(alarm blaring) - Oh, Ebbers!
(boys laughing) - I've got it.
(Barry gagging) - Oh no, we broke Ebbers!
(boys laughing) - [Mike] We broke him!
(egg clinking) (egg cracking and sizzling)
- Hello, and welcome to the Ultimate Poker Face Challenge.
And after a many, many, many requests,
today, our chef Ben is in the hot seat,
and he'll be joining Mike and Barry
in testing some fermented foods.
(Mike groans) - [Barry] Oh, no.
- And we'll be seeing if you can hold a poker face
for three minutes whilst you eat them
in their individual form,
and, because we're not horrible, in a full dish as well.
And remember, the winner will get to stand where I am
in the next episode and not eat anything.
Bring on number one! (soft rock music)
Ebbers, lift the cloche.
Ebbers, this is belachan,
fermented shrimp paste, and your time starts now.
(bell ringing)
So this is an Indonesian fermented shrimp paste.
It's used in a lot of
Southeast Asian dishes. - Quite salty.
- Quite salty, yep.
You wouldn't usually have it in that quantity.
How's it making you feel so far?
- I think the overwhelming flavour is salt.
A lot of Southeast Asian dishes that really benefit
from that umami, fermented flavour.
- [Jamie] Yeah. - I see a quiver.
- There's a little bit of sweat under the eyelids,
isn't there?
There really is.
How's that going down?
- Not going down.
- It's not? - Stuck in all of my teeth.
- Excellent.
To make it, it's krill shrimp
that are steamed and mashed into a paste
before being left to ferment for several weeks.
- [Barry] Oh no! - The pungent taste
adds a depth of flavour to many Indonesian dishes.
Baz, you ready?
- Already, I smell like I'm in a fishbowl.
- Well, get ready to taste that fish bowl
in three, two, one, go. (bell ringing)
- The more that it kind of sticks in my mouth
and swirling it around a little bit,
I get a sweetness from it as well.
Like, it's not all bitter.
- Well, Dragon Neptune,
who's one of the people that recommended this to us
on YouTube in the comments from the last video,
said that they grew up with it
and putting up to their nose
can still make them gag sometimes.
Are you getting any of that?
- Actually, no.
I actually quite find that strangely pleasant.
- Oh dear! (boys laughing)
Oh, I'm in huge trouble here.
- Three, two, one go. (bell ringing)
How was that first bite?
- Stunning. - Yeah?
- Delicious, mate.
- What are you getting from that?
- It's a little bit salty, it's a little bit fishy.
Every now and then, you bite into a little salt crystal.
Ah, it's delicious.
I'll tell you what it does do, (sputters)
- Oh? What's it do?
- It puts a warmth on the back of your throat.
- A warmth from the back of your throat.
- Yes. - Would you like to taste it
in the stir fried mushroom and tofu?
- I really would.
- [Jamie] So this is the stir fried mushroom and tofu dish
which is inspired from Meal Packs.
- [Mike] He's chowing that down.
(boys chuckling)
- Got a nice heat to it.
- Wow, that is quite spicy.
- [Jamie] Is it? - Hmm.
- I think I worked out what he did.
- Did he just swallow it?
- [Ben] Swallowed it rather than chewed it.
- How's that?
You getting the full flavour of it?
- That's bloody well spicy! (Barry laughing)
That takes me back to when I cried
in a restaurant in Thailand. (Barry laughing)
It's really nice, absolutely delicious.
Zingy, fresh, fragrant, little bit spice.
- Five, four, three, two, one.
So how was that in reality?
- Fricking horrific.
- Revolting on its own like that,
delicious when used in its proper place.
- Oh, it's only gonna get worse from here.
- Well done boys, we've eased you in gently.
I think you all did fairly well.
I do have to pick a winner
(Mike burps) from that round.
- [Ben] You alright there Mike?
- Ugh, sorry. (Barry laughing)
- I think the winner for me was Barry Taylor,
(scoreboard chirping) for that round,
so well done Baz. - Probably fair.
- One point to you.
- Swallowing's the way forward.
(crew chucking)
- Ebbers, round two. - I'm excited.
- You should be.
Lift the cloche.
- [Ben] Okay.
- Ebbers, you know what this one is?
- Yes, and all of a sudden,
I feel like it's come back at me,
'cause I think I made you three eat this
while we were in Tokyo.
- Oh no, I know what this is, this is natto, isn't it?
- This is natto. (Mike exclaims)
And your time starts
in three, two, one, go. (bell ringing)
- So, fermented soybean, right?
- [Jamie] Yep, Japanese fermented soy beans.
- [Mike] Whoa! - [Barry] Well done Ebbers.
- [Jamie] Stringy. - He's like a duck.
(Jamie giggles)
Above and below water, his little legs were just like,
up and down. (boys laughing)
- So these Japanese fermented soybeans
(Barry groans) have been eaten
for thousands of years, - Oh, I can smell it.
- usually as a breakfast meal
with soy sauce, mustard, chives, and rice,
and sometimes, even raw egg.
Have you had that with raw egg before?
- I have done.
I wouldn't do it again by choice.
- What is the spider web that comes off it?
What's that?
Why is it gluey? (Ben gags)
- Oh, Ebbers! - Oh no!
(Barry laughing) (Ben gags)
- Oh no, we broke Ebbers! (boys laughing)
- It got to one minute, 30 seconds before the gag.
Now, it's worth pointing out that all of the ingredients
that we're using today are delicacies
in countries around the world.
They're loved, they have been for hundreds,
if not thousands of years.
Is it just our Western palate that can't handle them?
- Now Baz, you've actually got to sit down.
- No wait, gimme a minute, give a minute, give a minute.
(Jamie giggles)
- Oh, you gotta chew this one, mate.
So gutted.
- Baz, your three minutes starts in three, two, one, go.
(bell ringing) (Barry shudders)
- Lovely.
- Now, it's often considered an acquired taste
because of its powerful smell, strong flavour,
and sticky, slimy texture.
Some describe it as nutty.
You getting any nuttiness?
- Honestly, I wouldn't say it's the most unpleasant of tastes.
How do you eat this? (Mike laughs)
- Okay Mikey baby.
Three, two, one, go. (bell ringing)
- Mm, that is delicious. (Barry chuckles)
This is my favourite bit about it,
because just when you've finished it,
and you think it's over, there's more!
- When recommending that we eat this,
the comments in the last video, Katie W. said,
"I explain it as having the smell and taste
of gasoline with the texture of snot."
Natto is especially nutritious
because soy beans undergo a process of fermentation,
which creates conditions that promote the growth
of probiotics.
- [Barry] Oh god. - There's so much on your chin.
(Jamie giggles)
- This is outstandingly delicious.
Well, J, I really hope there's more.
Oh, thank goodness there is.
- [Jamie] There really is. - What excellent news!
- So here we have steamed sticky rice
with a raw egg yolk and nori seaweed with the natto.
- Okay. (boys laughing)
- [Jamie] Whoa, that's a really stringy bit.
- When it's yolky, it's better!
Raw egg, you say? - Raw egg, yep.
- I'll be using that in a future battle, that's for sure.
I just crack on with this, do I?
- Just crack on with it, you've got 30 seconds left.
(boys snickering) (Barry groaning)
- It's definitely challenging.
I'm not, it didn't make me want to gag at all.
- I have so much respect for you for going back in.
(Barry groans)
- I'm so sorry you had to see that.
Sushi rice's been slightly vinegared and seasoned.
Helps a little bit.
The richness of the egg yolk doesn't.
- Do you know what?
The best thing- (boys laughing)
- 10 seconds left, Mike.
- What I love about food
is when it leaves a spider web behind.
(Barry chortles) - [Jamie] Five, four, three-
- I could get another one. - -two, one, you're done.
- [Ben] Wow. (boys laughing)
- I've got it. (boys laughing)
- I've got it, I've got it.
(boys snickering)
- I don't feel like I really need to ask you Ebbers,
but how was that?
- Not my favourite breakfast item.
- That was something.
(Mike speaks gibberish) (boys laughing)
I can't talk.
- It's so different to any fermented food I've had before.
- I think we can wrap this one up quite easily.
I don't think there'll be any disagreement here,
Mike, you get the point.
- Not worth it. (scoreboard chirping)
(boys laughing) Round three!
Lift the cloche Ebbers.
- Oh dear, oh dear.
- [Mike] Oh, what are they? - [Barry] What is that?
- There is only one food that I've previously eaten
that I said I don't ever need to eat again.
- Oh, I know what this is!
I know what this is.
- Ebbers, in front of you, you have century eggs.
- [Barry] No!
- [Mike] That is so harsh. - No, no, no no no no.
- There are quail's egg. - No.
- And there is duck eggs
that we've turned into deviled eggs.
- It looks vile. (nervous chuckle)
- Well Ebbers, switch on your poker face,
'cause you're three minutes starts now.
(bell ringing) - [Mike] Oh, straight in,
like an olive.
- [Jamie] What are you tasting?
- Not tasting anything. (Mike and Barry laugh)
- Well, what are you tasting?
- It's a texture thing.
It's a balance, a cross between quail's egg...
- I don't like olives.
- ... meets gummy bear. - [Barry] Yeah, yeah.
- Meets natto. - Oh, great!
(boys groaning)
- You ready for this one Baz?
- This might (beep) me.
(Mike snickers) Just saying it out loud.
- In three, two, one, eat it. (bell ringing)
- [Mike] In One!
- [Mike] Well done. - [Jamie] Well done Barry.
- Now, how much you enjoying that?
- You get the same funk from natto,
but in a really kind of silky, creamy way,
rather than stringy. - [Jamie] Well-
- These are big portions, aren't they?
- They are big portions, just for you.
So the great thing about century eggs is
they're ready to eat.
To serve them,
you just peel them and slice them into wedges.
- [Mike] I've never seen you play
the imaginary piano before.
- I'm very talented.
- Okay, wait, hang on,
I need to get in the zone for this.
- [Jamie] You there? - Eyes on the prize.
Three, two, one, off you go. - Okay.
(bell ringing)
- [Jamie] Ooh, oh there it is!
- Party time!
- Oh, we've missed Party Mike! (Barry laughing)
- I got the rhythm in here.
Wow, that was, whoa, that was an eggy yolk!
Oh, it coats everything,
and there's a delicious, stale flavour coming right through.
Let's try some of this jelly.
- Now what you might have noticed is
that century eggs are almost translucent.
The preserving process turns the egg white jelly-like
with a brown, black hue. - Oh, that's excellent.
- The egg yolks are a deep greenish blue
with a slightly cheesy fermented flavour.
You picking up on that?
- There are too many delicious flavours going on at once
to focus in on one in particular.
But I can tell you that it's all stunning.
(boys chuckling)
- So, century eggs,
also known as pidan, or thousand-year eggs,
or millennium eggs, are a famous Chinese delicacy.
(Ben gags) - [Mike] No, no!
Ebbers!
- I'm in the middle of explaining what these are, excuse me.
Now, traditionally, the eggs are pickled in brine,
and then buried in a mixture of coals, and chalk,
mud, and alkaline-
Are you all right, 'cause there's some teary bits.
- You know what,
it just takes me back to the last time I tried it.
Nostalgia's wonderful. - It is, isn't it?
Why don't you have a start on your duck deviled eggs?
- Duck egg, really rich. - [Jamie] Yeah!
So the yolk has been scooped out, mixed with mayo,
and then piped back into the white.
I say white, it's not really white anymore, is it?
- Mm, wow. (Barry and Mike laughing)
That, that...
What helps this, actually,
is when you... (gags) a little bit,
you bring up some shrimp paste (boys guffaw)
and it helps to season the entire thing.
- Now Uncle Jimbo on YouTube said that
the ammonia smell might get to you if you eat it by itself.
- That might be it. - [Jamie] Is that what it is?
- It's a bit (beep), isn't it? - Right, bit (beep)
- Actually, jelly-like, sweet- - You're not eating it!
- There's not much eating
of the deviled duck's egg. - [Ben] How's the yolk?
'Cause that was a bit- - I'm getting the yolk!
- [Ben] The most interesting. - [Jamie] Lick the yolk.
- Okay, you want me to lick it?
(boys snickering)
- Go on, that deserves a G chord.
(Jamie snickers) (Barry hums a note)
- I'm not gonna lie, I've started not having a good time.
(Barry snickers)
- So the food team have said that
if they were to use century eggs in cooking,
it would be 99% of the time as an accent
in a bowl of congee,
which is a traditional rice- (Mike gagging)
Porridge. (Mike sputters)
- [Ben] I think his butt is clenching that stool so hard.
- [Jamie] Five, four, three, two, one.
(boys and crew laughing)
- That was the hardest thing I've ever had to eat, ever.
- It's mind over matter, because actually,
I don't think it was as bad.
But there was no stopping the gag reflex when it came.
It's like going to a urinal in a nightclub
and licking the toilet thing.
(boys snicker) - [Ben And Jamie] Urinal cake?
- Urinal cake, it tastes like urinal cake.
It's what I imagined. - How did you know that!?
It's what I imagined. (Mike laughing)
- I have a point to award, somehow.
As the only one who didn't gag,
Barry Taylor has to take the point.
(scoreboard chirping) (Mike groans)
Which puts the scores
at two, one, zero. - Yet to score.
Ebbers, you've got to get off the ground in the last round.
(applause and cheering)
- [Barry] Hah!
- There's only one reason that he's dressed like that.
- Ebbers, lift the cloche! - Whoo!
- Ebbers, you've probably guessed what this is already.
This is probably the most requested item
that we have ever had to try on the show.
This is so surstromming.
It is fermented herring.
- [Mike] This smells so bad.
The last time we opened this, you were in a tent.
Not only did you throw up,
but we stunk out the studio for about three weeks after
and we couldn't get rid of the smell.
- Barry, are you okay? (Barry vomits)
(boys laughing)
- [Ben] It's like durian meets natto meets sewage.
- Oh my goodness, yeah, I can smell that.
Not over here!
- Oh no, it's got in the mask!
It's in the mask! (Barry retches) I can't do it!
- Oh dear, oh my.
- So Ebbers, the food team have prepared the surstomming
in the traditional Swedish way,
which is with Swedish flatbreads, sliced new potatoes,
diced red onion, tomatoes, and beer.
- Now has it got bones in it?
That's the quick-
Oh, hello.
- Oof, yeah, that's it,
really get into it. - Oh yeah, cut into it.
- Not gutted, little bit of fish gut in there as well.
I brought some sauerkraut. - Oh, Ebbers!
- Me own ferment.
- [Mike] You're a ridiculous human being.
Barry can't move. - I can't move.
- We haven't even started.
- I can't work out how to breathe.
Into my nose, out through my mouth?
No. (Barry gags)
- [Mike] That is not a handkerchief.
(boys laughing)
Okay, this is giving me a headache, it smells so bad.
(beep)
Do you know what?
I don't need a sandwich.
What's the point?
Might as well just eat it.
- Okay Mike, well, your time starts in three, two, one.
You're off. (bell ringing)
So if you don't know,
surstromming is an infamous Swedish delicacy
made of fermented Baltic sea herring.
In spring, the spawning fish are caught
between Sweden and Finland.
Then the heads are removed,
and the bodies are stored in a series
of salted water solutions.
After roughly two months,
the partially preserved herrings are transferred
to airtight tins,
where they continue to ferment for up to another year.
- It's phenomenal. - [Jamie] Is it?
- Yeah. - And you don't feel the need
for the flat breads - No, it would-
- and the potatoes?
- It would mask some of the flavour.
- It would, wouldn't it?
And what is the flavour that you're getting?
- Delicious acrid burn.
Unbearable salt.
- [Jamie] In three, two, one, go.
(bell ringing)
- Hmm.
- [Mike] Strong munch. - [Jamie] How is that?
- Mmhmm! (Mike giggles)
- Well, lots of Muppet noises, but...
- So, the potato and the bread absorb some of the funk.
I wouldn't say enough of it.
- If it helps Ebbers, Kristoffer said,
"Man, surstromming is easy.
It only smells bad, otherwise it's just salty."
How are you finding that? - Mmhmm!
It's as bad as I remember it.
- Okay Baz, you now have three minute Poker Face Challenge
starts now. (bell ringing)
- [Mike] Any person to ever win a poker face challenge
by not- (Barry gags)
Oh, bye. (Barry sputters)
Bye now! - [Jamie] No!
- [Mike] It's over.
No, okay. (Barry vomits)
Tap out, finish this.
- So according to our research,
this isn't just an acquired taste
that some people find less appetising than others.
People have actually been evicted
from their apartments over the stench,
and even Swedes only eat it outside.
- That's vile.
It doesn't taste of fish.
It's almost burning.
- So paddo05 said,
"This is an exciting Scandinavian dish
that can clear a room even quicker than durian."
- I'd agree.
Oh, lots of bones in that.
Who cares? I'm here.
Oh, that's a lot of bones. (boys laughing)
- If you're expecting me to finish it, I can't.
- You've got 45 seconds to prove-
(Barry slaps table)
- [Ben] Lick a fish,
lick a fish. (boys chuckle)
- There's no point,
'cause the taste, it attacks you.
- I'm gonna do it!
- You are, you're gonna do it.
- I'm gonna, I'm- - [Jamie] seven, six,
- [Barry] Eat it, eat it! - [Jamie] five, four, three,
- [Ben] Wash it down with beer!
- [Jamie] Two, one, you're done.
(boys applauding) (boys snickering)
(Mike gagging) (boys and crew laughing)
None of it's, this is not worth it.
- But would it be worth it if I told you
that I think you take the point from that round.
(scoreboard chirping)
- Not much thinking about it. - Brilliant, brilliant.
There is an even draw of two points each
between Baz and Mike.
Now, the great new is, boys, we do have a fifth ingredient.
It hasn't turned up in time,
so what we'll do is we will do it on Instagram.
If you've had a great time as well,
make sure that you like the video and comment down below,
what should our next Poker Face Challenge be?
It's gonna be Mike or Baz leading it.
Find out on Instagram and we'll see you on Wednesday.
- J, you're steaming up a bit.
You wanna take that mask off?
- It's all right actually. (boys laughing)
- I'll be fine.