'Eat everything in moderation' Zalak Thakkar

Is there any particular dish you cling on to?   
Yes, Pani Puri

Your favorite Ghar Ka Khaana
Dal Makhani and Chawal   

Which is your favorite sweet dish?
Kaju Katli

Do you cook?
Yes! My mom has brought me up as a very traditional Gujju girl. So I cook almost every veg recipe.

What's your specialty?
South Indian snacks are my specialty. Dosas, Idli-Sambar etc.

Is there any food that you would not eat as a child, but eat now? 
Yes, I was a very poor eater as a child. I ate only potatoes then. But after joining television I sort of grew up, in the sense that I understood that you have to eat what is available. So now I eat everything, even karela!

What is the highest bill you had to foot in a restaurant?
Since I'm a die hard foodie, no amount of money spent over food is too much for me.

Do you have food fights?
No, I have been inculcated with the value of respecting 'Annadaata'. So no food fights.

Which is your favorite drink?
Orange juice.

Does that mean you start your day with it?
Yes… mostly.

What is the strangest dish you have ever tried?
I don't remember the name but once when I went out for lunch with my friend, just saw this fancy name on the menu and ordered it. I only asked the waiter if it was veg. But when the dish arrived it looked like puke and even then I braced myself and tasted it. After wards, I felt like puking!

Any embarrassing situation you have faced while eating your food?
You see I'm accustomed to eating with a spoon. But still sometimes to entertain myself I eat with hand. And if at that time someone starts looking at me, I get very self-conscious to the point of embarrassment.

What do you do for midnight food cravings?
Maggi or Kurmure.

Your idea of a proper diet?
Eat everything in moderation. Nothing is too bad when eaten in limit. Even ghee. A healthy habit of consuming ghee is great for preventing joint pains that you get when you've crossed your forties.

Reporter and Author: Susan Jose