Feasts
BBC4, Wednesday 20 May 9:00pm - 10:00pm
1/3 - India Stefan Gates has risked radioactivity by eating Chernobyl soup in Cooking in the Danger Zone and widened children's culinary appreciation in Gastronuts. In this three-part series he immerses himself in extravagant festivals in Japan, Mexico and, this week, India. A mammoth wedding celebration in Rajasthan shows him a gaudy display of wealth for and by the guests, while harassed chefs sweat in a tent to create 474 different dishes for the banquet. It's in Kerala, however, that the admirably up-for-it foodie really lets himself go. He's painted from head to toe (with household gloss) for the tiger dance of Puli Kali at the Hindu celebration of Onam. Then given a nice kerosene-scrub afterwards. It's more observational than investigative, but Gates lets the eye-searingly colourful sights - and sad extremes - do the talking.
VIDEO Plus+: 3320020
Subtitled, Widescreen
Directed by: Kari Lia
radiotimes
