- News
- Recipes
- Chocolate
- Columns
- Meet the Team
- Editor’s Corner
- A Bite of Britain
- A Conscientious Kitchen
- A Southern Table
- California Love
- Cooking Croatia
- Cooking the Magazines
- Cooking with Roses
- Cocina Latina
- Deliciously Greek
- Deutschlicious
- Dining Down Under
- Don’t Yuck My Yum
- Eating South Africa
- From a Vermont Kitchen
- From Bacon with Love
- Ingredient Oracle
- Mexico on My Plate
- Middle Eastern Magic
- Nordic Cuisine for the Home Cook
- Pig of the Week
- Savoring Seoul
- School of Tapas
- Sense Memory
- The Gastro Man
- The Gelato Diaries
- The Healthy Dinner Table
- The Intrepid Eater
- Culinary Travel
- Drinks
- Stories
- Testing
- Video
Socialize
Home » Entries posted by Reena Pastakia
Stories written by Reena Pastakia
Reena grew up thinking Indian cooking was a dark art where the quantities of spices required in each dish were innately known to a chosen few. It was only after she married an Englishman with a voracious appetite for Indian food that she started phoning home for cooking tips. She started her blog (coconutraita.com) in an attempt to document her family’s recipes and make Indian cooking accessible to all.
Reena grew up thinking Indian cooking was a dark art where the quantities of spices required in each dish were innately known to a chosen few. It was only after she married an Englishman with a voracious appetite for Indian food that she started phoning home for cooking tips. She started her blog (coconutraita.com) in an attempt to document her family’s recipes and make Indian cooking accessible to all.
Masala Mackerel with Cumin Spiced Mushy Peas
The cumin spiced mushy peas in this recipe are both simple and delicious.…
Spiced Mushroom Tart
Enjoy Reena Pastakia's awesome spiced mushroom tart that costs nothing to make.…
Cheap Mini Break – Parisian Treats
On a recent trip to Paris, Reena Pastakia selflessly spent ten days eating her own body weight in tasty delights.…
Tamarind Margaritas
These are perfect - not so frozen so they'll give you head freeze, and perfectly balanced.…
Bangladeshi Lamb with Rice
Despite the long list of instructions this is really simple to make - give it a go.…
Star Anise and Vanilla Poached Pears
Here is a fantastic recipe for Valentine's - a reasonably healthy dessert with flavours that will surely cleanse your palate.…
Diary of a Trainee Chef
Last year, Reena Pastakia quit her job to sign up for an Intensive Cordon Bleu Diploma course. Here she tells us about the first weeks.…
Golden Chocolate and Almond Burfi
This recipe is significantly less sweet than the shop bought variety, covered with a chocolate ganache to give it a luxurious quality.…
Interview with Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar
Atul Kochhar is an Indian born, British based chef and is widely acclaimed for his take on modern Indian cuisine. Reena Pastakia visited him in his restaurant Benares.…
Dream Job Interview – Fortnum & Mason’s Confectionary and Bakery Buyer – Natalie Griggs
Thinking that being a confectionary and bakery buyer at a luxury food and wine store would be a dream job? Well, you're probably right.…
Film Review – Canned Dreams
Reena Pastakia checked Canned Dreams at the London Film Festival. Here she shares her thoughts about it.…
An Interview with Eric from Books for Cooks in Notting Hill, London
It is perhaps surprising that while most independent bookshops are struggling, Books for Cooks - a bookshop dedicated to cooking is thriving. …
London – An Interview with Sustainable Caterers Squid and Pear
Squid and Pear is an award winning, UK based street food and event catering company run by sisters Claire and Lisa.…
Russian Ambitions – An Interview with Michelin-starred Chef Hélène Darroze
Hélène Darroze’s third restaurant is scheduled to open in Moscow at the end of October. Reena Pastakia met with her to find out more.…
Does Food Have to be Authentic to be Good?
Why are we so obsessed with the authenticity of a recipe or a dish? Isn't it more important that it actually tastes good?…
Sixty Second Interview with Shelina Permalloo – MasterChef 2012 Winner
Shelina Permalloo was crowned winner of UK MasterChef 2012. Reena Pastakia managed to squeeze into her schedule to ask her a few questions.…
Eating in London – Catering in Canary Wharf
In the second of a two-part series Reena Pastakia shares some of the best places to eat in Canary Wharf. By Reena Pastakia If you are visiting London on business there is a high probability that you will be visiting…
A Perfect Day of Eating in Warsaw, Poland
For breakfast, lunch and dinner in Warsaw, Poland, Reena Pastakia has a suggestion for the perfect day.…
Eating in London – Sustenance and the City
In the first of a two-part series Reena Pastakia shares some of the best places to eat in the City of London. …
Wimbledon 2012 – Where to Eat and Drink
If you were lucky enough to secure tickets for the tennis at Wimbledon this year, here are some of the best places to eat and drink.…
Interview with Angela Malik – Founder of the Angela Malik Cook School
Reena Pastakia caught up with Angela Malik to find out more about her “five taste sensations” ethos and her career to date.…
Burma – a Gourmet Getaway?
Reena Pastakia had high expectations on Burmese cuisine. Did it live up to them?…
Guide – Where to Eat and Drink in London, England
If you are planning to visit London this summer, here are a few refreshment stops to provide sustenance as you travel between events.…
