Aahana Kumra

Unlike other stars, Aahana Kumra, a popular film (The Accidental Prime Minister, Lipstick Under My Burkha), television (Yudh) and theatre actress (Arms And The Man), eats everything — even parathas and rasgullas! And yet the actress is slim and fit. Over to her to spill the beans.

ANITA RAHEJA-HEENA AGARWAL

First thing in the morning I have: Hot water with squeezed lemon followed by a hot cup of coffee before I go for my run. Now because of Covid-19, I have included kadha into my morning routine as well.

I am: A non-vegetarian. I like to eat a home-cooked meal and am also a fan of South Indian food. I have wholesome meals throughout the day. I have never done any sort of dieting, but I eat right and make sure to work out.

My diet: I don’t have specific cheat days, and I like to have everything throughout the day. I keep my diet simple and do not go crazy with my food.

Breakfast: I am a Punjabi, so I like to have parathas in the morning, but I also make sure to add eggs to my breakfast. At 11 o’clock, I eat whole fruits like guava, apple, watermelon, or pineapple.

Lunch: At 1 o’clock, I have lunch that comprises dal, sabzi, roti and rice with salad. In the evening, I have a black coffee with dry fruits or kurmura. I relish grilled fish, tandoori chicken or chicken curry for my dinner. I change my dinner menu depending on my mood. For dessert, I like ras malai, gulab jamun, and rosgulla.

To keep fit: I eat nothing before doing cardio, but before weightlifting, I make sure to eat a banana or even a paratha to get the right amount of energy to lift weights.

For health reasons, I consciously avoid: Ice creams. I am in my bed recovering from Covid-19 and daydreaming about eating ice cream as soon as I feel better.

I can cook: I don’t really like to cook. Because of Covid-19, I have been

cooking my breakfasts and assorted vegetables, etc. One thing I like to cook and eat is paneer bhurji and paneer capsicum.

My cooking disasters: I am a heroine when it comes to cooking disasters. Last year during the lockdown, I made Sindhi kadhi and sent it to my friends, and none of them reverted!

My favourite cook in my family is:

My brother-in-law and my sister have become fantastic cooks during the lockdown. They make amazing naan and kadai chicken, one of the best I have ever eaten.

My childhood memory of food: My sister used to study in Dehradun, and I would spend my holidays with her. We would visit our aunt’s place, and she would make amazing kadhi chawal. Summer vacations were memorable with her kadhi chawal.

For a romantic meal: Something romantic for me would be a sundowner. I love to watch the sunset, and I remember attending a lot of sundowners in LA. I would love to go to a beautiful restaurant beside the beach where I could watch the sunset.

My favourite restaurants in Mumbai and abroad are:

I can name so many across India because I have travelled a lot. When I was in Lucknow, we would have Jashn-eRavivaar — Sharmaji ki chai with samosa, kachori or a mouth-watering bun maska. At Royal Cafe, you get amazing chaap and tunday kebab. In Kolkata, there is a cafe called Peter Cat which I absolutely love. Many small restaurants in Kolkata serve amazing thalis. Every nook and corner in Delhi has amazing food to offer.

My comfort food is: Khichdi

I feel guilty after eating: I don’t feel guilty after anything because the minute you send any such signal to your body, food doesn’t go well with your system. I always have gratitude for my food.