Anjum Anand - Indian Food Made Easy : Series 2 (2008)

Following on from the success of Indian Food Made Easy, this second series takes Anjum on a journey to show how different regional flavours of the Indian subcontinent can be found up and down the country - from Gujarati cuisine in London to the spicy flavours of the Punjab found in Glasgow.

Anjum Anand grew up in London and Switzerland and regularly visits family in Delhi and Calcutta. She worked in the trend-setting Café Spice in New York and for Tommy Tang and the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles. Anjum is the host of "Indian Food Made Easy" on BBC and now on Food Network's sister station, The Cooking Channel, twice a day on Thursdays.

Through her cookery shows and books, Anjum has made Indian food more accessible to the British public. Her preference for simple home-style cooking has seen her inject her extensive knowledge of traditional and regional Indian cooking into television work. Anjum is determined to change public perception of Indian cuisine as heavy and difficult to cook. She follows the Ayurvedic approach to food and well-being and applies its principles to her cooking, preferring to keep dishes light, fresh and healthy.

Episode 1 - Keralan Cuisine

Anjum heads to Liverpool to meet Lyn, who works as a cook in the local hospital. Lyn often cooks traditional English food at charity events, and she is hoping to raise some money by selling hot food at a stall on Liverpool's biggest farmers' market. Only this time she is going to be cooking Indian food. Liverpool is home to a large community of Keralans, and Anjum puts together a menu of classic South Indian dishes. There is sumptuous coconut chicken fry, delicious salmon fish wraps, and vegetable and rice noodles cooked in a mild broth. First though, Anjum and Lyn head off to meet two local Keralans who are fantastic home cooks: Bina shows them how to make hot Keralan pickles whilst Jessy demonstrates how to make a fabulous salmon curry in a traditional Keralan clay pot. Finally, with 5000 people passing through the gates of the farmers' market, Lyn has to rise to the occasion and get them buying her Indian food.

Episode 2 - Gujarati Cuisine

In this episode we head to Leicester to meet Michael Scott, known as 'Scottie' to his friends. Scottie is captain of one of Leicester's oldest rugby clubs - Stoneygate. Every month they have a team curry night at the club but usually rely on takeaways, so Anjum convinces Scottie to make his own meal for the players. She takes him on a gastronomic journey to find out more about the cuisine that is enjoyed by Leicester's 20,000-strong Gujarati community. Having tasted some local delicacies, she teaches him how to make a fabulous Gujarati classic - Undihyo, a one-pot vegetarian dish.

Then its off to meet Daxa, a Gujarati housewife, who reveals how to make delicious onion bhajis, and the secrets of a Gujarati thali. For Scottie's main course it's a hearty lamb curry with fenugreek dumplings, and chips with cashew nuts. Finally, can Scottie cook up a feast for his 15 curry-loving team mates?

Episode 3 - Bengali Cuisine

In this episode we head to London to meet James Moody, who loves having dinner parties and is a bit of a foodie, but would never cook Indian food as he finds it far too complicated. With Brick Lane on his doorstep, it's an opportunity for Anjum to show him how to cook up a Bengali feast. First they visit the restaurant of top Bengali chef Udit Sarkhel, and the chance for a hands-on experience making keema stuffed mashed potatoes. Then in Anjum's kitchen he starts off learning how to make a fabulous butternut squash dish with chickpeas. A quick trip to Brick Lane and some fantastic fish dishes gets him into groove of fish curry, which the Bengalis love. Back in the kitchen, it's time for James to learn how to make his own fish curry, as well as a fabulous dish of prawns, coconut and mustard. With his friends waiting for their meal in the garden, James struggles to make good that which he has learnt, but what will his friends think?

Episode 4 - Punjabi Cuisine

In this episode we head to Edinburgh to meet Wendy Barrie. Wendy is a champion of Scottish food and a bit of a local celebrity, her cookery demonstrations being extremely popular. She has never cooked Indian food before, but has decided to go on a voyage of culinary discovery in order to demonstrate three Indian dishes to her many fans at one of Scotland's biggest gardening festivals. Glasgow and Edinburgh are home to a large Punjabi community, so Anjum takes Wendy to get a real flavour of the local cuisine. First they meet Tony Singh, one of Scotland's best chefs to find out all about the secrets of how to make rotis or Indian breads. Then it's off to meet Tasnim, a maths teacher at her local school, but a wonderful home cook who shows Wendy how to make pecoras. Back in her kitchen, Anjum shows Wendy how to make a fabulous tarka dal, luscious chicken in spinach and a twist on a Scottish dessert, Punjabi cranachan. Finally it's the day of the festival, and almost 100 people turn up to watch Wendy's demonstration. She's got just an hour to cook the three dishes. With Anjum watching nervously in the audience, will she pull it off?

Episode 5 - Goan Cuisine

In this episode we head to London to meet Jonathon Readman, who two years ago married his Goan wife, Lorraine. Jonathon never cooks but every Sunday takes full advantage of his Indian connection by enjoying a Goan feast at mother-in-law Clara's house. Now it's payback time, and Jonathon is going to attempt to cook for her and his family himself. First it's a trip to top Goan restaurant Ma Goa to discover the secrets of dry-roasting spices, before he's in the kitchen learning his first dish, easy fried spicy aubergines. Then it's a hilarious insight into the extraordinary methods of making prized Goan sausages, before Jonathon gets thrown into the deep end, learning how to make a delicious, authentic Vindaloo - very different to the sort found in British restaurants. Finally Jonathon gets cracking on the ultimate test - cooking for the mother-in-law, and she's not easily impressed.

Episode 6 - Kashmiri Cuisine

Anjum heads to Bradford to meet Jessica, a volunteer chef on board a classic steam train that winds its way through the stunning Yorkshire dales. She and her team have never given the 50 or so fee-paying guests who dine on the train an Indian menu, but now she wants to give it a go. Bradford is home to a large community of Kashmiris, and Anjum puts together a menu of fabulous Kashmiri dishes. First up is a traditional Rogan Josh, rich, hearty and full of flavour. Jessica plans to serve it on the train with a pilaf, so she and Anjum visit the restaurant kitchens of Mohammed Aslam, a local Kashmiri chef, to find out how to make the perfect rice dish. Then back in the kitchen Jessica discovers how to make delicious peppers, stuffed with spicy paneer an Indian cheese. For dessert there is angel vermicelli, topped with orange cream. Finally with a packed train eagerly waiting their first Indian feast as it chugs through the countryside, Jessica has a battle in front of her to get it all cooked on time in her tiny kitchen.