11 April,2009 11:58 AM IST | | Heena Agarwal and Anita Raheja
Ex-cricketer and current Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa participant Mohinder Amarnath's childhood concoction is going to raise a few eyebrows
Mohinder's thought for food
I am:u00a0 basically a vegetarian but I like to eat seafood.
I have stopped eating mutton and chicken.
I begin my day: with a cold glass of nimbu pani.
My breakfast consists: fruits followed by a bowl of cereals.
My lunch is: always light. I sometimes have Indian meals but usually I prefer to have sandwiches. I never carried lunch during matches as everything was provided for at the stadium.
My dinner consists: largely of vegetarian food.
I am very regular with my: exercising. I have to exercise in the morning but if I cannot then I exercise in the evenings. I don't sleep unless I exercise. I start with breathing exercises and then do some abs and back exercises. In the evenings, if I have time I use the treadmill in the gym or go for a walk. Now since I am dancing, which is also a good form of exercise I do my stretching at the rehearsals
I am allergic to: sulphur.
I hate: any food that has too many chillies in it.
One food or drink that has a childhood memory for me: drinking cola with milk. Half glass coke and half glass milk. It's yummy.u00a0
In the evenings I binge on: it depends on my mood. But during a chill-out session at home I like to have soothing music along with wine and namkeen like chana, dal or papad.u00a0
In my fridge you will always find: fruits, eggs, milk, bread and of course wine too.
My Sunday lunch is: usually a feast cooked by my wife.u00a0
My favourite cooks in my family are:u00a0 my mother. She is a great cook, but doesn't cook nowadays as she is old. All my sisters cook really well.u00a0 But my wife tops the list for me and I miss her food whenever I am out of Bombay. She makes the best bharta in the world.
I can cook: a bit of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare but not as well as my wife. I can cook mutton curry really well. My biggest cooking disaster was when I tried baking a cake for my wife. I never tried baking a cake again.
My best dining friend is: my wife always because she enjoys eating. At times, I like to have a candle night dinner as well.
My comfort food is: Khichdi.
My favourite holiday dining experience was in: Barbados. They have the most exotic seafood. I was a non-vegetarian at that time so I ate my share of mutton as well.
u00a0
In foodstuff, I can't resist buying: fruits. The moment I enter a supermarket I pick-up fruits, especially seasonal fruits.
At a supermarket, I also like to buy: Yogurt, vegetables like cucumber and carrots as you can nibble on them the whole day. I also pick up snacks and mushrooms.
I feel guilty about eating: mithai. I just love eating mithai. But it has far too many calories so I try not to keep any at home.
I always carry with me: Nothing in foodstuff, but I used to carry a red handkerchief in my pocket for every match and even now.
My favourite dishes from my hometown in Punjab: tandoori chicken and kaali dal.
My idea of a romantic meal: delectable snacks and wine. The main course would depend on the cuisine. If it's continental then some nice variety of pastas. Otherwise, I would eat yellow dal, sabzis (seasonal) along with crisp tandoori rotis and lots of onions.
My favourite restaraunts:u00a0 I love going to Punjabi restaurants and since I live in Lokhandwala, I eat out at Masala Mantar and Dhaba.
My favourite cuisines: I love Punjabi food but I am not fussy about food. If something doesn't taste right then I try to add some spices to make it right like Tabasco, pepper, etc.
My favourite spiece is: black pepper.
My favourite beverage: Coke.
My favourite poison: vodka and wine.
My favourite kitchen appliance: non-stick pans. You can cook anything in it.
My favourite fruits: pumpkins, watermelons (during summers) and seasonal fruits.
I resemble a: pumpkin because it is healthy, tasty and good for the body as well (laughs).
I don't eat much while: playing matches as were usually thinking about the game. But otherwise I would love to have steaks, soups or lamb chops.u00a0 My favourite venue was Barbados u2014 like I said earlier, you get amazing food there.
I am a die-hard dessert person: I love besan laddoos.
Mohinder's favourite recipe: mutton curry
Ingredients
750 gms onions finely chopped
1 packet tomato puree
1 kg mutton medium sized pieces
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
1 pod garlic chopped finely
1 piece ginger chopped finely
1-2 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Method
Clean and wash the mutton pieces. In a non stick kadai heat oil, add the onions and sautu00e9 on a low flame for 2-3 minutes till golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic red chilly powder, crushed black pepper and salt to taste. Sautu00e9 on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato puree. Mix well.
Add little water if required. Cook on a low flame till the oil separates. Add the mutton pieces.
u00a0Mix well, cover the kadai with a lid and cook on a very low flame till mutton is tender. Stir at regular intervals and add water if required.
Serve hot with tandoori rotis or phulkas.u00a0