Kitchen Quiz: With Dina Begum (Brick Lane Cookbook)
Food writer and chef Dina Begum, author of Brick Lane Cookbook, is a woman who lives and breathes what she cooks and writes about.
As a child she would visit the Brick Lane market with her Dad and purchase lamb kofta rolls at the Sweet & Spicy Cafe.
She was absolutely the perfect person to author Brick Lane Cookbook, her debut book which paid tribute to the multicultural essence of the East of London.
Brick Lane has served a role for many, many years now as a hub for newly established immigrant communities – Huguenot, Bangladeshi, Jewish – arriving in the capital city making their home there, establishing communities and businesses, while expressing themselves and their cultural traditions via food.
An area packed full of city boys, art students, curry house touts, models and tourists, the story of Brick Lane is truly a snapshot of London at its authentic, multi-cultural best.
We caught up with Dina recently in London for our latest episode of Kitchen Quiz.
Q: Hi Dina, we hope you are doing fine. So tell us was there a cookbook that really inspired you?
A: Cookbooks that have inspired me are classic ones, such as books by Siddika Kabir – Bangladeshi author, television personality and nutritionist. My favourite cookbook of hers is the Bangladeshi Curry Cookbook, which focuses on traditional recipes and home cooking. I also love Delia Smith’s writing and recipes – especially her baking books.
Q: What is your favourite item in your kitchen that you simply couldn’t do without?
A: I can’t live without my kitchen scales. I’m an avid baker and this is essential for baking cakes, pastries etc.
Q: Do you have a favourite song, type of music or podcast you like to cook to?
I usually listen to Nina Simone, The Eagles, Paolo Nutini or Classical music – both Eastern and Western.
Q: If you could cook anywhere in the world in any location then where would you choose?
A: I would love the adventure element of cooking in the Sundarbans – the mangrove forest which lies in the Bay of Bengal – across Bangladesh and West Bengal. Perhaps on a boat with freshly caught fish!
Q: If you had to give one single piece of advice about cooking to someone then what would that be?
A: I would say cook what you love to eat and try and cook by instinct instead of focusing on recipes by the letter. This is great when you’re baking – as precision is required but general cooking should be joyful. It’s the best (and tastiest) life skill.
Massive thanks to Dina for sharing her thoughts with us.
And if you haven’t done so already, then don’t forget to check out her cookbook for an amazing snapshot of multi-cultural East London at its finest and tastiest.
You can order the book direct from us right here.
