The Panchayat actor Raghubir Yadav’s choice in food is nutritious, and as simple as he is. He says “I love cooking vegetables in my own way, from chopping onions to cooking on a medium-slow fire. I strive for precision just as I do with my roles.”
My dietary preference: I am basically a non-vegetarian turned vegetarian, but I still cook non-vegetarian dishes. My favourite non-vegetarian food is mutton muhalla cooked by me, while my favourites in vegetarian are turai and bharwa karela.
First thing I have when I wake up: Methi and sabza seeds soaked overnight in water.
For breakfast I have: Porridge with milk and salt, not sugar.
My lunch is: Dal, sabzi, curd, salad, and a roti or two.
In the evening if I am hungry: I have baby bananas, an apple, or seasonal fruit.
My dinner is: Soup, stews, and salads, and sometimes roti and sabzi.
My favourite desserts are: Milk cake and tender coconut ice cream.
My fitness regime: Yoga and Pranayama. I try to go for an hour-long brisk walk when not shooting. On other days, I do spot running. Basically, I like doing something all the time.
Before my workouts: I have a fruit.
After my workouts: I have lime water with honey.
Foods I consciously avoid: Those made out of maida and outside food as far as possible.
My favourite restaurants: Roadside Punjabi dhabas in North India.
My Favuorite cuisine: Thai, and I love eating sizzlers.
For a romantic meal I would like to go to: A cafe by the river or lake, with wine and Caesar salad to start with and the local cuisine thereafter.
One thing I can cook very well: I love cooking; I make excellent turai, karela, chicken, and mutton. While cooking, I use the time to focus on my characters.
My favourite dish is: Maharani dal and fakhri roti. (That’s another story).
My favourite cook in my family is: My mother. The bharwa baingan and five-layered parantha made by her were awesome.
My childhood memories of food are: Junglee tomato chutney and roti.
My favourite drink: Aam panna.
The strangest food I have had: Adivasi dishes, Indrahar and Rikmach.
Recipe of Lauki Ki Sabzi
Ingredients:
1 kg fresh lauki (bottle gourd)
250 grams onions
5 to 6 tablespoons mustard oil or any other oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 to 3 teaspoons red chili powder (or as per taste)
3 to 4 teaspoons coriander powder
Salt to taste
Method: Wash the lauki, if it’s very fresh keep the skin or if it’s little old, peel the skin. Chop the lauki into small equal sized pieces (11/2” to 2”). Evenly chop the onions. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the onions and saute on a low flame stirring at regular intervals till they turn light golden in colour. Add the powdered masalas turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix well and saute on a low flame for couple of seconds till the masalas are well mixed and aromatic. Add the kept aside lauki (no water at all) and cook covered on a low to medium flame, stirring at regular intervals till the lauki is done and you see a lovely colour. Serve hot with roti or rice.
