Christmas Feasts

       

    Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people. To some it is time for gifts while it is a shopping festival to many. It is a time to reflect on the year gone by and to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Meeting family and friends for Christmas for some, but to me Christmas is all about great food.

    To me Christmas brings back fond memories  of my childhood days at Montfortschool, Yercaud. Every year around mid-December was the time for the annual Christmas plays done by each of the houses Montfort, Patrick’s and Gabriel’s and carols at the school auditorium and that set of the holiday mood despite exams being around the corner. I remember the carols even now and they always ended with A song “ We wish you a merry Christmas which was pronounced by us a “merry Kiss miss and a Happy New Year”

    The Christmas plays were followed by a grand Christmas dinner in the refectory. There was Chicken Biryani, pork fry, chicken 65, potato chips, a Christmas cake or trifle pudding served with then popular soft drink Filip. Filip was a soft drink brand popular in the Salem region in the 80’s and it was always Filip orange. This was later replaced with Sprint, Thrill and Rush. There was always bread served on the table for every meal which all of us enjoyed. The bread had a soft inner and a hard chewy crust. We never knew this was sourdough then.

    Sourdough is now sold as a fancy artisanal bread, but we were eating this three times a day in school for nine years not knowing this was sourdough. This was probably because the school was started by the French brothers and they had set up a bakery in the school, which continues to this day still serving up sourdough every day.

    I remember tasting a trifle pudding for the first time and decided that it was the best tasting pudding in the whole world. I remember coming back home and asking my mum to make it, but it could never match the one from the Christmas dinner at school.

    The spongy tea cake feel at the bottom with a layer of fresh fruit on custard and topped with some tutti fruti. How I wish I could sink my teeth into that again and the pork that was so good with a nice peppery feel that just slid down your throat.

    Every time around Christmas I am transported back to the Christmas dinner at the school refectory. There was fun and camaraderie and a lot of noise. This has shaped my views on Christmas, despite being a Hindu but being brought up in Catholic schools all my boarding life.

    Today Christmas is celebrated widely in India and each region celebrates the festival in their own style with their own version of a Christmas dinner. So let’s have a look at the different Christmas recipes from different regions of India

  In Kerala

    The two main festivals  celebrated in Kerala with much tradition and culture are Onam and Christmas. The season of joy is celebrated with much fervour, grandeur and with lots of yummy food. In almost every home of Kerala be it whatever religion, when it comes to Christmas you can see glittering lights, colourful paper stars, Christmas papa and cribs with hay depicting the scenes of the birth of Jesus. Christmas celebrations are not complete without delicious food. 

    Preparation starts very much in advance. Delicious food like halwa , achappam, neyyappam, avalose unda are made in  advance to share it with the family ,friends and  relatives. Homemade wine is must for Christmas celebrations. Here you can find some popular Kerala Christmas delicacies

Appam or Kerala style lacy pancakes

    Soft and fluffy appam with stew or egg curry is the favorite breakfast among Malayalees.  It is made with fermented rice and coconut butter. It is crispy at the edges and soft in the corner. Appam is perfect for a big fat breakfast menu. It goes well with vegetables, chicken or mutton stew or spicy chicken or mutton curry. 

Kerala Style Beef Biryani

    Biryani and Kerala. It’s like a good love story. You know why, because the tastes of the soft cooked meat with the big fat kaima rice  garnished  with onions, cinnamon, chopped pineapple when touches your taste buds  is something beyond wonder. It’s like heaven. Biryani is a one pot meal, but not easy (of course, there is an easier, quicker pressure cooker version!), as preparing and making a good Biryani is time consuming

Mashed Tapioca/Kappa Vevichathu/Puzhukku

    Kappa also called as Tapioca is the authentic dish of Kerala. Cooked Tapioca served with fish curry/chicken /beef /mutton curry   has become the star food of Kerala. Earlier Kappa Vevichathu is considered as a man‘s common food, but now it is served in big five star hotels as a  fancy food

 In Goa

    In a standard goan home the family is the reason behind the grand holiday. Without family there is no meaning to Christmas that is why December in Goa is always crowded. In Goa The Portuguese Influence is evident everywhere and particularly in its food and Christmas specials. Goan is known for celebrating Christmas with much pomp and show.They make homemade sweets, visit fares, hosts party and attend Christmas masses and decorate their homes and put up the Christmas trees. So here we come with a special Goan desserts   recipe prepared in every Goan home as their traditional food

In Chennai

    The Christmas celebrations in Chennai are not very different from other places or cities in Tamilnadu. The People engage in the religious services at the church, decorate their homes  beautifully with huge Christmas balls, Balloons and lamps, with Christmas tree and the crib outside their homes. They wear new outfits and exchange  gifts, Christmas foods to their neighbors and loved ones. Some newly wed couples who cannot  visit their hometowns for Christmas, spend their Christmas   in zoom calls and in video chats.

 The common Christmas dishes prepared for lunch are Chicken Briyani/beef Briyani along with spicy side dishes like chicken 65, fish fry, vegetable salad, and curd. In some households, traditional South Indian sweet dish called “paal or parupu Payasam” (made out of milk or yellow grams) is prepared to enjoy the Day of Christ. Chocolates, cookies, ice creams, and cakes are prepared at home and shared with neighbors to live the paradigm of “Give and Forgive”

In Kanyakumari:

    Munthari Kothu is a special traditional  sweet dish prepared as a dessert for Christmas in every home in kannyakumari. It is made from green gram and Jaggery. Another popular lip smacking sweet snack prepared during Christmas season is Athirasam. It is a  deep fried sweet snack prepared for a family evening get together, accompanied by  plumcakes  and sweet wine.

    So people  this Christmas  let us rejoice the birth of Jesus Christ  with happiness and with good food. Because what is Christmas without good food. In the meantime for more amazing Christmas recipes do check out thillai’s recipe page  and enjoy delicious dishes with your family .

Author Name: Jaisinh Vaerkar