I am not a party animal – Natasha Sharma

Natasha Sharma who is playing Sia in Na Aana Is Des Laado says she is a foodie but strangely likes to eat very simple food. Her weakness is pastas and chaats.

Natasha shares her food habits and offers a secret recipe only for Tellychakkar readers.

Personal fitness mantra: I don’t stick to any particular food but I try and avoid oily food.

Personal diet mantra: I don’t have any diet mantra.

Exercise routine:Exercising daily is difficult for me due to my shooting schedule. But every morning I make it a point to drink luke warm water with honey and lime.

Is food the elixir of life?
Yes it is.

Are you a foodie?
Yes, and I love to have pastas and chaats.

Are you a veg or non-veg?
I am a non- vegetarian.

Favourite cuisine: Italian

Favourite dish: Pasta

Favourite restaurant
Masala Mantar and China Gate.

A must at my breakfast table… Fruit juice.

Sugar or Sugarfree for my tea/coffee
I have tea with sugar.

Lunch generally consists of… Home-cooked food which consists of rice, sabzi, salad and dal.

For high tea I have… It depends on my mood, sometimes I have idli or dosa and sometimes I pamper myself with a Subway sandwich.

Dinner generally consists of… I avoid rice at night. I stick to rotis with a sabzi and salad.

Dessert delights… Sizzling hot brownie with ice cream.

One thing I can't resist… Pastries, cakes and momos.

My favourtie drink (non-alcoholic)… Mango milkshake.

My favourite drink (alcoholic)… I don’t drink.

For a date I would prefer…. Anything which has green peas in it. I love green peas. And the menu will be decided by me as well as my partner.

At parties I have… I am not a party animal. I hardly attend any parties.

Experiment with food?
I like to keep my food simple, so I avoid experimenting with food.

Most unusual dish I've tasted… Chicken cooked in white gravy, not only was it unusual it was pathetic.

On the streets, I love to have… all forms of chaats.

One place I would never eat again… Lazzat E Lucknow at Seven Bungalows.

Do you cook?
Yes, I love cooking.

Your favourite recipe…

Masala Chicken

Ingredients : - 1 Kg chicken ( cut into medium pieces), 6-7 cashewnuts, 4-5 tbsps milk, 1” cinnamon , 3 cloves,3-4 tbsps oil, 2 big onions finely chopped,1 large tomato finely chopped,1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,1 tsp coriander powder, 3/4 tsp black pepper powder, ¼ tsp cumin powder, coriander leaves for garnish

For marination:- 3 tbsp curds, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste.

Method: - Marinate chicken pieces in chilli powder, turmeric powder, curds and salt for 40 minutes. Make a paste of cashewnuts and milk and keep aside. Roast cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves for 1 minute and grind to make a powder. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a cooking vessel. Add the onions and saute till golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute further for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and combine well and fry for another minute. Add the tomatoes and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Combine well and cook till oil separates. Add the marinated chicken and cook on a high flame for 5 minutes, reduce the flame and cook till chicken is tender. Add cashewnut paste and the ground cinnamon and clove powder. Mix well. Add ½ cup of water to make the gravy and cook for another 5 minutes .Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves serve hot with rice.