I make sure I have a cheat day once a month to feast on some Hyderabadi biryani: Diksha Panth

A self-proclaimed foodie, model-turned-actress Diksha Panth believes no dish in the world can compare to Hyderabadi biryani and haleem. So when we invited her to be a celebrity guest for the Times Biryani and Haleem Contest, presented by Bajaj Electronics in association with Telangana Tourism , she was only too happy to oblige.
“I can eat biryani anytime of the year. I have been in Hyderabad for many years now and like most people, it is my favourite dish. In fact, I fell in love with haleem and biryani so much that I’ve learned to cook it myself,” gushes the actress, as she digs into a plate of hot biryani from Grill 9.
After a couple of spoonfuls, Diksha said that she’s actually on a diet, but when it comes to biryani, it’s hard for her to resist. “No matter what diet that I’m following at a particular time, at least once a month I must have biryani. So I have this cheat day for myself,” she says.
Diksha, who was part of Bigg Boss Telugu last year, says she prefers the chicken biryani over the traditional mutton version. “I know the connoisseurs say mutton biryani is the real deal, but I personally love the chicken biryani more. I also love the Andhra style biryani as it is spicier and more delicious,” shares the actress.
Even though biryani remains one of her favourite dishes, haleem tops the list for Diksha when it comes to the food experience during Ramzan. “I eat haleem all through the year and not just during Ramzan. When I had it the first time, I loved it so much that I decided to learn the recipe. So now, I cook haleem at home and eat it whenever I want, anytime of the year,” she smiles.
Being a chicken lover, Diksha says she also cooks chicken Haleem and love eating it. “I had stopped eating mutton a few months ago since I felt I was putting on too much weight. I love chicken, so I started cooking chicken haleem at home and it tastes equally delicious. I put a bit of coriander and lemon and I put in a lot of ghee for the richness. I know that ghee also makes you put on weight but this is how haleem is supposed to be had and you cannot compromise on that,” she adds with a laugh.