- Oh! Oh!
- Houston, we have a problem.
- Where has this been, my whole life?
- It's so beautiful!
(upbeat music)
- Yo everyone, it's Godfrey.
- Hey, hey, it's Sepi.
I'm challenging my friend, Godfrey,
to make some Persian/Iranian food for a day.
- I'm challenging my friend, Sepi,
to make only Filipino meals for a day.
- Meals that I've selected for Godfrey are,
for breakfast, he'll be making noon barbari
with a glass of chai.
For lunch, he'll be making kuku sabzi.
And for dinner, he'll be making loobia polo with tahdig.
- The meals I've chosen for Sepi are,
for breakfast, Sepi's gonna be making the staple bread
of the Philippines, which is pandesal.
Then for lunch, she'll be making arroz caldo.
For dinner, Sepi will be making beef kaldereta.
This is gonna be a fun one, let's go!
(upbeat music)
Pandesal is Filipino bread rolls
and is an absolute classic
that can be enjoyed for breakfast.
First off, get a bowl, put some warm milk,
melted butter and egg.
Add some instant yeast and give it a good mix.
Add the rest of it to dry ingredients and just mix it up.
Once you've mixed it up, let it rest for a good 20 minutes.
Then you sprinkle some flour on a counter
and you knead the dough until it's smooth.
Once it's smooth, put it into a bowl
and let that proof for about an hour.
- I also want to introduce to you my dough, baby.
It has literally doubled in size!
This is probably bigger than my face!
Hello!
- When it's good to go, get the air out
and cut it into small pieces.
Then you want to shape them into little balls,
roll it using your palm.
Then you put them into the oven for a good 20 minutes
and let them rise.
(crowd applauding)
Eat them when they're fresh out
'cause that is when they are bangin, Ooh!
That is how you you enjoy and cook pandesal.
- I just wanna say, I'm so excited to try this pandesal.
I genuinely wanna mush my face into this!
I know I've seen people have this
with just butter in the middle, so I'm gonna try that first.
Oof!
Here we go! First bite, cheers.
(speaks foreign language)
Mmm!
(table thudding)
What's really amazing, if you like Persian breads,
we're not really known
for super fluffy bread rolls like this.
Mmmm, it's so beautiful.
I'm gonna be a bit cheeky and just do a quick try
and put some, like, Nutella or Peanut Butter in it.
Mmm!
(baseball bat sound followed by cheering)
Hit it out the park.
I'm not even just saying this, I feel like
if you put anything in this,
it seriously just would level up.
(cheerful music)
Noon barbari is a common flat bread,
and it's very, very good to get
first thing fresh from the bakery.
- I'm looking at the recipe already
and I'm, I'm like... What?
- [Sepi] Add the yeast and warm water to a bowl.
Then you mix it until it bubbles up a little bit,
and then let it rest.
- Alright, so next mix is...?
- [Sepi] Add salt
- That's quite a lot, isn't it.
- [Sepi] Warm water, oil, then add your plain flour.
Mix that and knead away.
(Godfrey exclaiming)
(boinging sound effect)
Is that kneading?
I'll let that proof while I tidy up.
- [Sepi] Now you should see a huge amount of dough.
Press down to lose the air,
then divide the dough
and let it rest again.
Time to make a quick glaze for your bread,
which is simply plain flour and water.
- Ooh, look at how smooth that is, though!
- [Sepi] Stretch out one half across a tray
and gently make holes or a line across it.
Then apply that glaze.
Time to sprinkle the sesame seeds over the bread.
(cheering sound effect)
Let the bread sit in the (indistinct) wrap for
about 15 minutes, until we have a golden brown tone.
- [Godfrey] Ooh! Look at that!
♪ It's my first time baking ♪
♪ and it came out alright! Hey! ♪
- [Sepi] Enjoy with some feta, mint, and some chai.
- All right, so, lemme just try the bread first.
Oh, it breaks apart nicely actually.
(jazz music)
Mm!
I can eat this by itself.
It's got a nice punch to it and the middle is so soft.
Sesame seeds adds a nice touch, too.
Mmm, mm!
Let me try this with feta.
(jazz music continues)
Cheers!
(Godfrey exclaiming)
This wasn't too hard to make.
My arms hurting already!
How, how, how, how!?
The combo with the Feta Cheese.
Oh! So good,
I'm ready to go to a Persian breakfast shop
and just try one of these and get it fresh and oh!
(Jazz music ends)
(upbeat soft music)
Arroz caldo is basically a chicken rice porridge.
This dish takes me back to when I was young,
when I was a kid, and my mom would make it all the time.
You wanna dice up some onions, some ginger,
and some spring onions and of course,
being Filipino, you need hella garlic.
- Houston, we have a problem.
I broke the garlic crusher.
I used these muscles, you know.
- [Godfrey] Then get your pan and add those ingredients in
and saute them for a little bit.
And get your chicken in there,
let the chicken get a good searing.
Then you wanna add your glutinous rice
and get some water, and let that come to a boil.
And leave that to boil for about an hour.
The chicken should be nice and soft,
so you take out the chicken, shred it,
and then you can add it back to the boil.
So while that's boiling away, you get a new pot,
and you fry the rest of the garlic.
And once that's nice and golden brown get a bowl
and you can serve it up.
And then sprinkle some of that fried garlic on the top.
Add, you know, half a boiled egg to it.
- [Sepi] That will do...
Just wanna say, the eggs need some work.
I know, I know. It's not you arroz caldo, it's me.
Okay? Okay.
Thanks!
- And that is ready to go!
- Okay, we're here.
I have been the most excited for this dish,
I think because it's the most different
to anything we sort of have in Persian cooking.
Cheers everyone.
(soft upbeat music)
(Sepi exclaiming)
That is, like, flavor overload.
It's so good! What I already love
is the crunchy garlic bits on top,
it just like elevates it so much.
Do you know what I can imagine this is, like, amazing for?
If you're not feeling too well,
or if you just want a really hearty meal, like,
when rain is falling outside and the wind is kinda breezy.
I just took, like, bites of the ginger.
Now that, that,
(bowl and silverware clinking)
that makes the dish.
Do you know what I really love about arroz caldo?
It really feels nostalgic.
It just feels like a big warm hug.
Thank you, Godfrey, for putting this on the menu.
Like, ten out of ten for everything so far.
And I'm pretty sure dinner is gonna be the same.
(crowd cheering)
(slow music)
Iranian food is known for being very aromatic,
and this is a grand example.
It's basically a Persian hand frittata,
and it's really good for vegetarians.
- I've never used so many herbs in my life!
Look how much.
- [Sepi] Cut up your onion and the leeks very finely.
Some people like to use lettuce in their kuku sabzi,
but you know, each their own.
My favorite part, time to chop up all the herbs.
- How's my chopping, Sepi?
(ding sound effect)
- [Sepi] And just so you know,
the kitchen is gonna smell so amazing!
- Smells so good!
This would definitely be, probably,
the healthiest thing I've eaten in a long time.
- [Sepi] Cook the onions and the leeks
just so they soften up nicely.
Then add your eggs to your herb mixture,
then it's time to add salt, pepper, turmeric,
fenugreek leaves and a bit of baking powder if you want.
Then fold the leek and onion in and give it a good mix.
- Oh, I can't wait for it to be cooked now,
cause if it tastes anything like it smells...
Ooh, I'm excited!
- [Sepi] Then it's time to whip out your frying pan,
put your mixture in and let that fry
for about six to seven minutes.
- [Godfrey] Do me proud!
I'll be back!
- If it's still a little bit jiggly on the top,
feel free to pop it into the oven for
a minute or two just to set it.
And now it's time to flip.
- Sepi, how am I supposed to flip it?
Do I do it the pancake way?
Oh no! It can't be the way!
Oh! Look at that!
Back on the pot and crisp up.
- [Sepi] And then you're done.
And you have successfully made kuku sabzi.
(speaks in foreign language)
- And this is my kuku sabzi.
Look at that.
It's time for this.
I'm gonna cut it and see what inside looks like.
(slow music)
Let's have a look.
Ooh, look at that!
(speaks in foreign language)
Mmm, it's got everything you need in it.
It got, like, the herbs, the onions,
and it's got the egg.
So it's kinda like an omelet-y kind of texture,
and you just feel good when you eat it
and it tastes delicious.
Thank you Sepi, this is so good.
By itself it's really nice.
I don't feel like you need anything with it.
It's amazing.
I mean, especially if you're like,
trying to eat more veg, this is the way forward.
I'll definitely make this again. For sure.
Beef kaldereta is a beef stew with vegetables.
You really can't get this dish wrong.
So, to start, you wanna saute your onions, your garlic,
and tomatoes so they're nice and brown.
Then you add your beef to the pot
and let that cook for a bit and let it brown
before you start covering it up.
- [Sepi] So far it smells so good just like
all the other dishes I've made.
And I can't wait to let this, like,
sit and rest for a bit and I feel like
it's gonna become so juicy and flavorful
and I just know it's gonna taste so good.
- [Godfrey] After a while we'll add the tomato puree
and the liver pate and give that a good mix.
You wanna add the rest of your vegetables,
your potatoes, your carrots, your peppers,
you wanna let it cook and boil
until the veg is nice and soft and ready to eat.
But yeah, you can literally have it by itself
or with rice or whatever carb you want.
But, beef kalderete.
You can't go wrong.
- It's really cold as well at the moment,
so I feel like this is the perfect dish to enjoy right now.
So cheers, bon appetit!
(soft upbeat music)
(Sepi exclaiming)
Oh my gosh!
(Sepi clapping) (crowd cheering )
I really let the beef stew for a long, long time
and it's made it so melty in your mouth.
Also, I had the idea of bringing
one of the pandesal rolls I made earlier
because I just thought it would be a good idea
to dip in the stew.
Hopefully I'm not doing a disservice or anything.
(soft upbeat music)
Oh! Oh my gosh!
(Sepi exclaiming)
As we always do in our household,
we always have rice left over
from another day before or two.
I'm gonna try it a bit with the rice as well.
(soft upbeat music)
(Sepi exclaiming)
(soft upbeat music continues)
I feel so happy.
I can tell these dishes are, like, a labor of love.
And I think that's one thing I can say
about Persian food, too.
I can see that in common
with all the dishes I've been making.
I genuinely don't know what else to say.
It's just blown my mind.
This is absolutely delightful.
(soft upbeat music ends)
I thought I'd give this dish to Godfrey
because it's a bit more of an introduction
in how to make Persian rice.
A lot of the time when we make rice dishes we make tahdig,
which is an absolute must.
- It's time for dinner, it's time for me
to put my crocs into sports mode
because this one is gonna be a tough one.
- [Sepi] First of all, most importantly,
I cannot emphasize this enough, wash your rice.
Make sure you do this until the water's clear.
- That's about five washes in.
Time to let it soak.
- [Sepi] Now chop up your green beans
into small pieces and get rid of the ends
and then boil them.
Finally chop up one onion and then add your lamb.
Now it's time to boil your rice.
Boil it until it's al dente.
- I mean, that's fine you know!
- [Sepi] Then add your salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon,
tomato paste, and mix.
Add your cooked green beans
and then put that to the side.
And now, it's tahdig time.
Put your pan on medium to high heat.
Add a little oil or butter.
Add a bit of saffron to the base
and swivel the pot so it all mixes.
- Ooh, look at that swirl around.
- [Sepi] Pat the base of your pot tight with rice.
Make some holes in the rice and add a little bit of butter.
Add your lamb and green bean mixture to the top.
Put enough to cover the first layer of rice,
and then add another layer of rice on top and mix.
- Ooh, look at the color.
No, I can't give it to you, Kobes.
- [Sepi] Then cove the rice
and leave for 30 minutes or more.
- I hope and I pray I've done it right.
(popping sound)
- Check the rice.
If the grains are fluffy and cooked
that means one thing.
It's time for the tahdig flip.
- Okay! I've never done this before.
(Godfrey exclaiming)
- Place a big plate over the top of your pot,
put one hand on each side,
and confidently flip.
- I don't have a plate big enough for it.
This is the biggest plate I've got.
(gulp)
Two, three, Okay.
(Godfrey exclaiming)
Look at that!
I did it!
- You did it. And now it's time for you to enjoy
your loobia polo with your tahdig and a side of yogurt.
Enjoy!
- Time to taste it!
Okay, it's dinner time.
It's time for some loobia polo tahdig.
Ooh, oh wow!
Oh, it is crunchy! Yes!
Look at this!
It still remained crispy on the top,
which I'm actually surprised.
So this is my first time having tahdig ever.
(speaks in foreign language)
(soft music)
Whoa! Where has this been my whole life?
I used to avoid, like, the really crispy bits of rice.
But, like, this, this is bangin'.
Apparently I'm supposed to enjoy this
with a bit of yogurt.
Whoa! What!
This works so well!
If you haven't tried this before,
and you love rice, you gotta have this.
It's gotta be my favorite thing today.
I love this, I love it.
(soft music)
- So, Godfrey, how did you find it?
- Wow, cooking Iranian food was fun.
It was my first time ever baking,
so making bread like that was tricky.
It got stuck to my hands a lot.
- Yeah, it's a little...
- Okay, how, how, how, how, how?
- And how did you find cooking Filipino food?
- Oh, I loved it! Honestly, I'm still kind of like,
why have I never made Filipino food before?
I know I'm gonna make it loads of times more
because I loved it so much.
So Godfrey, what was your favorite to eat and cook?
- I think my favorite thing to cook and eat was
the kuku sabzi, cause it was like,
literally a fresh bunch of ingredients
that I've never even cooked with before.
It opened my eyes to some new flavors,
and a new way of cooking.
- Going into this, I was actually
the most excited to make the arroz caldo
because I think it was the most different
to anything I really make.
I am absolutely obsessed with ginger.
That's something I've, like,
loved throughout this whole process.
- I mean, I'm glad you enjoyed the Filipino food.
I definitely enjoyed Iranian food
- Yay!
- I hope I haven't butchered any of the recipes or methods.
- No, I hope I haven't either!
- If any of you've got places we should visit
or suggestions to try, please let us know
in the comments below.
- We hope you've enjoyed this video,
and we'll see you on the next one!
Bye!
- [Godfrey] Peace!
- [Sepi] We did it, we did it!
- [Godfrey] Ah, great, let me just check if I was recording.
- [Sepi] Oh don't say that Godfrey, please.
- [Godfrey] Oh no, I was, I was.