My Grub Habits

Most people don't know what I like
Because I never refuse to take a bite
Whatever is placed before me
I eat without fuss unreluctantly

So nobody really knows what I like
Here's some vain trivia about my life
I am a carnivore and I love all meats
My platter is full of these when I go out to eat

1. Thai
2. Mughlai
3. Indo-Chinese
4. Sushi
5. Steak and Fries
6. Teppanyaki
7. Coconut Milk based gravies {Keralite/Mangalorean/Goan/ East Indian}
8. All kinds of unleavened Indian Flatbreads especially the stuffed ones: Kulcha, Paratha, Roomali roti, Neer dosa, Appam
9. {sauce-drenched}Pastas

Preference: Spicy/Meat-centric dishes

Over hyped food: Pizza {Why: less meat, more bread and cheese}, Bengali sweets {dislike them all, except Gulab Jamuns}, Cookies n Cream {so average!}, most frozen desserts, Aerated beverages {can’t stand the fizz}, Cream cakes{whipped cream, butter-cream or fresh cream especially Black Forest – so horrible}, Blue cheese{Stilton, Danish Blue}- stinky!

Favourite Meats: Chicken, Buff, Tongue

Seafood Preference: Prawn, White Pomfret, Seer/KingFish/Surmai, Anchovies, Squid, Octopus, Bombay Duck, Mussels, Crab, Clams, Cockles, Oysters, Crawfish, Scallops {so just four fish, but all mollusks and crustaceans}

Vegetarian Substitutes: Paneer, Mushroom, Feta, Lentils and Pulses, Cheesy dishes

Dietary Restrictions: None

Weakness: Soft-centred Milk Chocolate

Favourite Chocolates: I prefer milky chocolates so most Swiss brands like Lindt are great. I understand the complexity and artistry that goes into making delectably smooth chocolate, but my taste buds cannot savour overtly smooth Belgian chocolate. I just don’t like them! I love almost all German, Danish and Austrian chocolates from the bottom of my heart although many of them are dark and I’m not a big fan of dark chocolate. Some examples would be Anton Berg {Cherry in Rum/Blueberry in Vodka/Strawberry in Champagne}Niederegger, Mirabell Mozart Kugehln, Schogetten{strawberry yogurt}, Ritter Sport{marzipan}, Merci, Reber, Milka. I love soft-centred mousse/marzipan/yogurt/gel/cream stuffed chocolates. I love fruity chocolates like Whittaker’s Berry and Biscuit. There’s this Japanese brand Royce that makes delicious Nama squares. And closer to home, I find the humble Cadbury Dairy Milk and Fabelle{choco mousse} irrestible too.

Favourite Cakes: Dutch Truffle, Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse Cake

Favourite Tea Cakes: Christmas{Rum}cake, Banana Bread, Date and Walnut, Pineapple Upside Down

Favourite Indian Sweets/Mithai: cold Gaajar ka Halwa, cold Gulab Jamuns, all kinds of Barfi, Jalebi

Take on Ice Cream: Dislike them all, except certain fruity or boozey ones. I love Sitaphal, Chickoo, Anjeer and Rum n’ Raisin ice creams though.

Nutritional Preferences: High Protein, High Fat, I inadvertently participate in Intermittent Fasting because I’ve never been a breakfast person since childhood and I eat only when hungry{or pensive} not at any specific scheduled time. I don’t force/time-feed myself ever. I do a bi-annual 3 day Autophagy cleanse because I have been obsessed with Life science, the immune system, hormones and physio-psycho-socio research since decades. I experiment on myself. 😉 I don’t suggest anybody follow my habits though!

Addiction: None. All my life I’ve avoided things that are remotely addictive including sugar and caffeine. Dessert and tea is a an extremely recent development that arose on a need-basis.

Hot Beverage: Very strong and extremely milky tea with sucralose or cold South Indian filter coffee with a 60:40 coffee and chicory ratio preference

Poisons: Seldom ever drink. When I do, I prefer a Sangria, Pina Colada or a Muscato-based Dessert Wine such as Robert Mondavi’s Muscato D’Orro or Italian Voga, a sweet Port Wine such as Cockburns, Irish Cream, a fruity Rosé or a White that isn’t too dry

Favourite non-alcoholic beverage: milk-based Bobas, fruity milkshakes

Favourite Cookie: Amul Chocolate Chip cookies{made with butter, not hydrogenated fats}, McVities Ginger cookies

Take on cheese: Prefer the fresh, soft variants like unpasteurized fresh paneer, fresh soft Feta, fresh mozzarella. I also like hard cheese like processed Cheddar and Gouda and toasted sandwiches stuffed with processed mozzarella.

Traits: Never drink water with food. I rarely ever order a drink at a restaurant.

More Vain Trivia: I can easily eyeball calories because I am accustomed to counting since a decade{although I don’t count anymore, I go by hunger/feeling} I’m mostly disciplined and understand food very well, have always been extremely health conscious up until 5 years ago where I discarded all my habits to concentrate on other things. I prefer whole foods, rarely ever consume any juice. I always eat the whole fruit for fibre. Always plan in advance to convert carbs to Resistance Starch instead. I rarely ever eat packaged or processed food. I consume less sugar and prefer stevia or sucralose-based sweeteners, just not aspartame. I cook with cold pressed sesame oil and ghee, no refined oil unless I’m deep frying, which is very rare. I never consume any antibiotics or medication. I don’t remember the last time I took a paracetamol. I believe in my body’s natural ability to heal itself. I give it a good window of opportunity first.