Few Bollywood celebrities are as health-conscious as Malaika Arora. A lot of effort is put in by her to maintain the svelte figure that gives her the confidence to wear whatever she wants. For Malaika, what she eats is as important as her gymming and yoga. In an exclusive chat with the Free Press Journal, she shares her food secrets. Excerpts:
The first thing I have in the morning: Warm water with lime.
I am basically a non-vegetarian: I eat whatever my body feels like on a given day. I love biryani and fish curry.
For breakfast, I have: A green smoothie.
Around 11 am, I have: Dry fruits.
My lunch is: Simple ghar ka khana. Veggies, roti, dal and rice.
One thing which is a must with my meals: Pickle.
My evening snack: Fruits.
For dinner, I have: A big bowl of salad or fish.
My favourite desserts are: Besan ka ladoo and dark chocolate.
To keep fit, I do: Yoga. I start my day with some breathing exercises and a headstand.
For health reasons: I have lots of green veggies, and I avoid dairy products.
I can cook: Fish curry. But still, it is nothing compared to my mom’s curry.
My favourite cook in my family is: My mom (Joyce Arora). She makes the best Malabari fish curry.
My childhood memory of food: I started assisting my mom in the kitchen at a very early age. So everything that she used to cook for us is etched into my memory.
The vegetable I think I resemble: Spinach because it is lean, green and healthy.
My favourite cuisines: I relish South Indian and Thai.
My comfort food is: Dal rice.
I feel guilty after eating: Nothing. I eat everything in moderation and never feel guilty about what I enjoy.
While travelling, the weirdest food I have had is: The Fugu (pufferfish).
My favourite drink: Gin and tonic.
For a romantic meal: I would love to have a home-cooked meal and enjoy it with some wine or Gin and tonic.
One tip on food for our readers: I feel everybody’s body is different. What works for me may not necessarily work for others. I like to avoid dairy, but it may be good for someone else. So I always say listen to your body and feed it what it needs. But it’s always advisable to include a lot of green veggies and fruits in your daily diet.
Malaika’s mom’s Kerala Fish Curry Stewed In Coconut Milk
REPRESENTATIVE PIC
Ingredients:
2 red snapper fillets (skin removed)
2 to 3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp saunf
12-15 fresh curry leaves
2 “fresh turmeric (julienne)
2” ginger (julienne)
1 medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
10 to 12 pearl onions
4 to 5 slit green chillies(or as per taste)
11/2 cup thin coconut milk
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
Method:
Heat coconut oil in an earthen pot. Once the oil is hot, add saunf. After it starts spluttering, add the onions, green chillies, curry leaves, fresh turmeric and ginger.
Saute on a low flame. Once the onions turn pink, add the thin coconut milk. As soon as the gravy comes to a boil, add salt. Reduce the flame. Very gently add the fish pieces.
Please do not stir with a spoon or a ladle as the fish tends to break; just gently roll over the vessel around.
The fish will be done in seven to eight minutes. Once the fish is cooked, add the thick coconut milk and cook for a minute. Switch off the flame. Cover and keep aside for an hour so that coconut milk thickens further.
