Something Dishy

Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh talks salmon, pomfret and tuna with Roshmila Bhattacharya.

What do you start the day with?

HT Image

A date.. not literally. Breakfast is a heavy meal with dry fruits, cereals or porridge, toast and egg whites. Dates or khajoors are a must have.

And what do you end the day with?

A smile.. and steamed fish. It could be pomfret or salmon. I like tuna sandwiches as an evening snack.

On a date what would you like to be wooed with?

A glass of wine, exotic cheese or chocolate fondue.

If you were marooned on an island what would you want and why?

Protein bars. I could take a dip in the sea, swing from the trees and keep up my energy.

When you eat out what do you inevitably order?

I make sure I go to a non-vegetarian restaurant so I can order steamed fish. China Garden is a favourite, so were the restaurants at the Taj and the Oberoi.

What do you always serve guests at home?

First, a glass of chilled water to cool them down, then lots of chocolates and mithai to fatten them up. Sweets are a strict no-no for me so I like to feed them to others. My guests always complain that they return home a few kilos heavier.

Your most memorable experiment with food?

I find cooking therapeutic. Once I decided to try out a complicated recipe for Mexican rice. I thought it would be a mess but pleasantly it turned out quite delicious.

Your first culinary experiment?

I was around four when after a lot of whining, my mother and sister let me help them make coconut ladoos. My ladoos were not round but squashy and shapeless. But I enjoyed myself.

One food item you can’t do without?

Chunda, I love the mango achaar and have a little with every meal. I have a sweet tooth though I have curbed it somewhat over the last five months.

If you weren’t a movie star what would you binge on?

Cheese.

A food item you abhor?

Karela. Karele ka halwa is the yuckiest thing I’ve ever tasted.

As a child you had to have..

Carrot juice, that’s also on the detest list.

When was the last time you snacked on a roadside favourite?

When I was shooting for New York I ran an extra mile so that I could binge on hot dogs.

When you go shopping what do you usually end up buying?

Chocolates.

Name one fruit you eat everyday?

I like a banana in the morning and seasonal fruit like strawberries and oranges through the day. Freshly squeezed orange juice is a favourite, as is aam panna during summer. Apples are avoidable.

Your miracle diet would be..

A heavy breakfast and steamed fish and vegetables for lunch and dinner. No oil, no butter. Six meals a day aid

digestion and speed up metabolism.

If you were to open a specialty restaurant what would it serve?

Sushi.

If you could choose your last meal it would be..

Steamed fish on the side because then I wouldn’t feel guilty about cheating with a cheese fondue and a loaf of bread.