Cooking Up A Storm With Jitin Gulati: 'Good Eating Habits Are A Sure-Shot Way To Longevity'

Jitin Gulati’s performance in Maa has been well-received. He has been able to stand up to an actress of Kajol’s calibre. Responding to a health scare that left him bedridden for two months, Jitin has become very careful about his eating routine. Even his favourite recipe, ginger tea, is a good and healthy start to a morning.

My dietary preference: Mostly non-vegetarian.

My favourite dishes are: Mutton curry and grilled chicken.

First thing I have when I wake up: A glass of water, but what truly makes me functional in the morning is a strong cup of ginger tea.

My breakfast is: Protein oats, 2 full eggs — omelette or boiled.

For lunch I have: Mostly grilled chicken and sweet potato or chicken curry with nachni roti, along with one green sabzi and curd.

My evening snack: Protein shake or eggs or a besan roti.

For dinner I have: Grilled chicken, sautéed vegetables, and a piece of sourdough bread.

My favourite desserts are: Moong dal halwa and dense loaf chocolate cake.

My fitness regime: Strength training in the morning coupled with 3 sessions of swimming or cardio or an outdoor activity during the week.

My favourite restaurants: Boojee Cafe, Project Hum, Izumi in Bandra.

My favourite cuisines: Indian, Italian, and Japanese.

One thing I cook very well: I make very good ginger tea. I also learnt how to make good mutton curry during the pandemic.

My favourite cooks in the family: My mother and my sisters (who have taken after my mother in cooking tasty food). I like everything my mother makes, but my favourite is aloo paratha, bhindi sabzi, and rajma-chawal.

As a child, my favourite food was: Rajma chawal and aloo paratha.

Foods I consciously have: I make sure that my protein intake is high during the day.

Foods I consciously avoid: Thankfully, I don’t have a sweet tooth, and sugar intake is something that I always keep a check on.

The weirdest food I have ever had: I have tried octopus. They looked better than they tasted.

My favourite food during the monsoons: If I can indulge, hot chocolate and hot almond croissants are my go-to in this weather.

My idea of a romantic meal: It depends on what the other person wants as well. I am okay with pizzas at home or a sushi dinner at a restaurant.

Food-related memories while shooting for Maa: We shot a lot of the film in Kalikapur, Kolkata, so we were never far away from great food. On our non-shoot days, we would venture out and try the local specialties. I have become a fan of Ilish Mach after this shoot. Since so many of our actors are from Bengal, a lot of the local recommendations came from them.

Tip on food for readers: Please do watch your sugar intake. Be aware of the food labelled as ‘healthy’; it may contain processed sugar. Take care of what you eat. Good eating habits are definitely a sure-shot way to longevity.

Recipe of Ginger Tea

Ingredients (for 2 cups):

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup milk (or as required)

4 teaspoons tea leaves

Sugar (as required)

2” ginger (crushed or grated)

Method:

Boil water in a saucepan. Add tea leaves and ginger. Let it boil on a low flame for a few minutes. Add milk and sugar. Boil on a low flame till you get a nice colour. Strain and serve hot.