Known for his comic roles in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and Chutki, Gaurav Gera has won rave reviews for his non-comic performance as the spy Mohammad Aalam in the recently released Dhurandhar. He is a picture of restraint. Gaurav exhibits equal control in his diet too. He follows his grandfather’s advice: Jitni bhookh hai, uss se aadhi roti kum khao.
My dietary preference: I am a vegetarian, who rarely eats eggs too. I have to make a conscious effort to remember to have an egg.
The first thing I have when I wake up is: Water. Later, I have a light breakfast.
My body tells me that: Capsicum doesn’t suit me. Eggs also I can’t have more than one in a day.
Foods I consciously have: I eat lots of fruits, green vegetables, salads and sprouts.
I am trying: To turn vegan... but I haven’t still succeeded entirely. I have started using oat milk in my coffee and it tastes good and I feel much better also... I am realising a lot about my body.
Foods I consciously avoid: I eat everything, be it ghee or butter, but in moderation. I keep a check on my oil intake. I definitely avoid deep-fried food. Even while eating out, I try to find another option on the menu instead of fried.
My favourite cuisines: I love South Indian food a lot. I can have idli, dosas and sambhar for every meal.
My favourite food as a child: Everything that my mom made. She is a great cook and I love the parathas she prepares — whether of gobi, mooli or aloo. In winters, parathas are the best thing to start your day with.
My culinary abilities: I can call myself a good cook. I cook chole rice, idli, dosa and sambhar well. I cook with a lot of passion; I don’t find it cumbersome. That’s the beauty of cooking — you can choose to do taam-jaam or you can keep it simple, depending on the time you have.
I learned cooking: When I came to Mumbai first. I didn’t know how to cook, but I started acutely missing my home food, so gradually I started learning to cook. I feel everyone, whether a girl or a boy, should be able to cook.
My favourite desserts: Dark chocolate is my favourite. In Indian sweets, I love kheer and halwa. Actually, jalebi is my favourite, so although it is deep-fried, I have it occasionally.
My favourite dish: I love aloo puri, but since puris are deep-fried, I feel guilty after having them. When I do indulge, then I skip the next meal and have green tea.
In winter: I enjoy having the hot mungphalli which you get on the roadside in Delhi, especially when the weather cools. I love that with a little salt.
Food on the sets of Dhurandhar: We shot a lot in Thailand, so there would be a separate counter laid out for Indian food. We would all sit together and enjoy because the catering was really very good.
Being vegetarian in Thailand: Bangkok is very India-friendly. There were five to six really good Indian restaurants close to where we were staying. Apart from that, I found vegetarian options in their street food too — you just have to specify what you want.
Thai food is: A cuisine that I just love. When I was not shooting, I would go out and have Thai food. In Thai food, I simply love the mango sticky rice; it’s mind-blowing. I found that they sell imli ka paani or tamarind juice kept in big pots. One day, I had a big glass of it, which led to burping, but it was tasty. I should have opted for a small glass.
I make very good dahi wali aloo tamatar ki sabzi, which is my favourite. It’s my mom’s recipe, which I try to make exactly the way she makes it.
Representative Image |
Recipe of Dahi Wali Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabzi
Ingredients:
4 boiled potatoes (cut into cubes or slightly mashed)
A few boiled soya chunks (optional)
3 tomatoes (made into a puree)
4 to 5 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1-inch ginger (grated)
5 to 6 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 to 3 slit green chillies (or as per taste)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (or as per taste)
2 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
A few fresh curry leaves
1/2 cup fresh curds (beaten)
Salt as per taste
Sufficient water to make a gravy
A handful of finely chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add ginger, garlic and green chillies, and sauté on a low flame for a few seconds. Add the tomato purée and sauté for five minutes. Add the powdered spices and curry leaves, and continue to cook on a low flame till oil separates. Slowly add the beaten curds and stir continuously to avoid curdling. Add the potatoes, soya chunks and salt, and sauté on a low flame for a few minutes, mixing well with the spices. Add sufficient water. Cook until the curry thickens slightly. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with puri.
