Kala Channa with Asma Khan

In the One Dish Christmas special, chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi cooks Andi Oliver one of his favourite festive feasting dishes - a stunning platter of roasted aubergine drizzled with sunshine yellow saffron-infused yoghurt and jewel-like pomegranate seeds. It’s technically a side dish, yes. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a stand-alone thing of beauty. How does it fit in alongside the traditional Christmas bird with all the trimmings that his husband and kids adore, or a more vegetable-focused New Year’s Eve spread for friends and family? Yotam reveals all. Andi and Yotam discuss how they approach catering their family Christmases and what the spice trade has to do with the Essex town of Saffron Walden, and Yotam reveals a game-changing tip for getting that perfect, melt-in-the-mouth texture and those caramelised edges when roasting aubergine. Also, Kimberley Wilson explores the unexpected benefits of a Yuletide banquet - find out why attending the office Christmas lunch might actually be good for society as a whole. Food Scientist: Kimberley Wilson Food Historian: Neil Buttery Producer: Lucy Dearlove ExecutiveProducer: Hannah Marshall Sound Design: Charlie Brandon-King Assistant Producer: Bukky Fadipe Commissioning Producer: Lynda Davies A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4

In the final episode of the first series of One Dish, comedian and writer Jack Rooke brings a lovely little ramekin of one of his favourite foods: stuffing. Intended to keep meat moist, and to eke out expensive cuts so they go further, they’re now an indispensable component of a special occasion meal for many people - including Jack. He shares some of his favourite stuffing memories, and admits that when it comes to the preparation he’s very much a sous chef and it’s his mum who’s in charge in the kitchen.

Presenter, comedian and actor Jayde Adams joins Andi Oliver this week to discuss a mutual favourite dim sum dish: cheung fun. These steamed rice noodle rolls filled with pork, prawns or other delicious things weren’t familiar to Jayde until relatively recently. Although she grew up with a close family connection to Chinese cooking, it was her mum who introduced her to the joys of dim sum in a Chinatown restaurant on a visit to London. Andi and Jayde learn about the extensive history in China of cooking with rice noodles like this, and also about the interesting possibility that the dish may have evolved in the absence of another ingredient. Kimberley Wilson explains the science behind why this type of steamed noodle dish remains delightfully chewy and bouncy despite not containing any gluten. And you’ll never guess what technological innovation Jayde’s planning to install in her new kitchen; probably no use for making her own dim sum though! Food Scientist: Kimberley Wilson Food Historian: Neil Buttery Producer: Lucy Dearlove Exec Producer: Hannah Marshall Sound Design: Charlie Brandon-King Assistant Producer: Bukky Fadipe A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4

Andi Oliver is joined this week by musician and actor Jordan Stephens and he’s brought a dish that’s close to both of their hearts - ackee and saltfish with dumplings. It’s a Jamaican national dish beloved in Britain by people from all parts of the African and Caribbean diaspora. During Jordan’s childhood it was a crucial part of the Guyanese buffet at Stephens family Sports Days in North London parks. Neither ackee nor saltfish originated in the Caribbean, so how did they end up on a plate together there? Jordan and Andi explore the history of the dish and its connection to the transatlantic slave trade, as well as how food intersects with the complex experience of Black British Caribbean identity. And there’s a cautionary scientific tale from Kimberley Wilson, on how surprisingly dangerous ackee can be if not handled correctly. Food Scientist: Kimberley Wilson Food Historian: Neil Buttery Producer: Lucy Dearlove Executive Producer: Hannah Marshall Sound Design: Charlie Brandon-King Assistant Producer: Bukky Fadipe A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4

Presenter and former Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing meets Andi Oliver this week, and he’s talking about his mum’s Thai chicken noodle soup. Jamie grew up with underwhelming boarding school food - piles of sausages and meat and two veg. But his mum’s passion for cooking meant that when he went back home his mealtimes were much more exciting. Andi enlightens Jamie on the origins of his dish - actually a Ken Hom recipe for a Northern Thai dish called Khao Soi which originated from historic Chinese and Burmese migration into Thailand. They consider the varied global forms of chicken soup, why chicken thighs taste more of happiness than boneless skinless chicken breast and what the pungent savoury notes of fish sauce add to this soup. And Kimberley Wilson looks into whether there’s any peer-reviewed scientific evidence for it being more than just comfort food. Can chicken soup cure the common cold? Food Scientist: Kimberley Wilson Food Historian: Neil Buttery Producer: Lucy Dearlove Executive Producer: Hannah Marshall Sound Design: Charlie Brandon-King Assistant Producer: Bukky Fadipe A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4