In this fortnightly column, we offer you an exclusive pass to the kitchen of one of your favourite celebrities and get the stars to reveal one secret recipe from their family cookbook

The six-feet-tall TV actor, Vaquar Shaikh, has impressed viewers with his work as Yashdeep “Deepu” Dhillon in the superhit TV serial Anupamaa and is currently in the news for playing Parvez in Seher—Hone Ko Hai. The once skinny boy, whose mother would hurt when she beat him because he was all bones, has realised that with age your BMR goes down and you put on weight faster. So, he is now a careful eater.

My dietary preference: I eat both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Earlier, I used to eat a lot of non-vegetarian food, but after I became 40 years old, I’ve moved more towards vegetarian food. I enjoy eggs, grilled chicken, grilled fish, paneer, dal and sabzi the most.

First thing I have when I wake up is: A homemade health concoction made with turmeric, ginger, black pepper, sesame seeds and a little cinnamon, blended with water. I freeze it in cubes. Every morning, I take one cube, mix it in warm water, add half a spoon of ghee and drink it.

My breakfast is: Most days, I eat a plain omelette. Out of 30 days, for 20 days I have eggs. Usually, it’s two egg whites and one yolk, with green chilli—no onion or vegetables.

For lunch: I have a balanced meal. I first eat half a plate of salad. The salad includes lettuce, carrot, capsicum, radish and leafy greens. After that, I have one sabzi, dal, one bajra roti and chaas. I also control my portions now, as I am trying to lose weight.

My evening snack: Dry fruits and fruits, mostly apples and pomegranate.

I ensure that I have my dinner: Early. Since my activity is limited due to shoots, I keep dinner light. Mostly, it is salads with grilled chicken, grilled fish or paneer sautéed with vegetables. I avoid carbs at night. Occasionally, once or twice a week, I may have a little brown rice or half a roti.

My favourite desserts are: I have a big sweet tooth, but now I’ve almost stopped eating sweets. I don’t even take sugar in my tea anymore. Once in three or four days, or on special occasions, I may have a small piece of cake.

My fitness regime: Depends on my shooting schedule. Last year, while shooting my YouTube series Jugardbaaz for Water Will Studios, I had to gain weight and went up to 97 kilos. Now, I am working on losing that weight. Currently, I focus on diet control and walking. I walk for about an hour daily. I am more into cardio than weight training. After Ramadan, I plan to restart gym workouts.

My favourite restaurants: As a family, we love exploring new restaurants across Andheri, Juhu and Bandra. There is no single favourite place. We enjoy experimenting with food.

My favourite cuisines: I enjoy Indian, Punjabi, South Indian, Mughlai, Thai, Chinese and Arabic food. I don’t enjoy Japanese food like sushi. As a family, we prefer grilled and Arabic food as it is lighter and healthier.

One thing I cook very well: I can cook eggs in every possible way.

One favourite dish of my wife and kids cooked by me: I haven’t cooked much for them yet. They don’t really trust my cooking beyond eggs.

My favourite cooks in the family: All the women in my house are excellent cooks. My mother cooked wonderfully, my aunt was known for her spicy dishes, and my wife, Shabnam, makes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food beautifully. My daughter also makes great pasta and noodles.

As a child, my favourite food was: Sugar roti or sugar paratha with ghee, eaten with milk and malai.

Foods I consciously have: I consciously include a lot of fibre and salads in my meals and avoid sweets and sugar.

My idea of a romantic meal: There is no fixed idea of a romantic meal. It depends on what cuisine we feel like eating that day.

The weirdest food I have ever had: Sushi. I didn’t really enjoy it. I am very desi when it comes to food.

My favourite beverage: Water and tea.

My favourite food during winters: Carrot halwa and hot dal khichdi, though now I eat carrot halwa only occasionally and in small quantities.

I feel guilty after having: Sweets.

Tip on food for readers: Always leave your stomach a little empty. Make sure half your plate is filled with salad. Avoid mixing rice and roti in the same meal. Eat your meals on time—lunch by 2 pm and dinner by 7 pm.

Repetitive image |

Recipe of Plain Omelette

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 finely chopped green chilli (or as required)

1–2 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

Method: Separate the egg whites and yolks. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites, the yolk of one egg and salt. Lightly heat oil in a pan. Evenly pour the egg mixture. Cook on a low to medium flame till both sides are well done. Serve hot.