As a child Anang Desai was told to eat all food because all food is good. But Anang Desai has always enjoyed eating ‘good’ food. A self-proclaimed foodie, he steers clear of sugar and fried food.
Anang has worked relentlessly after beginning with Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi in which he played JB Kripalani. He has worked in more than 60 films and 60 plus television serials.
My dietary preference is: Definitely vegetarian though I do eat eggs.
First thing in the morning: I have a glass of water.
My breakfast comprises: Mainly of eggs and toast and 2 cups of tea. Sometimes I also have oats.
My lunch: Depends on my mood. Dal, sabzi , rotis, one salad and chaas of course. I like to have a variety of dals and sabzis. If I have rice I don’t have rotis. I eat different kind of rotis -- multigrain , bajra, millet and wheat.
Between breakfast and lunch I have a fruit, it could be a pear/orange.
In the evenings I snack on: Makhanas/upma/ poha and sometimes chana and peanuts.
My dinner is: Similar to lunch. If it’s South Indian then it’s dosas and idli sambhar. Sometimes, I like Asian food.
The food I consciously avoid is: Fried food by and large and sugar. No sugar in my cups of tea. I like gulab jamun, ras malai , chocolate cake and besan laddoo but I don't eat sweets now.
My favourite restaurants are : An Asian restaurant sometimes Indian, sometimes continental food. BKC, Lokhandwala and also south Mumbai has good places.
For a romantic meal: Surely. I'd like to take my wife to an exotic place but that's a very private matter.
I am foodie I like many kinds of food but I definitely control my intake of food
I cook: Not really. But I can prepare a simple khichdi and scrambled eggs
My favourite cook in my family: Although we have a house help who cooks for us but the best cook in my family is my wife.We enjoy eating food made by her.
My favourite cuisines: Asian, Continental and of course Indian. At home it is predominantly Indian food.
Tip to the readers: Eat healthy. Try and avoid packaged food. Avoid deep fried dishes and try control your sugar intake.
My favourite recipe is Rajma made by my wife.
Ingredients
250 gms rajma
1 “ ginger (grated and to be added when boiling the rajma)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 tablespoon ghee (to be added when boiling the rajma)
5 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
2 black cardamoms
5 to 6 cloves
1 medium cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
3 medium sized onions (finely chopped)
3 slit green chillies (or as per taste)
8 to 10 cloves garlic (crushed)
1” ginger (crushed)
2 big tomatoes (puréed)
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon red chilli powder (or as per taste)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Finely chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
Method: Wash the rajma well and soak it overnight. Drain out the water and wash it once more .
In a pressure cooker add the rajma, ghee, grated ginger, asafoetida, cardamoms, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, little salt and 3 cups water.
Pressure cook on a high flame till one whistle. Lower the flame. Cook on a low flame till 5 to 6 whistles or till the rajma is well done. Remove from gas.
In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once it splutters, add the finely chopped onions, green chillies and sauté the onions on a low flame till light golden.
Add the crushed ginger- garlic and sauté for few more seconds. Add the tomato purée and some salt. Sauté on a low flame for five minutes.
Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and sauté on a low flame till oil separates. Remove from gas.
Cool and blend the onion tomato mixture. Add the kept aside boiled rajma and mix well.
Let it cook on a low flame till the rajma and the masalas have blended well. Stir at regular intervals. One done, top it with butter.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed Basmati rice.
