Great British Menu ™

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Ryan

Great British Menu 2026 (Season 21)

Challenge Type:

Pearl barley and red lentil dal

Pearl barley and red lentil dal with spiced mushrooms, vegan cumin butter and green oil

Inspired by Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott (from South Shields), with a gladiatorial diet as its hook.

Ryan: "Pearl barley with a diet of gladiators. So we've got pearl barley and red [lentils]." The spice base is built from whole and ground coriander, turmeric, roasted cumin, paprika, and ground cumin. The dal simmers with a whole scotch bonnet for added punch.

Ryan: "We've got vinegary coriander, the turmeric, roasted cumin, paprika, ground coriander and some ground cumin." A vegan butter is made by blending butter with whole roasted cumin seeds.

Ryan: "I'm going to serve it in a wooden ball, as a gladiator would eat in a wooden ball. And then we're going to have going to make a vegan butter and pipe it onto a wooden spoon. So as a diner, you'll finish that, stir that in." A mix of oyster, enoki and shiitake mushrooms are pan-fried with soy sauce and maple syrup for sweetness.

Ryan: "I'll get them flashed in the pan with some soy sauce and some maple syrup for some sweetness." Additional garnishes: fresh cucumber, spring onion, red pepper, fresh coriander, coconut flakes. Topped with a green oil made from coriander, chives and parsley.

VETERAN ROUND: Paul: "I really love pearl barley. I think to use it as a dal is very clever." Paul at the pass: "Right, let's start with the hero ingredient. The dal, the pearl barley. Are you happy with the seasoning on the dal?" Ryan: "Probably could have gone a touch heavier on the salt." Host: "I think it's missing a bit of salt." Paul: "The mushrooms. Is the soy and the maple syrup there for you?" Ryan: "I think probably a touch more on both. It's probably gone a little bit safe." Cal: "It needs something on those mushrooms to sort, like you say, amplify it. Squeeze a lemon or something acidic." Paul: "In terms of depth of flavor, is that how you want it to be?" Weike: "It's so flavorsome with those spices." Ryan: "I wanted it to be quite a hearty bowl of food. I think it brings that." Jamie: "I think it's really wholesome, hearty. I think it's a seven." Cal: "Yeah, I agree. That's a seven." Paul at formal scoring: Score 6. "Ryan, for your dish, From Grain to Glory. This is another fantastic link to the brief. It missed an opportunity to eat from the wooden spoon like a gladiator. The barley was cooked really nicely. Unfortunately, Ryan, your dish lacked salt." Host: "You must be kicking yourself a lot, because anything that can be improved with your dish is so easy to rectify." JUDGING ROUND: [To be completed when judging round transcript is received]

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