Food is our prime need for living, but apart from this, food is one of the integral parts of Indian festivals and culture. India is one of the few countries in the world that has a unique bonding of food and festivals with its culture and tradition. As India is a country of different religion, so each religious festival is celebrated with unique signature dishes in various parts of the country. As Indian philosophy believes in unity among diversity, so we enjoy and celebrate each festival with the same enthusiasm. Christmas is one of the biggest festivals of India during winter. Here we will take a glance over few delicious dishes cooked during Christmas all over India.
Merry Christmas Cake
On the glorious occasion of Christmas, a special kind of fruit cake is prepared with rich dry fruits. Making fruitcake on Christmas is a tradition, as this occasion is observed to celebrate the auspicious birthday of Jesus Christ. Christians commonly believes to cut cakes and share it simply brings happiness and good luck.
Common ingredients are Flour, butter, dry fruits, egg. Sugar.
To make fruit cake Mix the flour with butter to form a smooth paste, add required crushed sugar and dry fruits. Add egg and stir well, and some vanilla essence then pours the whole mixture into a pre-greased cake baking bowl. Bake it in micro-oven.
2: CHOCOLATE MARZIPAN:
Chocolate Marzipan
Marzipan is a traditional Goan sweet, made on Christmas and distributed among guests. Marzipans are made into small different shaped mould, and often used for decorating the cakes. Chocolate marzipans may be used as a confection itself and dusting with coconuts added an extra flavour. To make Chocolate Marzipan in Goan style, cashew nut is used instead of almonds.
Cashew nuts, sugar, vanilla essence, cocoa powder and desiccated coconut are the main ingredients.
At first almonds and sugar are crushed well in a grinder and added to water to make a thick paste. Stir the whole mixture in a pan on an oven in low flame; add cocoa powder and vanilla essence. Stir it well until the entire mixture thickened. After cooling pour the mixture into the mould of your choice, to give it shape, like fruits or flower or animal. Decorate with desiccated coconut powder.
3: CHICKEN VINDALOO:
Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Vindaloo is a delicious non-veg item which is the main attraction of Goan menu card during Christmas. The word Vindaloo came along with Portuguese traders which mean Carne de via dual os (meat marinated in wine vinegar and garlic), which introduced in India in the 15th century and so the recipe has a Portugal touch, though modified according to Indian cuisine. Cinnamon, cardamom, tamarind has been added to the recipe to give it a local look, and the fascinating idea of adding chilli pepper in chicken Vindaloo has made it spicy and tasty.
4: MILK-LIQUEUR:
Homemade MILK-LIQUEUR
This is a traditional homemade drink, made especially in Kerala during Christmas. The main ingredients are Vodka and milk, but instead of vodka homemade fruit wine can be used. To make this liquor, you have to take a glass jar with tight lid. Pour the vodka or home-made wine and milk together with sugar in the jar and close the lid so that the sugar dissolves. Set it for ten days and stir with a spoon. After ten days separate the solids residue and collect the liquid portion and filter it through a sieve with paper coffee filters. It will take almost 24 hours to receive the liquor in a bowl. It can be stored for next six months.
5: MEATBALL CURRY:
Indian Meatball Curry
Kerala meatball curry is an authentic menu in Christmas. All you needed are minced meat mixed with ginger- garlic paste, salt and black pepper to form an even thick mixture to form small walnut size balls. Make traditional Keralian gravy with tamarind and curry leaves, soak the meatball into that and boil until it thickens. Spread grated coconut for a yummy taste.
6: GOBI –MANCHURIAN:
Gobi Manchurian
This dish is for vegans, who can take it with rice or Paratha, or Rumali Roti. Take a medium size cauliflower. Separate the florets and boil them in salted water over medium flame for 3-4 minutes. After boiling, drain out the excess water and make sure that the florets are dried completely. You can use tissue paper. Mix Maida, corn flour, ginger paste garlic paste and salt in a bowl. Make a batter and fry the florets separately. Make gravy with onion, ginger-garlic paste, red and green bell paper, tomato sauce, chilli sauce and add the fried florets. Sprinkle some spring onion. Leave it in a semi-dry condition so that it tastes luscious.
7: GOAN BOLINAS:
Goan Bolinas/Bolinhos
A traditional Goan cookies popularly known as Bolinas are coconut cookies that have a light brown look from the top, crispy in nature from outside but soft from inside. Melt, as you take one bite and wished to have one more. Though it is a tea time menu that can be served any time of the year but without Bolinas as Christmas sweets dish is incomplete.
8: DODOL:
Sliced Goan Dodol
Another sweet platter from Goa. All the ingredients you need to make this signature sweet dish are Ragi, Coconut and palm jaggery.Decorated with cashew nut on the top, Dodol has occupied the top place of sweet lovers in Goa.Packed Dodol sold in all places in Goa.As soon as you take it into your mouth, it melts quickly.Goan Dodol is an integral part of Christmas dessert.
9: CHICKEN BIRIYANI:
Chicken Biryani
Any festival is incomplete without Biriyani.This dish is an inseparable part, no matter which religious festival is celebrated. Originated from Mughals, it has been modified over the years, but still it has the royal flavour.Biriyani can be made either with mutton or chicken, is a splendid platter in Christmas.
10: STRAWBERRY MUFFINS:
Strawberry Muffins
This is a hit menu in Christmas. Kids like it as it tastes very delicious. To make this sweet dish, you need porridge oats, butter oil, Flour, baking powder and edible soda, egg, vanilla essence, muffin mould, light brown sugar. Mix all the ingredients well to form a thick paste and set in a greased muffin mould. Place slices of strawberry on the top. Bake it in a preheated oven.
So these are some of the mouth-watering food, you can make on your Christmas Party and give a surprise to your guests.