How I start my day: Madhur Jaffrey

“Healthy food is the secret to a happy mind”
“The best way to empower your mornings and days is to start your day with gratitude. Every day, I look for the positive in everything that I do.
Healthy food is the secret to a happy mind and body. If I have a cold, I drink a mixture of echinacea tea with ginger. I like to begin my days with a workout. I do some yoga and tai chi.I do some exercises for the stomach and back. I also walk on the treadmill at home.
Cooking is my passion, and I like to cook different things on different days. That’s why my life has a different flavour and taste every day.
I have a large garden where I grow just about everything. So morning is the time to work in my kitchen garden and think about all the dishes I can cook with my produce. I grow my own herbs and spices. This is also my passion along with cooking. The act of growing what you eat, and then cooking it, is therapy for the mind and body. I also try to empower my mornings with the things I enjoy doing, like knitting, embroidery and gardening. In my country garden, I grow flowers, vegetables and fruit, and just use fresh ingredients. Experiment and make your own dishes. That’s my secret to a happy and healthy life.”
Madhur Jaffrey: Actor, cookbook writer
– As told to Nona Walia