Hetal Kamdar - My Dad instilled the ‘Foodie’ spirit in me.

#FoodBuzzz

Name – Hetal Kamdar

Instagram handle - @hetallkamdar

What is your favourite food memory from childhood?

As a child, I always used to eat pav bhaji, no matter which new place I used to visit. One day, my dad gave me a piece of his mind. He inspired me to try new dishes every time. Well, from that day till date I love to try new dishes. So I would say it’s my Dad who instilled the ‘foodie’ spirit in me.

What’s your favourite comfort food?

Being born in a Gujurati family and the fact that we can survive on theplas forever, my comfort food will always be methi theplas along with curd and pickle. 

Also, dal khichdi served with curd, pickle, papad and masala onions. I am sure a lot of you would agree with me.

3 reasons why you consider yourself a Foodie?

I have a serious food addiction and started experimenting with food at the age of 13. 

I love to try, experiment and cook new dishes on a regular basis and you can see that on my website www.hetalkamdar.com

Lastly, I am a hostess at heart and love to feed my family and friends. More so, not many know that my specially curated recipes have been featured in top Indian magazines.

What’s the strangest dish you’ve ever tried?

It has to be mock meat and I felt weird.

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ha-ha, Pav Bhaji any day. Anytime!!

What kind of oil do you use most of all?

Sunflower oil for cooking, extra virgin olive oil for dressing and desi ghee for tadka. That’s the true essence of being a desi cook.

Which is the most over-rated food cuisine?

Japanese, I never seemed to understand the unimpressive flavours.

Any quirky food dishes combinations you have invented or love feasting on? 

I love to experiment on quirky dessert combos. One such that I had created was Kheer Fantasy Parfait. It’s a dessert in a glass with layers of Kheer, fresh fruits and whipped cream, but strangely it tasted so good. My family and friends keep insisting I make this for our group parties.

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Your take on:

Keto diets – high protein, low carb. Frankly I don’t need to try it.

Intermittent fasting – not for me, the foodie in me has other ways to maintain my weight.

Fusion food cuisine – a fad which has caught on for quite some time. Yes, there have been some impressive fusion dishes.

Which superfoods have impressed you the most?

Quinoa and Avocados.

What are your favourites?

Indian street food – vada pav and samosa 

Indian dessert – gulab jamuns and rabdi 

Hidden gem restaurant in your city (and why)– I can't name one as there are many, but one of my favourites would be Ram Ashray for the best Idli and dosas and Guru Kripa for samosa chole and dal pakwan.

Over-rated Indian restaurant in your city (and why) – Sardar pav bhaji as all you can taste is a dollop of Amul butter and also Haji

Ali Juice Centre for their overpriced milkshakes.

The restaurant you keep going back to - all the south Indian joints in Matunga.

How do you detox your body after an overdose of eating out?

By having green tea and lots of water.

Any health foods you swear by?

Oats and Barley.