilies for over 3,000 years. Locals have all these ingredients right here in their backyards, so you know the cuisine here will be full of complex flavors and of course, spicy. SHRI BALA: You're in the spice hub. GORDON: Yes, right in the epicenter. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Now I'm here for the week. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: It's going to be a crazy busy week. SHRI BALA: Yeah. GORDON: We start where? GORDON: Wow. In the mountains? SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: The women Shri is referring to are a group of artisan food producers who know more about the region's flavors than just about anyone else. SHRI BALA: These women are the artisan cooks. You'll have to cook their local cuisine. GORDON: Are they demanding? SHRI BALA: Absolutely demanding because it's their food, you know. They know their spices by heart and they are going to tell you on your face if they like it or not. GORDON: Right. I've got my work cut out. Thank you. GORDON: And fingers crossed. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: I'll see you there. SHRI BALA: Definitely. Cheers. GORDON: Thank you. These artisan women cook with some of the best spices on a daily basis-- breakfast, lunch and dinner-- so, talk about new kid on the block. This one's going to be a tough one. Mission set. I've got five days to get up to speed with South Indian cuisine. And since I'm starting here on the coast, I want to see if I can catch some of the beautiful fish I saw in the market. Hey, how are you, Harish? We good? HARISH: Hey, Gordon, how are you? GORDON: Good to see you, my man. Shri said you've got some locals that are going to show me how to catch some great fish. HARISH: Alright, you know how the traffic is. GORDON: Traffic is a nightmare. HARISH: Exactly, so we are going to take the boat. GORDON: Yeah? HARISH: Yeah, let's go. GORDON: Let's go. Harish is going to be my guide whilst I explore the coast. Born and raised in Kerala, he's a foodie with endless knowledge of all the nooks and crannies of the best flavors here. Okay, Capitan, let's go. Zoom, zoom! Yes! Yes! Now this is how you start a fishing trip. I'm given the job of manning the rope, which I'm pretty sure is something they've just made up. It's like riding a (bleep) bull. HARISH: Whoa, nice. GORDON: Woo-hoo! (bleep) Boom! HARISH: So, yeah, here we are. Whoa. (laughs) GORDON: (laughs) Quick, let's go. I've done a lot of fishing in my life, but nothing like the way they do it here. Today I'm going drag net fishing with a local expert and his seasoned crew. HARISH: This is the boss man. GORDON: This is the boss man. How are you? You good? HARISH: He wants us to help. GORDON: Belize fisherman Moydu immediately puts me to work, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Okay, god, this is strong. GORDON: Drag nets are a traditional fishing practice in which a weighted net is used to trawl the bottom of the sea. HARISH: Inside, inside, inside, on the inside. Yeah, yeah, yeah. GORDON: Drag it into the middle, no? HARISH: Yes. GORDON: And man, do you need to put some muscle into it. (bleep) That tide is strong, bloody hell. (bleep) HARISH: Let's see. GORDON: Anything? GORDON: Nothing. Jeez. Nothing. HARISH: Hey, we do have something. You see that? GORDON: That is it? HARISH: Yes, that's it. GORDON: You are kidding me. That is not enough for lunch. Come on. (laughter) Moydu explains it's the tail end of the high season for net fishing, but some days they still haul in a good catch, so we're going to give it another go. GORDON: Right, let's get it back in. HARISH: He wants you to be up in the front now. GORDON: How far are we going out? Other side of the surf? HARISH: Yeah. 10 meters. GORDON: Any sharks? HARISH: Yeah. (laughs) GORDON: This time I'm going to be a point person, which means I'll swim the net out with two of the guys and set it deeper in the sea. (men speaking native language) We need to swim beyond the breaking waves, fan out, drop the bottom of the net, then we drag the net and all the fish back to shore. Easy, right? But this giant net and its rock weights weigh over 200 pounds. (men yelling) HARISH: A wave is coming, look out, look out, right behind you. Look back, look back. GORDON: Now that we've made it past the break, it's time to spread out, drop the net, then swim it back in. GORDON: This is brutal. I'm worried my breaststroke might turn into an actual stroke. HARISH: Come on, Gordon! Tie the rope, tie the rope. Come on, pull it back. Gordon, come on! Pull, pull, pull, pull, pull, pull! Pull it! GORDON: I've completed several Ironman, but wading out there and swimming out there with a huge net, that's unreal, trust me. HARISH: Come on, Gordon, very quickly. GORDON: You know, the guys make it look easy, and they are super fit, but the drag on that thing, against these powerful waves, man, that's hard work, let me tell you. Anything? Nothing? HARISH: Nothing. GORDON: (bleep) Is that it? HARISH: Yeah, that's it. GORDON: When you're dragging a net full of jack (bleep), trust me, it's frustrating. All that work, for that? HARISH: Yeah. That's your lunch. GORDON: Wow. Bloody hell. Net fishing on the fringe of its high season didn't pay off today. But Moydu's smart wife knew he might come back empty-handed and already had a fish curry cooking so I could try some authentic Keralan cuisine. WIFE: Hello. GORDON: How are you? WIFE: Good. GORDON: Nice to see you. HARISH: Mmm. Tasty. How is that? (Gordon coughs) GORDON: It's hot. (coughs) HARISH: So she's saying that there is a way she can reduce the spiciness. GORDON: Oh, coconut? WIFE: Coconut. Coconut. Coconut milk. GORDON: Coconut, yes, please. Yeah, or a fire extinguisher. Something. This? HARISH: Yeah, yeah. GORDON: Wow, she's handy with that cleaver. I bet he never upsets her. HARISH: (laughs) No, he doesn't. GORDON: I bet he's never late for dinner. What's she doing now? HARISH: Oh, she is grating the coconut. GORDON: With her feet? HARISH: Yeah. GORDON: Bloody hell. The coconut, I mean, it's such a staple here. HARISH: The land, Kerala, it basically means the land of the coconut. GORDON: Right. HARISH: So we have it in abundance. GORDON: It's a great cooling-down agent. HARISH: Yes, it is. GORDON: I just... Oh. (bleep) HARISH: So she is asking you to go and do it. GORDON: Bloody hell. Is it left foot or right foot? Does it matter? HARISH: No. GORDON: Okay, here we go. (clacking) GORDON: (bleep) (bleep) HARISH: Come on, Gordon. (laughs) (bleep) HARISH: She's making fun of you, by the way. GORDON: This is like the most awkward yoga pose ever. HARISH: Yeah, you might as well sit down. HARISH: She is saying that you've done a good job. GORDON: Enough? HARISH: Yeah, enough. GORDON: Oh, my god. It's obvious now, with size 15 feet, I would never be able to grate coconut quickly. Man, she's good. GORDON: Right, thank you. Ahh. Thank you. HARISH: Then you mix it up. GORDON: That's better, a lighter curry. GORDON: Mmm! HARISH: How is it now? GORDON: That is beautiful. That's delicious now. HARISH: Yeah? GORDON: Wow. HARISH: Yeah. GORDON: It's amazing how it just elevates it and makes it fragrant, a lot lighter, and so much sweeter. Shri Bala showed me how young coconut water cools spice, but this addition of milk from mature coconut pulp is next level. It's cooling and it also adds flavor and texture. The complexity of this dish changed with that one small addition. Madame, I love you. That is delicious. WIFE: I like you. GORDON: I said love, you said like. Honestly. That is delicious. Wow! Now I've got some ideas flowing. So I'm starting to piece together this curry for the end of the week, because how can I not take inspiration from that lady? The essence of that curry, bloody delicious. Thank you. Right, let's go. Do you want me to drive? HARISH: Uh, no. You have already seen the traffic over here, it's crazy. GORDON: Yeah, I know, but I'm a good driver. I have a little bit more experience than you, I reckon, as well. Being tossed around like a rag doll on bumpy roads is not an ideal way to digest a fiery curry. (horn honks) But Harish is keen to show me his favorite fruit stall. That sounds refreshing in this heat. HARISH: This is not a normal fruit stand. GORDON: Really? HARISH: Yeah, this one packs a punch. GORDON: Gotcha. Can I drive? Please? HARISH: (laughs) No, you cannot. GORDON: Come on. I'm not good at being this side. I'm a bad passenger. I can drive, I promise you. You must be tired. HARISH: You know what, I'm just going to take a small shortcut. GORDON: A shortcut? HARISH: Yes. GORDON: Harish quickly learns the only way to shut me up is to give me what I want, but before he hands me the keys, he takes me where I can do the least amount of damage. GORDON: What, I can drive on the beach? HARISH: Yes, you can. GORDON: Excellent. HARISH: All yours. GORDON: Let's go. Finally. Okay. Seatbelts on, I'm going to take you for a swim. HARISH: (laughs) Go ahead. GORDON: Here we go. Woo! HARISH: Woo-oo-oh! So you know how to drive, huh? GORDON: Oh, I've been driving a long time. (laughs) This beach is one of the only spots in the country where it's legal to drive your car on the sand. Right about now, I'm guessing Harish is wishing he hadn't told me that. Damn. I didn't want to give him the wheel, so I just thought I'd take the long road back...and forth, and back and forth, two or three times. (laughing) I'm sure you're asking yourself, Gordon, isn't this a colossal waste of your time? Don't you have a ton to learn? Doesn't Harish regret giving you the keys? The answer to all this is a resounding yes. One, two, three, woo-hoo! (bleep) Oh, come on! Water in. Water on board! Don't conk out now. (engine struggles) HARISH: Oh, man. GORDON: Don't conk out now. (engine struggles) HARISH: Oh, man. (engine revving) HARISH: Yes. GORDON: Turn this bad boy around. That was amazing. HARISH: Yeah. So we're going to stop over there and we're going to switch. GORDON: Oh, no. No, no, no. HARISH: Yeah. GORDON: I was enjoying that. No more shortcut? HARISH: No more shortcut. GORDON: Damn. GORDON: Thank you. Oh, man, this is boring. I've worked up quite an appetite, and I'm ready for my next culinary pit stop. No doubt it will be spicy. Is this it? HARISH: Yeah, this is it. GORDON: You didn't indicate to pull over light. Next time I've got to drive. HARISH: I did, I did, I did. Come on, you didn't see it. GORDON: Hello. VENDOR: Hi. GORDON: How are you? VENDOR: I'm fine. GORDON: Oh, man, good to see you, bud. GORDON: What is this? VENDOR: (laughs) Which one? GORDON: Is that real? VENDOR: Yeah, it is. GORDON: You sure? Is it, is it real? HARISH: Yeah, it is. GORDON: How come it's gone ginger? Are you ginger anywhere else? VENDOR: Totally ginger. GORDON: Everywhere? VENDOR: Everywhere, ginger and chili. GORDON: The ginger chili man. We have lots of Scottish men that look a little bit like you, big men with big ginger beards. I brought my own ginger. Matt, come in. There's Scottish ginger, look. That's called real ginger. That was not real. That was like a wild raccoon staring at you. So this is your favorite stand? HARISH: Yes, this is my favorite stand. Everything is in brine. GORDON: All in brine? HARISH: Yeah. GORDON: Bloody hell. Just the minute you lift that lid off there, you can smell, you know, the chilies. HARISH: Yes. GORDON: It has hit me, yeah, no, I'm not going to cry yet. So, unlike the sweet, refreshing fruit in my kitchen, these are marinated in a blistering hot brine of chilies. HARISH: Here you go. GORDON: Thank you. HARISH: Good. GORDON: Wowzers. So how long has it been in this chili? GORDON: 15 minutes. HARISH: Yeah. HARISH: Only pineapple. (coughs) GORDON: (bleep) That is so hot. No, no, honestly. HARISH: It's not hot at all, come on. GORDON: My lips are numb. My throat's on fire. And I think I've got ginger hair on my big toes. (laughs) HARISH: The whole point is when you have something as spicy as this, it opens your pores, alright? You sweat a lot. When you sweat, that's the time you cool down. GORDON: Thank you. So, no spice in there, no cardamom? HARISH: No, no, no spice. GORDON: Promise? HARISH: Yeah, I promise. GORDON: Wow. That's delicious. GORDON: Gotcha. So the whole cooling down process is important, so you're hot, cold, hot, cold. HARISH: Yep. There you go. (laughs) GORDON: Honestly, that is-- my mouth is on fire. Now it's getting nice and cool. GORDON: Fire will gone? No. I think it's coming through my bottom. Don't worry about that for the moment. VENDOR: Nothing happening, sir. GORDON: Trust me, there's a lot happening downstairs. I'm learning more about the purpose of spices here. It's not just about flavoring a dish. The heat of the spice produces sweat, which cools the body, and different cooling agents give relief to the five-alarm fire in my mouth. Mother Nature knew what she was doing here in Southern India. ♪ ♪ I've only got a few days left before I cook my feast for a group of female artisan cooks. So it's time to move inland and learn the secrets of the forest. From Kannur it's a three-hour drive to the mountains of Coorg, where acres of coffee, tea and spice are grown on the forest hillsides. Shri Bala has arranged for me to meet a family that runs a local coffee plantation, and they're going to share their authentic black pepper-based pandi curry recipe. Amrith, how are you? AMRITH: Hey, good to have you, Gordon, good to see you. GORDON: What an amazing plantation. AMRITH: Thank you. GORDON: This place is gorgeous. GORDON: How long has it been in the family? GORDON: I know the pandi curry here is legendary. GORDON: Sarsu. So I'm lucky to have the plantation's family cook, who's been making the dish for decades, to show me how it's done. Now what's so special about this pandi curry? GORDON: Right. GORDON: Pork is not widely eaten in India for religious regions, but in Coorg it's a delicacy. The tribal ancestors of this region hunted wild boar to survive, resulting in this world-renowned dish. So in there, what's she got in there now? AMRITH: Then we add this masala. GORDON: This is a wet masala, right? AMRITH: Yeah, this is the wet masala. GORDON: Amazing. So in there we've got shallots, garlic. AMRITH: Cumin seeds. GORDON: And the chili. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: So she breaks it down first. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Like that? AMRITH: Yeah. It's your turn. Yeah. GORDON: Man, so bash first, right? AMRITH: Yeah. We need it to be, like, fine. GORDON: A fine paste. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Right. AMRITH: Sarsu says you have done it. I think we are good. GORDON: Done it? AMRITH: Yeah. Yeah. GORDON: I've done my back in. GORDON: All in? AMRITH: Yeah, all in. GORDON: It's going to be too spicy. AMRITH: No, no, no. It's not too spicy, you can just feel the fresh flavor of the masala. GORDON: Feel it? My eyes can feel it, big time. AMRITH: Now you need to add this black masala. GORDON: Wow. Next? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: This is the... AMRITH: How is it? GORDON: Why is that so bitter? SARSU: One spoon. GORDON: One spoon. Woo! AMRITH: Now you just like stir it. GORDON: Now it's going up a level. GORDON: Right. AMRITH: Yeah. AMRITH: See the whole texture, color, everything has changed. GORDON: Wow. The kachampuli is a dark, acidic, bitter liquid, but it turns the meat jet black, almost like a molasses. It lifts that pork to another dimension. Wow. AMRITH: Yeah. How is it? GORDON: Mmm. (coughs) AMRITH: It's spicy? GORDON: It's hot. (laughs) GORDON: So the lime's going to cool that down? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Again, going back to the super hot and super cool. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: The bitter limes grow on the other side of the plantation, and it turns out when Amrith isn't running the plantation, he is running a rally car in local races, which is super fast, super fun, and almost big enough for two people. How do we get in this thing? Oh, my goodness me. (bleep) (bleep) Man. It's cozy in here. This is tight, huh? AMRITH: It has to be tight. GORDON: I'm happy to drive, by the way. AMRITH: If I get a chance to drive one of your cars, yeah, this is yours. (laughs) Probably the Ferrari. GORDON: I may be old, but I'm not (bleep) stupid. AMRITH: Shall we? GORDON: Let's go, buddy. Boom! AMRITH: Let's go. (engine revving) GORDON: Holy (bleep)! (bleep) Crazy (bleep) (bleep)! (bleep) (engine revving) GORDON: This may seem like a lot of effort for a couple of limes, but if going to the market was always this much fun, I'd buy my produce one piece at a time. ♪ ♪ GORDON: Gotcha. Woo! Come on, driving in a coffee bean plantation with all this amazing terrain, honestly, right now I'm happy as a wild boar in (bleep). Look at these. AMRITH: Can you get that? Yeah. GORDON: Up there? AMRITH: Yeah. You're tall. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Wow, they're beautiful. Look at the size of them. AMRITH: Yeah, really big. You can also make very good juice out of this. GORDON: These are limes? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Right. Now I've go the beautiful limes, can I drive, please? Come on. AMRITH: Yeah, okay. Yeah. Now it's your turn. GORDON: Yes? AMRITH: Come on. GORDON: Finally, thank you. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Oh, boy. Here we go. The highlight of my week. (engine revving) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Who knew India was going to be a driving dream come true for me? First I got to whip down a beach, now I get to rip through a plantation. I think I want a spin-off series, "Chefs in Cars Getting Curry." (bleep) Gotcha. Boom! That was amazing. Wow. Well done. I still can't get out of this. (bleep) (bleep) My feet are caught, it's my foot. AMRITH: Wait, yeah. GORDON: Sorry. We've got our lives. That was the most fun I've ever had foraging in my entire life. Woo! Now I want to see what this magical ingredient really does. GORDON: Ready? AMRITH: It's juicy. GORDON: It's very juicy. No pips. AMRITH: Yeah, yeah, good. GORDON: Enough? AMRITH: Yeah. Perfect. GORDON: Wow. Can I taste this thing now? Please, madame? GORDON: Look at that. AMRITH: See the color. GORDON: That looks beautiful. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Wow. AMRITH: I'm sure you're going to enjoy it now. GORDON: Here we go. It's so beautiful. Smells incredible. Wow. That's nowhere near as spicy as I thought it would be. It's so delicious. AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Rich. Tart. But the flavor, the lime juice. AMRITH: Lime juice, it's going to balance everything, you know? GORDON: It looks super hot to begin with, but the cooling agent, it's beautiful. Really beautiful. Combining those notes of bitterness, spice together. It's like composing music. It's going to be the balancing act of blending those sour notes to take out the heat at the end. That's the bit I'm worried about. AMRITH: Now I'm going to make you meet my mom. GORDON: Your mom, why? GORDON: Your mother is? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: You're telling me that now? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Oh, my goodness. Thank you so much. GORDON: That was delicious. SARSU: Thank you. GORDON: Seriously? AMRITH: Yeah. GORDON: Amrith's mom, Fancy, runs the plantation with her husband, and if that wasn't enough, she's also the leader of the collective I'll be cooking for at the end of the week. So it's time to turn on the old Ramsay charm and see if I can get an edge on how to please the ladies. FANCY: Please. GORDON: Thank you. So, 500 ladies that are all local. GORDON: So now I'm getting more nervous, because they've been cooking dishes locally for a long time. Are they tough ladies? GORDON: I bet they're perfect. Oh, good. Yes. Coffee liqueur. Can I help? GORDON: Grind the coffee beans? FANCY: Yeah, coffee beans. GORDON: Fancy is famous for her coffee liqueur, and if I can figure out a way to cook with it, I might just score a few points with her. That smells lovely. Beautifully roasted. And this is, what is this one? GORDON: Nice. Mmm. Wow. Let's smell. Wow. That is delicious. So fragrant. In? How many? Oh, half of that? Enough? Yeah. GORDON: May I smell? Ooh. GORDON: Everything's with your eyes. Nothing is weighed out. Woo! GORDON: Two months? I'm here for a week. FANCY: Yeah. GORDON: But maybe if I cook well, I can take it with me. GORDON: I love that idea. Yes. Oh, look, it's very syrupy. Oh, that's beautiful. That smells lovely. Wow. That is delicious. And how much alcohol is in there? GORDON: (bleep) 40%? FANCY: Yeah. GORDON: Honestly? That is really good. GORDON: Mmm. (Fancy laughs) (whispers) A little sip. Just, just a little. That's enough, otherwise your husband is going to kill me. (laughs) Under the table, cheers. Oh, that's good. That with the desserts I think would be beautiful. Whether it's over an ice cream or maybe a... Panna cotta or something to do with rice as well. That's delicious. And who buys this? GORDON: Wow. GORDON: Wow. Amazing. That is amazing. GORDON: And what's that one up there, the top right-hand side? GORDON: Yeah. Bamboo shoot? GORDON: Wow. GORDON: Banana pseudostem, of course it is. (bleep) Can I get an Uber from here? I am definitely pickled. Can I take some of this as liqueur for the dessert? GORDON: Is that okay? FANCY: Okay, yeah. GORDON: It might be the alcohol talking, but I do think I scored some points with Fancy today. FANCY: Cheers. GORDON: Which I'm definitely going to need, because the spices and flavors I've been tasting all week are incredibly complex. I just hope I've learned enough to not embarrass myself when I cook for Fancy and her friends. GORDON: It's the day of the final cook, and I should be getting my fires going. Good morning, how are we? WOMAN: Good morning, Gordon. GORDON: This is beautiful, how are you? But I have a lead on one more special ingredient that I'm told can be harvested nearby. GORDON: What is this secret ingredient? (woman speaking native language) WOMAN: She's making a chutney out of the weaver ant. It's a delicacy. GORDON: Weaver ants? WOMAN: Yes. GORDON: Right. WOMAN: It's spicy, it's salty and it's sour. GORDON: That sounds like a unique chutney, and where are these ants? WOMAN: Right up there, that's what we were looking at. GORDON: What? (woman speaking native language) WOMAN: Okay, she says that he is going to shimmy up the tree, knock that branch off, drop the ants down, and fill it into a sack. GORDON: Do we have a rope for him? WOMAN: This is the ladder that he's brought. GORDON: Ladder? It's like a bamboo stick. Be careful. Are you sure that bamboo is strong enough? WOMAN: It's definitely strong enough for him. GORDON: It's not even tied onto the trees. GORDON: Bloody hell. This is crazy. I mean, really crazy. (bleep) WOMAN: There, he is already on the tree now. GORDON: He's on the tree. WOMAN: Getting it. GORDON: Wow. WOMAN: Yeah. GORDON: (bleep) WOMAN: They know the hills, they know the jungles, they are very, very good at this. GORDON: That is incredible. What a performance, getting the ants. I mean, you know, I'll go to hell and back, you know, to get the best ingredients, but that is a different ballgame. Thank you. WOMAN: Oh, gosh. Watch it, watch it, watch it, get it. Go, go, go, go! GORDON: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me come left. (bleep) (bleep) WOMAN: Okay. GORDON: Can he go to the right? No, no, come left. Come left. I look like I'm attempting the most awkward TikTok dance ever. WOMAN: Catch it! Get it, get it, get it. GORDON: Damn. (bleep) (bleep) Bloody hell. That bag, you know, and you're swaying left to right, bang, I missed it. WOMAN: Shake it up, shake it up. GORDON: (bleep) Damn! And then all of a sudden, they're everywhere. (bleep) Man! And just when you think you've got the last one, you put your hands in your pockets, they're in there. I must have been bitten 50, 60 times. (bleep) Ow. WOMAN: This is a true "ants in the pants" situation. GORDON: This is definitely ants in the pants. (bleep) (bleep) WOMAN: So there we are. GORDON: Ah, you bastard. WOMAN: She's putting salt in this. GORDON: (bleep) WOMAN: (laughs) You are salting the ants now. GORDON: Yes, I (bleep) Ow! WOMAN: You've got to shake it up. GORDON: Those ants are eating me before I eat them. WOMAN: Okay, that's enough. (bleep) GORDON: I think I've got half the ants in my pants. Bloody hell. My goodness me. WOMAN: So we just pick out any dust. GORDON: Now these little bits, the white bits, that's the larvae, right? WOMAN: That's the larvae. GORDON: That's the eggs. WOMAN: Yeah. GORDON: While most of the ants are making a meal of my nether region, the rest are getting chucked into the chutney. WOMAN: First you have to put the coconut in. GORDON: All the coconut in? WOMAN: Everything. GORDON: To make the chutney, we mix coconut, garlic, salt, coriander seeds, and of course, chili powder. GORDON: All of it? WOMAN: Yeah. GORDON: Then we add the ants, some water, and grind. WOMAN: And watch that you don't smash your fingers. Yeah. (woman speaks native language) WOMAN: You are doing good, she says. GORDON: Wow. Wow. It's delicious. WOMAN: Oh, lovely. GORDON: It's a very fresh, vibrant chutney. I love chutneys. That for me has to be the most fragrant, slightly bitter, but with the addition of that coconut meal in there, mmm, delicious. What a delicacy. And for me, a great addition to my final meal. I don't think these ladies are expecting that from me today, so a little ace card up my sleeve, fingers crossed. Time is ticking and I need to get cooking. GORDON: Shri. SHRI BALA: Hi. GORDON: How are you? SHRI BALA: Fine, fine. GORDON: Oh, my goodness me. My dishes are very complex and can't be rushed. The women will be here soon; I have to make them happy. SHRI BALA: Are you ready? GORDON: First of all, can I just say, you look amazing. You make me feel scruffy. SHRI BALA: This is called a six yards. GORDON: Sexy arse? SHRI BALA: Six, six yards. GORDON: Oh, six yards. (laughter) Six yards. I thought you said... SHRI BALA: You're getting very funny early in the morning. GORDON: I'm so sorry. Six yards. SHRI BALA: Six yards. GORDON: Okay. Now. SHRI BALA: What are you going to cook? GORDON: So I'm going to do a pandi curry. SHRI BALA: Oh, wonderful. GORDON: Then I'm going to do like a fish curry. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: And then I'm going to do a dessert with some local rice and an amazing liqueur. So, fingers crossed. SHRI BALA: Oh, wonderful, wonderful. So remember, the first lesson, it is to please the ladies. It is not easy. GORDON: Right, I'm going to try my best to please those ladies, okay? Can we say a prayer for me? SHRI BALA: Yeah. Bless you. GORDON: That's it? Bless you. (laughs) Right. SHRI BALA: Let's start. GORDON: Normally I'm not lacking in confidence, just ask my sous chefs. But this is different. These spices are next level, and the dishes require a precision that cannot be faked. Our guests are expecting perfection, and anything less will be failure. SHRI BALA: Let's start. GORDON: (bleep) (bleep) Why are the pestle and mortars so heavy? GORDON: Flavors? SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Yeah, I think my biceps have popped out. Cooking for a group of local artisan women is intimidating, and whilst Shri Bala is here to help prepare the meal, she's made it clear, it's my job not to screw it up. But as my mentor, her reputation is on the line as well. What are you doing with the pumpkin? SHRI BALA: I'm going to make a curry. GORDON: Right. SHRI BALA: Then I'm going to make a bitter lime pickle. GORDON: A bitter lime pickle? SHRI BALA: Pickle. GORDON: I didn't realize this region was so synonymous with all those spices. The coffee I get, but the spices locally as well has been amazing. SHRI BALA: Can I show you how to do that? GORDON: Really? SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Please. SHRI BALA: See, first of all, you'll have to keep it like this. GORDON: Okay, lengthways. SHRI BALA: Center first, and then... GORDON: Okay. SHRI BALA: A nice crush like this. GORDON: Gotcha. Right. Okay, thank you. SHRI BALA: Okay. GORDON: It's like going for a workout with this thing. Right, pandi curry. Pork. SHRI BALA: If you are getting stuck, I'll help you. GORDON: Thank you, thank you. I'm going to sear this pork. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: I'm going to start off with a little touch of ghee in there. Okay? A lot of fat on the pork naturally, so I don't want to go too crazy. SHRI BALA: Keep it simple. Don't overpower them. GORDON: Woof! Okay. Right, wet masala going in. I met this amazing lady who's been cooking in the plantation for the last 38 years. I was amazed with the kachampuli. I was blown away with the actual flavor. SHRI BALA: Of kachampuli? GORDON: The kachampuli. GORDON: It was so bitter but it gave this nice, dark, sort of richness to the pork. Beautifully done. (laughs) I have this tiny little stone and you've got that beautiful big stone. (Shri Bala laughs) And you watched me do my wet masala with this thing like a bar of soap. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Man. Oh, my goodness me. The heat is on, young lady, that is it. You've set the bar now. Okay. I've gotcha. Right, I'm going to marinate my fish now. I'm taking inspiration from the fisherman's wife and her fish curry. I'm marinating it in chili powder along with turmeric, coriander, and salt. While the fish sits, I'm going to prepare the curry sauce, which has mustard seeds, green chili, curry, and fenugreek leaves, onions, garlic, ginger, salt, and fish sauce. That smells delicious. Can you imagine if you and I had a restaurant together? Guess what we could call it? The King and the Queen. SHRI BALA: (laughs) And who's the king? GORDON: Me! SHRI BALA: No way. GORDON: You can't be the king. SHRI BALA: No way. GORDON: Seriously? SHRI BALA: Seriously. GORDON: You want me to be the queen? SHRI BALA: Maybe. (Gordon laughs) GORDON: I've never seen these toasted limes before like that. GORDON: Love that idea. Wow. Couple more minutes and I'll get my dry masala in the pandi curry and my kachampuli, and then I'm going to finish that with the very, very strong bitter limes. Yes, and I'll switch off the gas and then I'll add my kachampuli. Lime last. GORDON: Right. You are really making me flustered. GORDON: There. Right, I'm going to start my dessert. Cardamom, I want to toast the rice. GORDON: Yes. Right. Beautiful. Do you need more space on the stove? SHRI BALA: You've already taken. I'll manage. GORDON: Right, can I start finishing my dishes, please? SHRI BALA: Yeah. GORDON: What are you going to do with the peppercorns? GORDON: Dry masala in, kachampuli in. And you said finish it at the very end with the lime, right? SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Oh, hello. Hello, ladies. Fancy, hello, good to see you. Nice to see you. Welcome. When the ladies pass to take their seats, there's a lot of seriousness going on there. But listen, they really know their stuff. So I suppose I'm getting critiqued by the best. I want to prove that I can master this. They look serious, those women. I think I'm going to get my arse handed to me on a plate. GORDON: I am ready to cook my fish. While my fish cooks, it's time for me to add the finishing touches to my other dishes. Bitter lime in the pandi curry and coffee liqueur on top of the rice pudding. Right. Fish is ready. For this important feast, I'll be serving up the ant chutney we prepared earlier today, along with a pandi curry and a fish curry. I've also made some rice pudding with a lovely coffee liqueur Fancy got me drunk on. Let's go, madame. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: Shri Bala's side dishes are a pumpkin curry, a charred bitter lime pickle, and she's also made an instant peppercorn pickle. Oh, my goodness me, look at their faces. Like a table full of critics. GORDON: No, that will not happen. Ladies, nice to see you all. FANCY: We are very hungry. GORDON: Yes. I've got my pandi curry here, which is finished with the kachampuli. SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: And that lovely lime. Fish curry here which is a local fish I grilled and then a delicious ant chutney. And then a beautiful rice pudding. Local rice pudding finished with cardamom and that beautiful coffee liqueur. FANCY: Oh. SHRI BALA: So what I have cooked for you is the kumbalakai palya, then I've done my version of the sweet lime pickle, and then this is my surprise to you, fresh green pepper, and I've done an instant pickle for you. This is all with Coorg ingredients. WOMAN: Thank you very much. GORDON: Please enjoy. WOMEN: Thank you. GORDON: Alright, the moment of truth. FANCY: Those lime chutneys. GORDON: Man, they're diving in, aren't they? SHRI BALA: Yes. GORDON: But oh, my god, they're serious. Look at their faces. SHRI BALA: There's a smile on their face. GORDON: That's because they've got pumpkin in their mouth. SHRI BALA: No, it could not be pumpkin, it could be also the pandi curry, let's see. FANCY: Pandi curry. Kachampuli more? WOMAN: Dessert, dessert. Dessert is good. FANCY: It's very nice. SHRI BALA: I am worried. Especially for the pandi curry, if they say this, then. GORDON: Boom. FANCY: This is super. WOMAN: Yeah. GORDON: Moment of truth. Now, ladies, first of all, I've never been this nervous ahead of a cook on the final day, so whatever the feedback, I'm grateful for, but I just want to say thank you for everything you've shown me. SHRI BALA: So how was it? FANCY: Delicious. SHRI BALA: How was the pumpkin curry? FANCY: Yeah, it is good. Thank you very much, Shri Bala. SHRI BALA: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. GORDON: You like the fish? WOMAN: Yes. FANCY: Yeah. The smoky flavor is too good in the fish. GORDON: Right. FANCY: And then dessert, delicious. GORDON: I'm on a roll with these ladies, and I can't believe it, but I'm knocking this one out of the park. WOMAN: Gordon, your pandi curry presentation was too good, but it required more spice for our ladies. GORDON: More spice. WOMAN: Especially pepper. GORDON: Right. (laughter) GORDON: So more spice. WOMAN: 10% more. GORDON: 10% more spice. Right. FANCY: And less kachampuli. GORDON: Less kachampuli. Wow. You ladies are on it. Thank you. Okay. So I've got some homework to do. More spice in my pandi curry. WOMEN: Yes. GORDON: Yes? Hotter? More spice? Right. They want more spice. 10% hotter. But listen, they know their onions, let's get that right. And also, you're cooking for women that are powerhouses in the community, that cook this kind of food on a daily basis, three times a day. So 10% is not that far off, but it's not good enough as far as I'm concerned. Well, I can say in my life as a chef, having cooked now for over three decades, I have met the original Spice Girls. (laughter) Thank you. FANCY: That's a good one. (laughter) GORDON: Goodbye now. FANCY: Goodbye. GORDON: I've had an amazing week, hauling huge fish nets, risking life and limb with Amrith to harvest some of the freshest ingredients. It's been fascinating to see how Mother Nature handles the heat here, providing spices to help cool the body, and other cooling agents that magically balance that fire. But what I've really understood more is what this region has to offer in terms of some of the best ingredients to create some of the most mouthwatering dishes I've ever tasted. Now, on to my next adventure. Captioned by Side Door Media Services