#YeDiwaliKhaaneWali: Shweta Tripathi Sharma says her all-time favourite is aloo chaat

Shweta Tripathi Sharma has always been a foodie at heart, but her profession demands keeping her diet in check. However, the festive season brings with it guilt-free indulgence, for the actor. “I’m from Delhi, a place that leaves you spoilt for choice when it comes to delicacies. That’s why controlling cravings when in the city is so difficult,” she tells us.

“I am basically from Delhi, a place that spoils you with so many choices when it comes to delicacies. That’s why controlling my cravings in the city is so difficult for me. Growing up, my family and I used to make a point of getting Chana and Kulcha from Chandni Chowk on festival days, which are absolutely delectable. However, Diwali dinner was always prepared at home. I am a sucker for home-cooked food.”

Sharing the menu for Diwali at home, Sharma says, “Every year, certain dishes were prepared, such as Matar Ka Pulaaov, Matar Paneer, and Aaloo ki Sabzi. My all-time favourite, however, has to be Aaloo ki Chaat. But my all-time favourite has to be Aaloo ki Chaat. My mom makes a very delicious chaat with Teekhi (spicy) chutney. Another dish that I relish on Diwali is Mirchi ki Bhajiya. It’s yummy! And since food that has turmeric and is yellow – Kadhi and aaloo ki sabzi- is said to be auspicious, I eat that on Diwali.”

Ask her if there is anything she likes to make on Diwali, Sharma laughs and tells us “If I go into the kitchen, I mess up everything. For everyone’s sake, it’s better for me to stay away from the kitchen (laughs). But mujhe khaane ka bahut bahut shauk hain.” Sharma is also very particular about not over-eating during the festive season so that her health does not suffer the following day, nor does her work. “Puri-sabzi and all are oily food and have a lot of carbs but as I said, I am a big fan of desi khaana. I wait for occasions like Diwali to eat all that I love. But I feel, it’s essential to eat food in portions. Having control is very important. So even during festivals, I feel one should eat whatever they want but overdoing it needs to be avoided,” she says, and adds, “It’s important to live life and enjoy everything that you like. Putting restrictions on yourself all the time is not a healthy thing because otherwise, aap jeena bhool jaaenge. But everything should be done in a balanced way.”

This Diwali, Sharma and her husband Chaitanya will be in Australia for the India-Pakistan match on the 23rd of October. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. As people say, home is more than just a constructed building and for me, it’s Cheetah (Chaitanya). So, even if I am away from home, his presence makes it all good for me. So this year, probably we will carry our traditional outfits with us and celebrate it there and spread as much light as we can. It’s going to be so different from how we have celebrated and we are very excited about it.”