 It was a real treat to meet Sumayya Jamil founder of Pukka Paki in London. Sumayya is a very inspiring Woman, she gave up a successful career as a lawyer to follow her dream. Here is my fascinating interview with her. |
 |
| Sumayya Jamil founder of Pukka Paki |
LYWS: When did you create Pukka Paki?
Sumayya: About one and a half years ago but it was a work in progress for many years.
LYWS: Who inspired you to start cooking?
Sumayya: My mother mostly, but all the women in my family were great cooks and inspiring in every way.
LYWS: Do you miss living in Pakistan?
Sumayya: I do sometimes, I miss the culture, the food, my family and the slow pace of life - people have time for people! Most of all I miss my childhood, safe, carefree and happy.
LYWS: How long have you lived in London?
Sumayya: About 7 years and also studied here earlier.
LYWS: What made you give up being a successful lawyer to get in to the world of food?
Sumayya: My heart and soul were never into law. I did it as a means to an end, believing that following a profession that my parents thought would make me independent and financially secure would eventually lead to happiness and become my passion. I don't regret ever doing law, it taught me to think differently. However leaving law for food was easy. I left it to follow my passion - food. I was at the point that I knew I was ready to make the change, hence it was an easy decision. My success as a lawyer doesn't come close to the satisfaction I feel in what I am doing now.
LYWS: What are the clear differences between Indian and Pakistani cuisine?
Sumayya: There isn't a clear difference, that is why they are always thought of as one and the same cuisine. However if you delve into Pakistani cuisine you will understand the subtle and very distinct differences coming from a shared history, one land and yet the differences are highlighted by the geographical position of Pakistan with Iran and Afghanistan in it's North, a lot of the boarder cuisine has highly influenced our food - hence simple, barbecued food with very little or no spice is prevalent in the North of Pakistan. A lot of Pakistani food is meat heavy and that comes from the Arab and Mongol invasions. Mughal food has influenced our cuisine too, as it has Indian, however the land that makes up Pakistan was directly influenced with boarder invasions from the North. In Pakistan you find a lot of meat on the menu, primarily as a dominant Muslim population we have no religious boundaries to eating meat, you will never find pork on the menu of course!
Vegetables are simple, as opposed to Indian ones and bread and rice always feature on a menu. Then there is Southern Pakistan cuisine, such as Sindhi, Balouchi and Makrani - each and every one distinct in ways unimaginable, spicy, hot, fragrant, simple yet rich.
Pakistani style of cooking is different too, we slow cook, braise, bbq, cook under steam and slow fry in a drop of oil to enhance and bring out flavour - these techniques are the reason why even though Indian and Pakistan food share many spices, the flavour of our dishes are distinctly different.
LYWS: Is your 4 year old daughter showing an interest in cooking yet?
Sumayya: Yes she always helps me in the kitchen and loves cooking! I am glad about this because growing up away from Pakistan, this is a little of her culture that I can pass on to her.
LYWS: Do you have a favourite recipe that would inspire someone to start cooking Pakistani food?
Sumayya: Biryani is a great dish to start with and this recipe is simple too - it's a vegetarian version, so quite different from what people expect from a Pakistani biryani - no meat, light in flavour and hardly any oil.
LYWS: Would you like to open your own restaurant?
Sumayya: At the moment I do occasional supperclubs. Opening a restaurant has never been an aspiration - I am here to spread the love of Pakistani food, through writing, teaching and occasionally cooking it for people, but you can never say never!
LYWS: What does the future hold for Pukka Paki?
Sumayya: Some fantastic things have happened over the year, I am on a TV show with Madhur Jaffrey, my recipes are in her book, many other exciting publications have published me - so lots more writing, increasing awareness of the fact that Pakistani food is a cuisine in it's own right, teaching my wonderful cuisine to more people, making them cook the Pakistani way, spreading positivity about my country's culture, traditions and future. These are just some of the aspirations I hope to achieve going forward for Pukka Paki and I will always stay true to my passions no matter what!
