| Anything is possible in soaps. But when it comes to the kitchen, unless you know the basics, you are in a soup.
Narayani Shastri, who essays a double role of mother and daughter in Piya Ka Ghar, is well aware of this. So on the rare occasion that she cooks, she sticks to making what she knows best: baingan bharta, tur dal and aloo parathas.
The nattily dressed Narayani is fond of short kurtis with a Patiala salwar or T-shirt and jeans. An avid film buff, her pecking order for enjoyment is music, dancing, reading and food.
Though she isn't a foodie, she says, "If the food doesn't look appetising or spicy, I just can't eat it." Narayani Shastri's thought for food
I begin my day with three glasses of water. I don't have tea, coffee, or juice in the morning. I head straight for breakfast.
My breakfast is either milk and cornflakes or aloo parathas or bread and butter. I also have a glass of neem/ karela/ palak juice. I am a UPite; my dad is from Allahabad. Food at home is typical UP food. Dal, chawal, roti, sabzi. Aloo paratha is my favourite meal. My mom is a Maharastrian. I enjoy sabudana khichdi.
I'm 95 per cent vegetarian. My favourite vegetarian food is anything prepared with aloo. I also relish baingan ka bharta and bhindi ki sabzi. In non-veg food I prefer fish. If I am served chicken curry, eat only the gravy.
I carry home-made food for my shooting. I eat food at intervals of three hours. In the evenings I eat theplas or a khari.
I work out every day for an hour and a half with my personal trainer. I alternate my workout between aerobics, cardio, stretches and some ab exercises.
I am a restaurant person. Urban Tadka, Bade Miyan, Side Wok, Holiday Inn, Amar Juice Centre are my regular haunts. I love the Chicken Cheese Chilli Grilled sandwich at Side Wok. Even Sheetal Samudra has an excellent ambience and I love the palak khichdi there. Another place I like to party at is H2O.
I don't experiment with food. I enjoy only Indian so I eat at very few places. I am allergic to sweets. I must always have fruits in my fridge.
It becomes very difficult for me to eat abroad because they serve loads of meat dishes. Even Indian food tastes different abroad. I either eat at a Pakistani joint — if I am lucky to spot one — or settle for a burger. To make matters worse, I am not a pizza person.
I have tried all kinds of food but I like only Indian, especially Punjabi
I would never eat snakes and lizard. I have heard people raving about crocodile and camel meat but I would starve rather than eat this stuff.
My favourite restaurant table: the extreme left corner table at Urban Tadka.
I cook occasionally. I can't make exotic fare but can cook decent tur dal, aloo paratha and baingan ka bharta.
After dinner I sit in vajrasana for 30 minutes. It is a yogic aasan which increases metabolism and helps in digestion.
I think I resemble a green chilli as I am quite hot tempered.
My favourite fruits are mangoes, litchis and cherries.
My favourite spice — chilli.
My favourite kitchen Appliance is the non-stick. I don't like it if the black coating gets scraped off.
My first cooking disaster was when I tried boiling eggs without adding water to it when I was a toddler.
My mom is a brilliant cook. I put on 10 kilograms because I binged on aloo parathas cooked by her. I ate them day and night with dahi and pickle.
My favourite beverage is fresh fruit juices. I am not fond of drinks though earlier I occasionally enjoyed a glass of red wine.
When I was at Symbiosis College in Pune I loved to go to Vaishali, a south Indian joint famous for its masala dosa. In the camp area, Caf Naaz served awesome kheema samosas. I also liked the french fries and sandwiches at Prem's at Koregaon Park.
Later, I moved to Government Law College in Mumbai. Sundance at Churchgate was my favourite hangout.
During monsoons, french toast and egg burji taste delicious.
The secret of my recipes: I put loads of chopped onions in whatever I cook. |
| Narayani Shastri's baingan bharta 1 big baingan
1 tsp oil (for applying on the baingan)
4 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 to 3 green chillies, finely chopped
4 to 5 onions, finely chopped
1" ginger, crushed
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp red chilli powder
21/2 tsp coriander powder
tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
3 to 4 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped
To garnish
ufinely chopped coriander leaves Method
Make a slit in the centre of the baingan to ensure there are no worms in it. Apply a tsp of oil on the baingan and then roast it on a gas burner. Flip sides every two to three minutes to ensure even cooking. Remove in a plate and let it cool. Peel the skin and keep aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and green chillies. When the cumin seeds splutter, add onions and saut until they turn golden brown. Add crushed ginger-garlic, salt and red chilli, coriander and turmeric powder.
Saut for a few seconds. Add tomatoes and cook till they-are tender and the oil seperates. Add the baingan and mash very well. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot phulkas. | |
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