Reema Lagoo's food habits-article

Baked kheema potato delight

3/4 kg kheema (minced meat)
4 to 5 tbsp oil
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies (finely chopped)
3 medium-sized onions (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
3/4 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 kg potatoes
100 gms butter
Pepper to taste
A tsp of butter for greasing the dish A handful of boiled macaroni (for garnishing)
A thinly sliced tomato (for garnishing)
3 to 4 cubes of grated cheese

Ingredients for white sauce

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cube of cheese (grated)
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean and wash the kheema well. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel. Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies and saut for a few minutes. Add finely chopped onions and fry them on low flame till they turn pink. Add the kheema, turmeric powder and salt. Cover with a lid with some water on it and cook on a low flame. Let the kheema cook in its own water. If you feel the water has dried up, add a little water and continue cooking. Stir at regular intervals. After the kheema is almost done add coriander powder, cumin seed powder, garam masala powder and red chilli powder. Saut for 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame. The cooked kheema should be fairly dry. Keep aside to cool. Boil the potatoes and mash them. Add butter, salt and pepper to mashed potatoes and mix well.

Method

To make the white sauce
Lightly heat a tbsp of butter in a saucepan, add a tbsp of flour and saut on a low flame till golden in colour. Remove from gas and add one cup milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add grated cheese and cook till the milk becomes thick in consistency on a medium flame. Remove from fire and then add salt and pepper.

To arrange in the baking dish

Grease the baking dish with a tsp of butter on all sides. Arrange half of the mashed potatoes at the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread out the prepared kheema on the potatoes. Cover the kheema with the remaining mashed potatoes. Pour the white sauce on it. Garnish with boiled macaroni and thin tomato rings. Evenly grate cheese on it. Bake at 180 to 200 degree C for 30 minutes. Serve hot with garlic bread.

Rima Lagoo is currently bringing the house down as the bourgeois housewife who speaks pidgin English — "Put the horse on your tongue and bring it back" — in Mahesh Manjrekar's Tera Mera Saath Rahen.

As proof of her versatility, in an earlier Manjrekar hit, Vaastav, Rima had effectively essayed the role of an anguished mother who shoots her addicted-to-drugs, criminal son (Sanjay Dutt) to relieve him from his dreary existence. The accomplished actress, who began her career as a theatre artiste in Marathi plays like Purush and Ghar Tighane Hava, became one of the most sought after screen moms after she played Rahul Roy's progressive parent in Mahesh Bhatt's musical love story, Aashiqui.

This week, Rima, the favourite screen mother of Salman Khan (think Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Saath Saath Hain) moves her scene of action from the studios to the kitchen to share her culinary expertise exclusively with us.

Rima's food for thought

I enjoy food, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
In non-vegetarian food I prefer fish to chicken or meat. If the fish is made Goan style there is nothing like it.

First thing in the morning I cannot function without my cup of bed tea. I prefer my tea to be very light and without sugar.

My breakfast comprises a fruit, slices of toast and some biscuits.

For lunch I prefer to have very light meals as I am generally working. I just have two to three slices of bread with any sabzi. I love all vegetables, especially the greens.
I relish salads. When I am at home, I make a salad of finely chopped onions, tomatoes, shredded carrot, cabbage, sprouted moong, a dash of ginger, blended with curds. It is very cooling. I am also very fond of curds. I have a lot of buttermilk during the day.

When I am shooting I sometimes carry my lunch from home, otherwise I eat whatever is served on the sets.
In the evening when I am hungry I eat a fruit or oil-free khakras or alternately Mahabaleshwar ka chana or some Marie biscuits.

For dinner I eat chappatis with any vegetable. I have a weakness for rice but I don't like dals.

I am not very fond of going to restaurants but when I do visit a restaurant the choice is dictated by good ambience and tasty food. It should be well lit up and not too noisy.
My favourite restaurants are Legacy of China at Seven Bungalows. I like the fish, prawns and other seafood at Goa Portuguese, Mahim. I also love the food at Gajalee at Vile Parle and Nebulas at Shivaji Park. The cold salami with mayonnaise at Pop Tate's at Versova is delicious.

In desserts I relish caramel custard, apple pie and banana split. I find kulfis very heavy and am not a keen chocolate eater either.

In fruits I love kiwi, watermelon, melon and papaya.

My favourite beverages are buttermilk and coconut water. I am not fond of aerated drinks.

My favourite mocktail is Pina Colada.

My favourite cocktail is Bloody Mary with lots of tabasco sauce on the rare occasion that I have a cocktail. I prefer to have it with gin.

During hot summer months I prefer to have very light meals, lots of fruits and butter milk. No oily food. I drink lots of ice tea during summer.

On a rainy day I love to indulge in Mumbai style pakodas or onion moong bhajiyas or fried fish with lots of tea.

On a cold winter day hot missal pav and besan ka ladoos made in typical Maharashtrian style are ideal.

My favourite cuisine is Indian cuisine. Chinese comes a close second.

In junk food I enjoy pani puri, chaats and bhel puris. I am not fond of pav bhaji or pizza. I make excellent baked kheema with mashed potato and white sauce.