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Esha's Food for Thought

I begin my day:  With a nice cup of masala chai. I like to have kesar, elaichi and ginger in my tea.

I am basically a vegetarian: My favourite is South Indian food. I love spicy food. I like rasam and brinjal a lot. I love baigan ka bhartha and waran bhath. I enjoy eating Thai curry as it's very similar to South Indian food with lots of coconut. In Punjabi foods, I find sarson ka saag delicious.

My breakfast is: Usually oatmeal and a toast with little bit of a jam. Sometimes I put an apple in my oatmeal. I also have a glass of carrot juice.

For my lunch: I make it a point to pack home food if I am shooting. It comprises simple food like one sabzi, two rotis and a dal.

My evening snack is: A brown bread egg sandwich or diet khakras with green tea.

For dinner: I avoid carbs completely if my role demands a certain body type. I just have a bowl of soup and one vegetable. I have my dinner latest by 8.30 pm. However, on holidays I eat whatever I feel like.

My fitness regime: I am not too much for cardio on the treadmill as it has a bad effect on the knees over the years. I workout for half an hour to 45 minutes and if I jog, I just jog in the garden of my house, otherwise I do skipping and, with my trainer, do a few ab crunches, pushups and stretches. I also do my dancing riyaaz as it is very spiritual and calming and at the same time it is also a good form of cardio. When I am shooting, my dancing practice gets a little tough to manage. Otherwise I do it once or twice in a week.

My mom: Makes very good rasam.

I can cook: Thai curry as it's very simple. You get readymade paste, sauté it, add a few boiled vegetables and coconut milk. I make this recipe called Mushroom Patte, you can make this and keep it in the fridge for two days.

My favourite cook: Is my best friend, Shilarna. She went to Paris to study cooking at the Cordon Bleu and is now a professional chef. She is one of the best cooks I know. She cooks great continental food. 

In Desserts, I like: Rasgullas, gajar ka halwa and gulab jamuns. I also love chocolate mint ice-cream from Baskin Robbins.

When I am out of India: I am very much a restaurant person. When I am in Mumbai, I enjoy eating home food. My favourite restaurant abroad would be Pattara, a very famous Thai restaurant in London. I also enjoy eating a lot of cheese fondue, but only on a holiday. If you want to party and eat, I would recommend Hard Rock Café. In Mumbai, I have not been to too many restaurants. The food at the Marriott is very good. I loved the food at Sampan, Holiday Inn too.

My best dining friend is: Shilarna, she loves food. Actually, all my friends are foodies. We all love eating.
Sunday lunch: That's one day I eat everything. I have a peanut butter sandwich, vegetable biryani and ice cream. I think I kind of overdo it. I like to order in doughnuts. I compensate for the whole week in this one day. I have this Maharashtrian cook who makes excellent waran bhath. I love it.

My idea of a romantic meal: A candle-lit dinner in a dimly lit restaurant by the beach where the music is nice and soft. I think fondue and red wine are very romantic. When the bread falls into the melting cheese it means you are going to kiss your partner. If I find someone interesting with whom I would like to be linked with, I'll drop the bread piece in the fondue (laughs).

I think I resemble: A beetroot as I tend to go red with every emotion I feel.

I can't resist buying: Tobasco green pepper sauce and marshmallows.

I feel guilty: Every time I eat sweets. I don't know what to do.

In my car i carry: A box of dry fruits because they are really energising.

My fridge always has: Skimmed milk as I love drinking milk.

I can't stand the smell of: Seafood.

My comfort food would be: Rasam rice or curd rice with tasty pickle. Curd rice is absolutely a comfort food because eaten anywhere, anytime you are safe.

My favourite spice: Green chillies. I need green chilli with every meal of mine.

My favourite beverage is: Iced tea.

My favourite drink: If you are eating cheese on a holiday, it would probably be a glass of red wine.

My favourite kitchen appliance: A nice microwave.


Esha's favourite recipe

Mushroom Patte

Ingredients
1 packet mushrooms
1 or 2 tsp low fat butter
1 small onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
1 tsp red wine
Lots of pepper (or as per taste)
Salt to taste

Method
Wash the mushrooms really well and cut into halves. In a non-stick pan, lightly heat butter. Add onions and garlic. Sauté on a low flame till the onions are transparent. Add the mushrooms, little salt and cook. Once the water from the mushrooms evaporates, add red wine and pepper. Sauté for few seconds. Remove from gas and cool. Grind in a mixer and store in the fridge (it can be consumed for two days). Use it like a sandwich spread.