"I love to binge"

by | August 21, 2015, 16:27 IST

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I love to binge



Tusshar Kapoor and sister Ekta Kapoor were plump kids given their penchant for food. But with being in the spotlight comes the demand of sporting your fittest, glamorous form. Naturally, Tusshar had to let go of his gastronomical indulgences to face the camera. Having a father like Jeetendra, who’s fitter-than-the-fittest, was a motivation strong enough. Here, Tusshar shares his love for all things delicious and how some tastes last forever…


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THE FLAVOUR OF CHILDHOOD
I have grown up eating regular Punjabi food like daal, sabzi and parathas.  My mother (producer Shobha Kapoor) was particular about packing our lunch boxes and would see to it that we finished our dabba. My sister Ekta  and I have a sweet tooth. We are fond of Indian sweets, like laddoos, pedas, barfi and gulab jamun. Once, as a kid, I stuffed so many gulab jamuns that I fell sick. In the ’80s, when dad was doing South films, we had a house in Hyderabad. We’d go there during the vacations. My cousins would accompany us. There dad used to cook rum chicken. It was delicious. Dad enjoys ghar ka khana. He steers clear of oily stuff. I relish aloo ka paratha, kali daal, butter chicken, biryani, raita, palak paneer, karele ki sabzi and fried bhendi when it comes to Indian food. I prefer Saffron, J W Marriot and Southern Spice, Hyderabad for  Indian fare. Mom and I have similar tastes in food. She digs sandwiches and pizzas. So, we go to Indigo once in a while for their yummy sandwiches. I love homemade cheese toast too. Dad would sometimes take us to Rainforest Resto-Bar in Andheri for their seafood spread. We also visited Khar Gymkhana and Juhu Gymkhana for their brunches.

TEEN MANIA

As a youngster, I would regularly have the sugarcane juice available at Elco Market in Bandra. I stayed away from the roadside chaat and paani puri though. But whenever we went to watch a film at Gaiety or Galaxy theatres in Bandra, having the yummy samosas and Pepsi there was a must. I attended NM College in Bandra. I was plump then and weighed around 80 kilos. We friends would gorge on the vada pavs and frankies from the stalls outside. We’d also frequent Shivsagar restaurant in Juhu.  I used to hog so much junk food during college that I had pimples all over my face. We used to even bunk classes to binge. But I worked out as hell after the exams, I lost some 20 kilos.



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FOREIGN FARE
I went to the US for my further education and studied business at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I again gained weight there because
I used to junk out. I lived independently, doing my own washing and cleaning. I didn’t cook but took home frozen meals and had them after defrosting the stuff in the microwave. Taco Bell, Little Caesars Pizza, Wendy’s, Subway were the places I visited for fast food. Pink lemonade was my favourite drink. There was a restaurant nearby called China House, where they used to provide photos of the day’s dishes. We had to select from them. I also used to visit this place called the BD’s Mongolian Barbeque. You have to select the ingredients and they cook it right in front of you. My aunt Pramila Bothra lives in Ann Arbor. She used to send me homemade food. If I ever visited her during the weekends, she used to feed me ghee ke parathe,  paneer ki sabzi and daal.


I love Italian food. The best meal I ever had was at the Italian restaurant Don Giovanni in Juhu, which unfortunately has now shut shop. The Ocean Basket Restaurant in South Africa serves great sea food. I love grilled king fish and the king clip fish there. Then, there’s Jaya Thai restaurant in New York. They serve some amazing spicy soups. I dislike food served in flights. I don’t like Chinese food too as I develop water retention and feel bloated.


EAT RIGHT
Today, as a health conscious family, we have oil-free food. Our cooks prepare meals in keeping with our individual diet charts. Ekta, my mother and I have never even entered the kitchen. But dad cooks sometimes. I don’t like to experiment when we are eating out. For intance, I never order Spanish items or go for a seven-course meal. For me ambience is as important as the meal. I love the vibe of Indigo and J W Marriot. I am not a midnight snacker. I opt for nuts or a protein shake if at all. But I am a coffee addict – cappuccino is my choice.

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