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At any given moment, Aryan Vaid has his finger in multiple pies. He flew Sahara Airlines for two years, was declared Mr India and Grasim Mr International, models, is a music video star, stage actor and a cook to boot! Yes, at one time he was a chef at Indian Harvest, The Leela Kempinski.
For old times sake, the six-foot man, poses happily with the chef's hat in the newly opened Citrus.
Thought for food
I start my day with a rigorous work out in my personal gym.
I am basically non-vegetarian.
My breakfast is usually six to eight egg whites and a banana milkshake.
I eat a lot of breakfast biscuits throughout the day.
For lunch while shooting, either I eat unit food or carry chicken or egg sandwiches with me. I love to have a glass of sweet lassi or chaas every afternoon.
The best lassi I have had is in Pathankot at the Kake ka Dhaba. I relish raita too.
The best dal makhani I have had is in Katra.
Food is a passion for me.
I dislike karela, dudhi, arbi and bhein (lotus stems).
I am a total paneer-pakoda and bhindi freak.
My mom runs Sunny caterers. She makes excellent mutter paneer and aloo parathas. Till about a year ago, my father made it a point to cook rogan josh or some other mutton dish every Sunday. All my sisters are great cooks.
In non-vegetarian food I love mutton. Earlier we ate mutton regularly on Sundays, but now we eat chicken. In seafood I like only prawns cooked in Chinese style.
In vegetarian I love anything paneer. Also mutter mushroom in kaju gravy, methi mutter malai. I love potatoes. Dum aloo is my all-time favourite.
My favourite dish is alligator sandwiches. They are made from chicken liver and boneless mutton pieces cooked in red thick gravy and served on crisp French bread. These sandwiches are also excellent starters.
I love sipping water. I don't drink tea or coffee.
For dinner I like to eat three aloo parathas or chicken biryani.
I have a huge sweet tooth, I love gulab jamuns. I can eat three to four at a time. Malpuas with rabdi and moong dal sheera cooked in pure ghee come a close second.
I recommend the masala milk at Gokul, Santacruz. I can drink three to four bottles of masala milk at a time. I can really eat a lot without gaining weight.
My favourite cuisines are Chinese, South-Indian and Mexican but Indian cuisine is unquestionably my top favourite.
I love street food, vada pav, rava masala dosa, pav-bhaji and raste ka sandwich. The sandwich guy below my house sells sandwiches worth Rs 4,000 everyday. I enjoy the chaats at Elco market, Bandra.
My favourite mocktail is a pinacolada.
I am a teetotaller.
I like going to restaurants at least three to four times a week.
I love eating chicken tikka masala at Sheetal Samudra and Chinese food at Great Wall Of China, Leela and Legacy Of China, Versova. The chicken stewed rice of Fat Kong, a small joint at Santacruz, is true value for money.
For Indian food, I recommend The Great Punjab, Bandra and Delhi Darbar, Colaba. Another favourite is the coffee shop at Holiday Inn.
In Delhi, you must eat at Rajinder ka Dhaba, Green Park.
During the shooting of Market in Dubai, we stayed at Hotel Fremont. I ate some great schwarma with humus paste. I would have loved to eat the local desserts, but I did not want to put on weight during my shooting.
For the shoot in Mauritius, we had a unit caterer who served us Indian food. To me seafood is very dicey.
After my schooling I joined the catering college at Dadar, Mumbai. Can you believe I worked for two years as a chef at the Indian Harvest restaurant in Leela?
I love making Indian food, I used to love the barbecue section. I loved making Prawns Nisa, which is quiet a delicacy at the Indian Harvest. I also enjoyed making chicken and tandoori pomfret. The first time I entered the kitchen was when I was 15. I made cheese omelettes.
When my mother was away in New York I looked after her catering business despite my shootings. Iss main sharam ki kya baat hai? I would stand behind the counter.
Earlier I used to double as mom's helping hand during parties, now people request my mom to bring me to their parties.
My favourite appliance is the microwave. It makes bread, chocolate brownies and cheese croissants more appetising than they already are.
I think I resemble a cabbage. Like a cabbage I have tons of layers.
On a rainy day I gorge on pakodas. They bring back memories of monsoons in school days when mom would keep a plate of hot pakodas ready as early as nine in the morning.
Mumbai really doesn't have a winter, but if I am stranded in a cold place like Delhi I would love to have kheema pav, brain masala and rogan josh.
For a romantic meal one shouldn't eat very pungent food, avoid onions and garlic or anything that leaves an odour in your mouth. A pizza or a pasta would be perfect. In India the concept of a romantic dinner is missing while in New York there is a restaurant exclusively for couples. The entire restaurant is lit with candles, and the musicians serenade you at the table and make you feel special.
Dal maharani
50 gm pink rajma
200 gm whole black urad dal
2 tbsp butter
3/4 litre milk
3 to 4 onions
4 to 5 tomatoes
3 to 4 tbsp ghee
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder (preferably Kashmiri)
1 tsp garam masala powder
4 tbsp fresh cream
Salt to taste
2 green chillies, slit
1" ginger, juliennes
2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Wash and soak the rajma and the black urad dal separately for six to eight hours (preferably overnight). Drain out the water only from the urad dal. In a dekchi, lightly heat butter, add the soaked dals and milk. Cook on a low flame stirring at regular intervals till done (it takes nearly an hour). Meanwhile boil the onions for two to three minutes, drain the water and cool. Grind the onions to a fine paste.
Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin and chop into fine pieces. In a kadai, lightly heat ghee, fry the onion paste with ginger-garlic paste till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and saut on a low flame till soft. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.
Saut for few minutes. Add the cooked dals and cook on a low flame for eight to 10 minutes. Add fresh cream and mix well. Garnish with slit green chilies, juliennes of ginger and coriander leaves. Serve hot with phulkas and jeera rice.
For old times sake, the six-foot man, poses happily with the chef's hat in the newly opened Citrus.
Thought for food
I start my day with a rigorous work out in my personal gym.
I am basically non-vegetarian.
My breakfast is usually six to eight egg whites and a banana milkshake.
I eat a lot of breakfast biscuits throughout the day.
For lunch while shooting, either I eat unit food or carry chicken or egg sandwiches with me. I love to have a glass of sweet lassi or chaas every afternoon.
The best lassi I have had is in Pathankot at the Kake ka Dhaba. I relish raita too.
The best dal makhani I have had is in Katra.
Food is a passion for me.
I dislike karela, dudhi, arbi and bhein (lotus stems).
I am a total paneer-pakoda and bhindi freak.
My mom runs Sunny caterers. She makes excellent mutter paneer and aloo parathas. Till about a year ago, my father made it a point to cook rogan josh or some other mutton dish every Sunday. All my sisters are great cooks.
In non-vegetarian food I love mutton. Earlier we ate mutton regularly on Sundays, but now we eat chicken. In seafood I like only prawns cooked in Chinese style.
In vegetarian I love anything paneer. Also mutter mushroom in kaju gravy, methi mutter malai. I love potatoes. Dum aloo is my all-time favourite.
My favourite dish is alligator sandwiches. They are made from chicken liver and boneless mutton pieces cooked in red thick gravy and served on crisp French bread. These sandwiches are also excellent starters.
I love sipping water. I don't drink tea or coffee.
For dinner I like to eat three aloo parathas or chicken biryani.
I have a huge sweet tooth, I love gulab jamuns. I can eat three to four at a time. Malpuas with rabdi and moong dal sheera cooked in pure ghee come a close second.
I recommend the masala milk at Gokul, Santacruz. I can drink three to four bottles of masala milk at a time. I can really eat a lot without gaining weight.
My favourite cuisines are Chinese, South-Indian and Mexican but Indian cuisine is unquestionably my top favourite.
I love street food, vada pav, rava masala dosa, pav-bhaji and raste ka sandwich. The sandwich guy below my house sells sandwiches worth Rs 4,000 everyday. I enjoy the chaats at Elco market, Bandra.
My favourite mocktail is a pinacolada.
I am a teetotaller.
I like going to restaurants at least three to four times a week.
I love eating chicken tikka masala at Sheetal Samudra and Chinese food at Great Wall Of China, Leela and Legacy Of China, Versova. The chicken stewed rice of Fat Kong, a small joint at Santacruz, is true value for money.
For Indian food, I recommend The Great Punjab, Bandra and Delhi Darbar, Colaba. Another favourite is the coffee shop at Holiday Inn.
In Delhi, you must eat at Rajinder ka Dhaba, Green Park.
During the shooting of Market in Dubai, we stayed at Hotel Fremont. I ate some great schwarma with humus paste. I would have loved to eat the local desserts, but I did not want to put on weight during my shooting.
For the shoot in Mauritius, we had a unit caterer who served us Indian food. To me seafood is very dicey.
After my schooling I joined the catering college at Dadar, Mumbai. Can you believe I worked for two years as a chef at the Indian Harvest restaurant in Leela?
I love making Indian food, I used to love the barbecue section. I loved making Prawns Nisa, which is quiet a delicacy at the Indian Harvest. I also enjoyed making chicken and tandoori pomfret. The first time I entered the kitchen was when I was 15. I made cheese omelettes.
When my mother was away in New York I looked after her catering business despite my shootings. Iss main sharam ki kya baat hai? I would stand behind the counter.
Earlier I used to double as mom's helping hand during parties, now people request my mom to bring me to their parties.
My favourite appliance is the microwave. It makes bread, chocolate brownies and cheese croissants more appetising than they already are.
I think I resemble a cabbage. Like a cabbage I have tons of layers.
On a rainy day I gorge on pakodas. They bring back memories of monsoons in school days when mom would keep a plate of hot pakodas ready as early as nine in the morning.
Mumbai really doesn't have a winter, but if I am stranded in a cold place like Delhi I would love to have kheema pav, brain masala and rogan josh.
For a romantic meal one shouldn't eat very pungent food, avoid onions and garlic or anything that leaves an odour in your mouth. A pizza or a pasta would be perfect. In India the concept of a romantic dinner is missing while in New York there is a restaurant exclusively for couples. The entire restaurant is lit with candles, and the musicians serenade you at the table and make you feel special.
Dal maharani
50 gm pink rajma
200 gm whole black urad dal
2 tbsp butter
3/4 litre milk
3 to 4 onions
4 to 5 tomatoes
3 to 4 tbsp ghee
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder (preferably Kashmiri)
1 tsp garam masala powder
4 tbsp fresh cream
Salt to taste
2 green chillies, slit
1" ginger, juliennes
2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Wash and soak the rajma and the black urad dal separately for six to eight hours (preferably overnight). Drain out the water only from the urad dal. In a dekchi, lightly heat butter, add the soaked dals and milk. Cook on a low flame stirring at regular intervals till done (it takes nearly an hour). Meanwhile boil the onions for two to three minutes, drain the water and cool. Grind the onions to a fine paste.
Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin and chop into fine pieces. In a kadai, lightly heat ghee, fry the onion paste with ginger-garlic paste till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and saut on a low flame till soft. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.
Saut for few minutes. Add the cooked dals and cook on a low flame for eight to 10 minutes. Add fresh cream and mix well. Garnish with slit green chilies, juliennes of ginger and coriander leaves. Serve hot with phulkas and jeera rice.
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