Foodie Talk with Anahita Irani
Name – Anahita Irani
Instagram handle - @sweetannu
What is your favourite food memory from childhood?
As
kids, we, cousins would get together to indulge in a game of Monopoly. Our
moms used to make piping-hot aloo parathas for the entire gang. These fond
memories of getting together, playing games and being pampered with food are
warm memories for me.
What’s
your favourite comfort food?
Maggi is my comfort food.
Also I indulge in Cadbury's fruit and nut chocolate on days when I feel low.
3 reasons why you consider yourself a Foodie?
1. I love to taste new dishes and cuisines
from across the globe.
2. Cooking is my passion, I write recipes at www.cookwithsweetannu.com
3. Capturing food moments of creatively plated dish and attending cooking
related workshops and events is also my passion.
Which are your three favourite cuisine? Why?
Indian - I believe Be Indian, Eat
Indian.
Pan Asian - It has unique flavours, and ingredients.
Teppanyaki, Chinese and Thai are my favourites.
Continental - Not so spicy.
I give more importance to proteins on
a plate.
Do you have a favourite food ingredient?
Cinnamon and Cardamom
Which food ingredient do you loathe/think is overrated?
There are two of them on my list – Caviar
and Birds eye chilli.
What’s the strangest dish you’ve ever tried?
Octopus soup.
What is your favourite fruit and vegetable? And your favourite
herb/spice?
I like crunchy and juicy apples. And
bananas that are not too ripe.
Garlic adds flavour and I enjoy
adding to my stir-fry creations.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would
it be?
Dal Khichdi --- but not without
papad, pickle salad and curd.
Have you ever travelled anywhere just/mainly for the food?
Yes, Mohammed Ali Road for a feast of
Ramadan food. I also have fond memories my trip to Bangkok where I tried some
of the street food.
What’s been your biggest kitchen splurge so far?
My prized possession is a double-door refrigerator to store my
kitchen ingredients and stock up food goodies.
Do you indulge in food porn? Actively or passively? What
impresses you with food porn?
Not really. But I like to click good
food images.
What kind of oil do you use most of all?
Sunflower, groundnut and sesame.
Which is the most over-rated food cuisine?
French Cuisine surely tops the list.
Any quirky food dishes combinations you have invented or love
feasting on?
I like to make pickles and jams. From
dried Bombay duck pickle to Carrot jam, I am an ace at conjuring new recipes.
Your take on:
Keto diets – it's good for youngsters
Intermittent fasting – Not in favour of it. Better not to try it
Fusion food cuisine – Some dishes taste horrible
Which superfoods have impressed you the
most?
Green Tea, berries and eggs
What are your favourites?
Indian street food – Sev puri
Indian dessert – Gulab Jamun
Hidden gem restaurant of your city (and why) – Gandola Bandra for the most
awesome fish sizzlers
Over-rated Indian restaurant in your city (and why) – Amar Pav Bhaji. The bhaji
is so tangy and not well-spiced.
The restaurant you keep going back to
- Persian Darbar for tikkas and gravy.
How do you detox your body after an overdose of eating out?
I drink green tea and eat fruits and
buttermilk for the next meal.
Any health foods you swear by?
Flax seeds and walnuts
Who is your favourite celebrity chef?
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He has patiently
taught every housewife that she can be a home chef. To take this passion
further, he also introduced the Wonderchef range of good quality kitchen
equipment.
What’s your favourite food-related TV programme?
Khana Khazana
What’s your favourite food magazine?
Food Food
Good housekeepingWhat’s your favourite food destination?
Yet to visit - Morocco and Iran
What’s your favourite kitchen gadget?
The Mixer grinder. Whirls and grinds
in a jiffy.
