Ekjute In Culinary Taste

The mother-daughter duo of Nadira and Juhi Babbar are completely immersed in Ekjute's summer workshop. Besides their commitment to theatre, they are bound together by their passion for food.

Nadira-Juhi's Thought For Food
I am:
Nadira: A hardcore non-vegetarian.u00a0
Juhi: A hardcore non-vegetarian.
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My favourite dishes are:
Nadira: In vegetarian food, I like methi and in non-veg it's kate masala ka ghost.
Juhi: All time favourite is dry chilli chiken

I begin my day with:
Nadira: Aloe vera juice, a cup of tea and one rusk.u00a0
Juhi: A warm glass of water with honey.

My breakfast is:
Nadira: Cold coffee or vegetable juice.u00a0
Juhi: An egg white omelette at most times.

My lunch is:
Nadira: One roti, chicken, subzi, soup and salad.u00a0
Juhi: Fruits or a salad. When I am at home I have one roti, a chicken dish or any cooked vegetable.

My evening snack is:u00a0
Nadira: Rusk with tea.
Juhi: Fruits or Britannia Vita Marie biscuits.

My dinner is:
Nadira: Soup, salad, tandoori or grilled chicken.
Juhi: Chicken and roti if I am at home. If I am out with friends, then it's Chinese food or salads.u00a0

In sweets I like:
Nadira: Firni.
Juhi: Everything. My entire set of 32 teeth is sweet.

My fitness regime:
Nadira: Yoga for an hour and 45minutes of walking.
Juhi: Long walks.

My favourite restaurants:u00a0
Nadira: Urban-Tadka, PanAsia and Masala Mantar. Abroad, I like eating at small local joints.
Juhi: in Mumbai its Pan Asia at ITC; and for desi food it's Masala Mantar. Abroad it's YO Sushi and Cinnabon for desserts.

My cooking abilities:
Nadira: I love and enjoying cooking. It's a stress-buster for me.
Juhi: I am not very fond of cooking but can cook to save my life. I can make anda bhurji and Maggi.

My favourite cook in my family:
Nadira: My elder sister (Dr Najma Baquer). She makes excellent shaahi tukde. I think she is the best cook in the world.
Juhi: My mother, she cooks delicious prawn pulav and the world's best gajar halwa. My badi khala makes excellent mutton korma.

My best dining friends are:u00a0
Nadira: Our family friend Geetyji and my children.
Juhi: My jigri dost Akiv Ali and my bhabhi Anu (in Dubai).

My idea of a romantic meal:
Nadira: Just the presence of the person you love at the dinner table.
Juhi: Having a meal with the person I love. Location, place, ambience does not matter.
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My Sunday lunch is:
Nadira: Khichdi and tahri.
Juhi: Preferably with friends.
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One thing I can't resist buying is:u00a0
Nadira: Anything sweet (because I'm diabetic).
Juhi: My friend Geety's parathas, Gauri's brownies and Priti's tiramisu.
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My childhood memory of food:
Nadira: Shammi kebabs and chaat made by mom.
Juhi: Going to town with mom on Sundays. Lunch at Kobe , Opera House and ice-cream at Snowman after that.

I think I resemble:
Nadira: A watermelon. I am as cool as a watermelon.
Juhi: A pineapple. I appear rough and tough, but actually I am very sweet. But if you bite into more than my comfort zone, I can show you my tough side.

My fridge always has:u00a0
Nadira: Juices, fruits and sugar-free chocolates.
Juhi: Fruits and Diet Coke.

I always carry with me:
Nadira: Rusk, tea, khari biscuits.
Juhi: Dry fruits

My comfort food:u00a0
Nadira: Buttermilk (chaas).
Juhi: Caeser's salad.

My favourite spice:
Nadira: Zeera.
Juhi: Red chillies, basically I love spicy food.

My favourite poison:
Nadira: White wine.
Juhi: Frozen margarita, strawberry flavour (non- alcoholic).

My favourite beverage:u00a0
Nadira: Nimbu paani.
Juhi: Cold coffee.

My favourite kitchen appliance:u00a0
Nadira: Pakkad.
Juhi: Juicer.
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My favourite foods are:
Nadira: Salads and Chinese soups.
Juhi: Chinese and Italian.

Raj Babbar loves:u00a0
Nadira: Rajji loves fish, parathas and desserts.
Juhi: My dad loves fish in any form and mom loves lamb.

One food Juhi loves and I hate:
Nadira: I hate fast food,u00a0Juhi loves it.

One food I love and Juhi hates:
Nadira: Parwal, gavaar and karelas.

One cuisine we both relish:u00a0
Nadira: Chineseu00a0
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Nadira-Juhi's favourite recipe: Kate Masala ka Ghosht

Ingredients
1 kg mutton cubes (cleaned and washed)
1 kg onions (finely chopped)
200 gms garlic
200 gms ginger
25 gms thick dry red chillies
250 gms sour curds (whipped)
250 gms oil
25 gms badi elaichi (black cardamoms)
25 gms chhoti elaichi (green cardamoms)
25 gms black pepper corns
25 gms zeera (cumin seeds)
25 gms cinnamon
2 tsp red chilli powder (or as taste)
3 to 4 tsp coriander powder
Finely chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
Little garam masala powder (to garnish)
Salt to taste

Method
Make a paste of half the ginger and garlic. Heat oil in a cooker. Add half the onions andu00a0 ginger- garlic paste, all the garam masala and red chillies. Put the meat (mutton) in the cooker and keep stirring until it turns light brown. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and curds. Sautu00c3u00a9 for a few minutes. Add the remaining finely chopped ginger, garlic and onions.

Sautu00c3u00a9 for another 2-3 minutes. Close the lid of the cooker and cook on a low flame till the meat gets tender. Once the meat is tender open the lid, let the aroma get to you. Garnish with coriander leaves. Sprinkle little garam masala powder on top. Serve hot.