15 February,2009 06:16 AM IST | | A MiD-Day Correspondent
Similar to his carefully measured onscreen performances, Irrfan Khan has a disciplined attitude towards food too
Irrfan's thought for food
In vegetarian food, I don't eat: Parval and cabbage. In non-vegetarian food, if I get the smell of the meat, I can't eat the food, I need to be able to smell the masalas.u00a0
The first thing I have in the morning is: Chilkewala badam and kishmish. I also have juice either of carrots or beetroots or lauki. Sometimes, I eat an egg and two slices of bread. If I am not in Bombay, I prefer idli. I eat poha only if it is well made. On some days, I eat only fruits for breakfast. If I get up early in the morning, I have tea. I keep switching between tea and shehad (honey) ka paani.u00a0
When I am shooting, my lunch is: Carried with me from home. I keep switching between raagi and jowar ki rotis but I don't mix too many aatas. When you mix too many grains together, it's not right for you. If I am in Maharashtra, then I like to eat whatever grows here.
For lunch, I eat: Sprouts, dal and roti.u00a0
My evening snacks: Maybe just nuts. I prefer walnuts and I avoid kaju. I like eating namkeen in the evenings. I really like samosa and dahi wada but I avoid them if I can.u00a0
I'm not a big fan of: Sweets. Occasionally, I eat whatever is available. I like chocolate and ice cream so I have that sometimes. Right now, I am in Jaipur so I eat ghajak.u00a0
My fitness regimen: Is not regular. Sometimes I swim. I regularly do pranayam. I sometimes do Tae kwon do. Depending on the role I am doing, I do weights or some fitness routine. But routines bore me. I don't do very strenuous workouts. I am a sportsman and I like to play sports.u00a0
I don't like eating out:u00a0 When I go abroad, I love Nobu. I love Japanese and Chinese food prepared in their local style. When I am in Chennai, I feast on south Indian food but I don't eat it in Mumbai because you don't get the local flavour.u00a0u00a0
I can cook: Non-vegetarian dishes. I have learnt whatever I have seen in my childhood. I can make yakhni pulao. I can make korma. I can also cook very good sookhi sabzi. My wife loves everything I make. She encourages me to cook. But I am not organised at all. I am very messy and keep spilling the food, which irritates everyone. I also keep asking for things so finally they say, 'Let us cook instead'.u00a0
My mother and sister are great cooks: I can swear by it. My mom's best dishes are shami kebabs and palak gosht. My sister makes different kinds of fish.u00a0
My wife makes: Anything and gives it whatever name she wants. Because she is a writer, she fools people by giving the dishes atrocious names. She makes awesome dishes but she can't repeat them.u00a0
My Sunday meal: There is no concept of Sundays when you are shooting. So I don't have anything special on a Sunday. My idea of a birthday is to feed as many people and to make them feel good about your being born. Sometimes I go to old-age homes and try to see what they want to eat.u00a0
I can't resist buying: Olive oil and salad dressings when I am abroad. I also buy a lot of fruits.u00a0
My childhood memories of food: Are very strong. I remember each and everything from my childhood; even the smell of the tea in the kettle, and the steam that would emanate from it. I remember the smells, I don't get those smells now. My mother used to give me milk every night, which I used to hate; but I had to drink it.
I feel guilty about eating: A late dinner. I also feel guilty when I eat more than what I am supposed to. My formula is that you should leave a part of your stomach empty. If you distribute your stomach in three parts one should be for water, one for food and one for air.u00a0
A fruit that I really like: Is mango, I can keep eating it. Kiwis and berries are also favourites with me.
My fridge is always stocked with: Canned milk or canned fruit juice. I don't like that, though it is a convenience. I don't like food which is leftover in fridges. I prefer to stock my fridge with cold water, fresh fruits and paneer.u00a0
I always carry with me: My silver bottle from which I drink water. I hate the taste of plastic.u00a0
My comfort food: Dark chocolate, it shouldn't be very sweet.u00a0u00a0
My favourite beverage: Mango juice and, at times, watermelon panna.u00a0
My favourite kitchen appliance: Knives. I keep thinking of collecting knives. I like toasters and juicers too but I don't like aluminum containers.
My favourite herbs: Coriander and parsley.
My idea of a romantic meal: It should be outdoors, there should be a water body like the sea nearby, the weather shouldn't be hot. There should be a lot of open space and unexplored forest. The meal should be very light with one or two dishes and there should be a lot of communication.
Irrfan's favourite recipe: Mach paturi
Ingredients
1/2 kg fish (large pieces of Rohu or Katla)u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Sufficient oil to fry the fish
2 tbsp oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp red chilli powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tsp raw mustard oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 green chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to tasteu00a0u00a0
Method
Clean and wash the fish pieces. Rub with salt and a little of the turmeric powder. Lightly fry the fish pieces in sufficient oil. Just before cooking, grind the mustard seeds, along with one green chilli and a little salt. Grind to a fine creamy consistency. Dilute it with water. Mix the remaining turmeric and red chilli powder in a little water. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder mixture to the oil and stir. Gently place the fish pieces in it. Pour the diluted mustard paste through a strainer with large holes. Allow it to boil, adding about a cup of water. You may increase the quantity of water if you want more sauce. Boil for 7-10 minutes. Before serving, garnish with a slit green chilli and one teaspoon of raw mustard oil.
