Love to eat: Melons and pomegranate. I make it a point to eat at least one full fruit everyday.

Love to drink: At least three-four glasses of daab (that’s what we call coconut water in Calcutta) or some fresh orange juice daily.

My school tiffin box consisted of: French toast, aloo paratha and besan chilla. But I got fed up of home food by Class IV and started taking a lunch allowance. But instead of spending it, I would eat from my friends’ dabbas and hoard the lunch money.

Unit food is: Something which I relished eating earlier. I am a big foodie, but I try to control myself when I am shooting because you don’t know what kind of food is in store for you! Now I call for some vegetarian salad on the sets and add some low-fat dressing — I always carry Thousand Island dressing with me. At times, I eat some grilled chicken. A big bowl of sprouts keeps me going through the day.

My dinner: Was usually a big meal comprising daal, fish, chicken and two rotis. At times I had egg curry too. But I now have a light dinner.

My favourite salad: Fresh fruits mixed with curd, a dash of sugar, salt, mustard paste and chaat masala.

Non-veg food I like: Seafood! I don’t eat red meat at all and rarely ever eat lamb.

My food habits: Have changed after coming to Mumbai. I loved rice earlier but now I have started eating rotis.

Calcutta food I like: Jhaal muri, aloo kaabli and very soft rosogolla. Oh, how I miss them. And how I miss my mother’s cooking, especially prawn curry, mustard fish and Hyderabadi biryani. My father too makes exotic Thai dishes and excellent palak meat.

My cooking experience: I made Maggi noodles for the first time when I was in my teens. Now I am an expert at making Hakka noodles. I can cook daal, rajma and chicken curry too.

Desserts I dig: Creme brulee, hot gulab jamun, and hot jalebi once in a while. I did not particularly care for sweets earlier but now I am beginning to like them. But I am still not very fond of chocolates.

Drinks and beverages I like: Sipping coconut water or a hot cup of tea. On a hot summer day, I love to drink nimbu paani. My favourite mocktail is a tall glass of peach flavoured iced tea. I don’t like the taste of alcohol. But occasionally, I like to sip a glass of white wine.

My favourite cuisine: Thai, South Indian, Bengali and Hyderabadi. I like eating at the Thai Connection, Olive, China Gate, Tian and at the Marriott coffee shop in Mumbai. I also love eating at the President but it’s so far from where I live that I don’t get the time. I freak out at Only Fish when I’m in the mood for Bengali food. Grand Kakatia, Hyderabad, has an excellent buffet. They serve the best Hyderabadi biryani. At Bheema’s in Bangalore, you get the tastiest and the heaviest thali I have ever eaten.

Eating abroad: I try out all kinds of eateries. In New York I love to eat at Jaya. I just love Thai food abroad because it is so different.

My idea of a romantic meal: Tasty food and pleasant weather.

Anita Raheja-Heena Agarwal
(Bollywood News Service)