Imagine a young actress not following a strict fitness regime or a restricted diet? Shiny Doshi eats everything and is not apologetic about it. And yet she looks like a million bucks. The Free Press Journal caught up with her for an exclusive chat. Excerpts:
My dietary preference: I was an eggetarian. It’s not that I haven’t tried non-vegetarian food, but I am highly allergic to seafood. Once, when I had a severe allergy, it took me almost four to five months to flush out the allergy completely out of my system. Since that day, I have been allergic to eggs and all non-vegetarian food.
In vegetarian fare, my favourite dish is: I love pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri and ragda pattice. I am quite a chattori.
I begin my morning with: A glass of water and then a cup of ginger tea.
My breakfast is: I’m not a breakfast person. I skip my breakfast.
My lunch is: Either sabzi and roti or dal and rice. I don’t eat sabzi, roti and dal rice together. I eat two chapatis at a time.
One thing which is a must with my meals: In summer I have buttermilk or curd during lunchtime.
My evening snack: On the days I am very hungry, I dig my teeth into a sandwich or sev puri. I relish set ka samosa and there are times when I call for a Subway or something chatpata.
My dinner is: A vegetable biryani or a khichdi. I enjoy yummy and heavy food if made at home. To be honest, I don’t diet and yet I manage. I have been blessed. After a long working day, I am so exhausted that I just pass out without having my dinner. When I put on weight, I have my dinner around. 7:00-7:30 pm and then I don’t eat anything thereafter.
My favourite desserts: I’m a very desi person – rasmalai, gulab jamun, rabdi or kajukatli. My husband (Lavesh Khairajani) likes chocolate walnut brownies.
My health regime: I don't follow any structured routine because I shoot for 14 hours a day and that leaves me exhausted. I workout at home only so either I do a 5 km of running cycle or floor exercises and stretching. Stretching is very important.
My idea of a romantic meal: A rooftop restaurant from which you can see the entire city. A couple of drinks and munchies, I usually don’t club in food and too much alcohol.
The weirdest combination of food I have ever had: Chinese food with masala papad.
On a hot summer day I like to have: Dal and rice and drink nimbu pani or buttermilk. I love nimbu pani during summers.
My favourite restaurants: Too many to name one. I love Asian cuisine, sushi and dimsums. Sushi has been my hot favourite since three years.
My favourite cook in the family and they make: Whatever my mom makes is very good. If she were to wake me at midnight and ask me to eat something she has cooked, I will be most happy to do so.
A tip for the readers: My diet is neither very inspiring nor very healthy. I eat everything. Probably I do so because I know my body and I know how to control my diet, how to stay fit. I don’t want to cut down on my food and not eat because I’m a big-time foodie. I love food!
My favourite dish: Sindhi curry is my favourite, my mother-in-law taught me how to make it.
Recipe for Sindhi curry
Ingredients:
1/2 to 3/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
Few fresh curry leaves
2-3 slit green chillies (or as per taste)
7 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (or as per taste)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 litre water (approximately)
100 gms lady finger
100 gms cluster beans (gawar)
50 gms French beans
2-3 medium sized potatoes
1 carrot (cut into cubes)
1 lemon sized tamarind
Salt to taste
Method: Chop the ends of the lady fingers, cluster beans and French beans. Make slits in the centre of the lady fingers. Cut the potatoes into quarters. Cut the carrots into roundels. Soak the tamarind in little water. After some time, extract the pulp and keep aside.
Heat oil in a big heavy-bottomed vessel. Add some fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. When the seeds splutter add curry leaves and green chillies. Add gram flour and sauté on a low flame. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and sauté till the gram flour turns a shade light brown and it releases oil from the sides. Add water (depending on the desired consistency) and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Add all the veggies, salt and mix well. Give it a boil. After a boil, cook on a low flame till all the veggies are cooked. Stir at regular intervals.
Lastly, add the tamarind water and cook for five minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice and some French fries.
