In partnership with PAKCO
A recipe can tell you how much spice to add. Knowing when a dish tastes right takes practice, and spending time with someone who has been doing it for years is a very good place to start.
At Shovanie Devraj’s family home, with Clinton and Aunty Angela Moodley, our cook ahead of Diwali brought that relationship between experience and confidence into focus.
Since 1948, Pakco has built its name around spice blends, pastes, pickles and atchars. There is something reassuring about cooking with a brand whose history spans generations, particularly when you are feeding people with well-established opinions about dinner.
The confidence still needs to lead somewhere delicious: the crunch of a chilli bite, roti lifting rich paneer chutney, or curry gravy soaking into basmati rice.
Diwali’s themes of light, renewal and generosity invite us to think about what we carry forward. For me, one answer is making time for the people who feed us, learning something from them and eventually returning the favour.
“Don’t Ask Aunty. Ask PAKCO.” There is a smile in that campaign line. Aunty’s knowledge still matters. PAKCO helps another cook find the confidence to get everyone to the table.
Exclusive Pick n Pay and PAKCO Competition
Buy any PAKCO product at Pick n Pay, link your Smart Shopper card, and you could stand a chance to win R50,000 cash!
• Exclusively for registered Smart Shoppers who have opted in to receive communications.
• Competition ends 8 November 2026. Ts and Cs apply. Visit www.pnp.co.za for more
