Smita Jaykar who is a much sought after actor in films, (Sarfarosh, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani), TV and theatre, also gives talks on spirituality. On a lighter note, she has probably got her sweet aura from her weakness for sweets.
She divulges, “I don't have a sweet tooth, I have a sweet jaw. But I adjust all my other calories according to my dessert”.
The first thing I do when I wake up is: I thank the Lord for one more day.
For breakfast: I am not a breakfast person at all. In the morning, I don't need tea or coffee to start my system. I like green tea.
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My lunch: Depends on how much I have eaten the night before. If I have had a heavy meal at night, then I skip lunch. I would rather have two glasses of patla chaas for lunch.
My evening snack: At four o'clock I eat makhanas and thereafter my dinner around 6- 6.30 pm. Makhanas is the safest food to have and it's a very good protein meal.
My dinner is: Very light, a soup and salad. But at times, if I am very hungry, I add a roti to my dinner which is latest by 6.30 pm.
My favourite dessert: Oh my God! Chocolate is my weakness, and I must have something sweet after a meal.
To keep myself fit: I have a trainer who comes home thrice a week. I don’t go out for a regular walk but I do walk especially when I'm answering phone calls. I walk all over the house.
To keep my skin and hair healthy: I have awla juice every day. As far as my skin is concerned, I'am genetically blessed. No acne or pimples for me. I'm not a very regular facial person. I get very bored, very fed up. Um, I would rather use nice oils which are good for my face.
Foods I consciously avoid: Nothing I feel the body needs all kinds of food. I don’t make a fuss about food.
My favourite restaurants: Bombay Canteen, Royal China and Table these are a few of my favourite restaurants.
My favourite cuisines are: Chinese is my all-time favourite. After that Japanese and Italian. I don’t like eating Indian food in restaurants. It’s very greasy with makes me feel very acidic the next day.
One thing I cook very well: I can cook very well but I am not a person who will go daily in the kitchen and cook the regular roti sabzi. But when I have guests over, the main dishes are always cooked by me, both vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
My favourite cook in the family: Gangaram Jadhav who has been with me for more than 35 years. He's not a cook, but he has been trained by me. I can’t single out a dish that he makes well because he makes everything very well.
My childhood memories of food: My nani made everything so well. Her varan bhath was delicious. She had magic in her hands.
My idea of a romantic meal: I would like to go to fine dining restaurant . I love Mask at Lower Parel . The food is good and the mocktails are not very sweet, I like it that way.
My favourite beverage: Nimbu pani salted.
Tip to readers on food: Eat everything but eat mindfully. Don't fear food. The minute you start fearing food it starts affecting your body, you put on weight or you begin to store fat in your body. Balance your meal, listen to your body. Just because chips are lying in front of you, you don’t have to stuff your face. There are some guests who can be irritating. I can’t eat this as it has cheese in it or it is fried etc. Don’t do that when you are invited for a dinner.
One recipe which is a hit with my friends: Kaju Poli. We make it every Monday in Shravan. I carry kaju poli to the sets, the people just love it. It's not difficult to make it at all.
Recipe of Kaju Poli
Ingredients:
11/2 cups broken cashewnuts
1 cup castor sugar (or as per taste)
2 cups refined flour (maida)
1/2 cup oil
Sufficient rice flour (to dust the polis when rolling them)
Little water (to knead the dough)
Ghee (1-2 teaspoon for each poli while roasting)
Method:
Pulse the cashew nuts into powder. Add castor sugar to the powdered cashews and mix well. Keep aside. Take flour in a bowl . Gradually keep adding oil little at a time and water while kneading the dough. Knead the dough so well that it stretches. The dough should be soft. Cover the dough with a cloth and keep aside for some time. Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, flatten it and dust it in rice flour and roll into a small puri . In the centre, place 11/2 to 2 tablespoons of the cashew - castor sugar mixture and gather the sides like a dumpling. Slightly flatten it, dust it once again in the rice flour and roll it gently into a medium size roti. Pre heat the tawa and roast the poli on a medium flame, applying ghee when turning sides. Roast till slightly golden on both sides. Repeat the same with the remaining dough and cashew mixture. It's delicious.
PS: Trick is when you knead the dough , keep adding oil little by little to the flour till it is soft and can be stretched.
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