It’s that magical time of year again. The period that brings people together with familiar carols, festive decorations, and delicious holiday treats. The tree is lit, the house dazzles with decor, you get to spend quality time with your loved ones and best of all, the delicious aroma of cooking in the kitchen wafts through the house as special Christmas meals are prepared.
Culinary expert Mallika Joseph
This season brings with it warm feelings of comfort and joy. Food is a huge part of the picture. But why is cooking such an important part of this holiday season? What makes food so special this time of year? We asked culinary expert Mallika Joseph to share her opinion.
“The season’s tryst with food begins after the Christmas eve service on December 24. After Holy Mass, everyone goes home to share Christmas cake and wine. The breakfast menu is made up of Breudher (a sweet bread), cheese and grapes. We can also include bullseyes and bacon to the meal to make it more filling. Fried rice, not biriyani, is the main course during lunch. A chicken curry, brinjal stir-fry, salad, cutlets and sausages accompany the rice.
You can also serve soft drinks, fresh juice of wine on the side. Dessert would normally be Christmas pudding or a slice of cake. Roast chicken or turkey (even duck) is the main attraction on the dinner table. A variety of fruits like apples and grapes along with salad and bread would fill the rest of the dinner table. Christmas calls for good wine so it would inevitably be part of the dinner menu as well,” Joseph said.
Christmas is the time for opulent decor, thoughtful gifts and time with friends and family. No matter the holiday, it seems there’s always a bounty of food to serve with it. And, some of these dishes are so nostalgic and beloved that it doesn’t feel quite like the holidays without seeing them on your plate.
Don’t be picky
“This is not the time to be picky or go on a diet. You have most of these dishes only on this particular day. So do not be selective. Minimise your intake on the really sweet and oily food while filling up on the healthy eatables,” Joseph said.
Indulging in festive treats is part of the holiday tradition, but balance is key. Plan your meals ahead to include healthier options. Prioritise whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Opt for smaller portions of high-calorie foods and savor each bite mindfully.
“For example, you can serve yourself a few spoonsful of fried rice while piling your plate with more salad. Instead of deep-frying, choose to stir-fry with either gingelly oil or olive oil. Both are extremely healthy for our system. You can omit the bacon from the breakfast menu. Do not roast the chicken with the skin intact. Take care to serve yourself less to avoid overeating. Eat just the amount to fill your tummy,” she advised adding that making small adjustments like this to your lifestyle would avoid health hazards.
Easy on the purse!
Another fact is that with inflation, the prices of many of the products that are used to make Christmas delicacies have sky rocketed. Should housewives give up on making some of these traditional goodies?
“You really cannot substitute many of these ingredients as they play a huge role in making the dish what it is. So instead of hunting for replacements cut down on the quantity. For instance, use 100 grams of cashew nuts this year if you usually include 250 grammes. Similarly, add less sultanas, raisings and currents if you cannot afford to add the same amount this time. It is all about making smart choices, not evading,” she said adding that this way you can make your Christmas feast nutritious, delicious and easy on the purse.
The Christmas cheer stretches on till around January 6 in the new year. This is the time to be merry and for most this means sharing a good time with family and friends while indulging on festival treats. Joseph says that one should be careful to invite relatives and friends separately as a mix of both is not agreeable.
“You can serve fried rice or even ghee rice on such occasions. Christmas cake is very expensive so serving either a date cake, love cake or fruit cake would be a welcome change for them. Do not use a lot of spices in your cooking. Cardamom, clove and cinnamon enhance the dishes. You can crush and powder cumin, coriander and sweet cumin and use it for most of the preparations. Cut back on the chilli powder. Use a modest amount of pepper. Then you will be able to whip up mouthwatering dishes in a jiffy,” she said.
Prioritising mental health
Christmas can be a hectic time with various commitments and expectations. Prioritising mental health is crucial for a happy holiday. Schedule downtime for relaxation, practice mindfulness, and engage in activities that bring you joy. Reflect on the true meaning of the season and focus on gratitude. Consider practising acts of kindness, which can bring immense fulfillment.
“The season is not solely focused on entertainment and going to the church. Encourage gratitude and reflection during the season. Help the less fortunate in any way you can. You can even spare one of the gifts you have received to bring a moment of joy into another’s heart. Such actscultivate a positive mindset and enhances the holiday experience,” is the Christmas message she wishes to share with others.
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Bruedher
Ingredients for dough
• 225g flour
• ½ tsp yeast dissolved in warm water with 1 tsp sugar
• ½ pint milk
• ½ tsp salt
Method
Dissolve yeast in water and sugar. Leave to raise. Mix the yeast mixture with flour adding salt and enough milk to make a soft dough. Leave for one hour.
Ingredients for the batter
• 60g sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 60g margarine
• 60g sultanas
• 30g candid peel
• A pinch of bicarbonate soda
• ½ tsp mixed spices
Method
Cream egg yolk, sugar and margarine. Mix the dough into the mixture and beat well. Add fruits. Grease the Bruedher pan. Stud with a few sultanas. Mix soda to the batter and pour into the Bruedher pan. Leave for 15 minutes. Bake in a moderate oven until golden brown.
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Seafood soup
Ingredients
• 30g butter
• 1 big onion
• 1 green pepper
• 60g mushrooms
• 150g prawns
• 150g crabs
• 150g lobster
• 2 chicken cubes
• 1 pint tomato juice
• 1 cup water
• Crushed garlic
• Oregano
Method
Melt the butter in a pan. Sauté chopped onions, green pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Stir in the tomato juice, chicken cubes, water and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes. Cut the prawn and lobster into small pieces. Add them and the crab into the mixture on the stove. Cook for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.
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Chilled fruit punch
Ingredients
• ½ pint boiling water
• 3tsp tea leaves
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 4tbsp apple juice
• 2 cups ginger beer
• 150g sugar
• ½ pint cold water
• Few ice cubes
Method
Por boiling water over the tea leaves and brew for 5 minutes. Strain and cool. Combine tea with fruit juice, water and sugar. Chill this mixture. Add ginger beer and ice cubes just before serving. Garnish with lemon and cherries.
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Mixed fried rice
Ingredients
• 500g cooked rice
• 150g leeks
• 60g green peas
• 150g chicken liver
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• ¼ cup milk
• Onions
• Curry leaves
• Spring onions
• Salt
• Pepper
• Saffron
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• Butter
Method
Boil and chop the chicken liver. Temper onions, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, leeks, green peas and chicken liver. Add cooked rice, soya sauce and saffron diluted in milk. Mix slightly and cook for 5 minutes. Before taking off heat add the ground ingredients, seasoning, coriander leaves and spring onions.
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Chicken and baby corn
Ingredients
• 500g chicken thigh fillets
• 250g baby corn
• 1 tbsp oil
• Onions
• Garlic
• Ginger
• 1 red pepper
• Broccoli
• Ripe chilli
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
Method
Cut the chicken into thin strips. Slice baby corn half lengthwise. Heat oil in a wok. Stir-fry the chicken and baby corn and take off heat. Temper onions, garlic, ginger, red pepper and broccoli separately. Add fish sauce. Stir-fry and take off heat. Add this to the chicken and baby corn mixture and mix. Top with garlic and chilli.
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Raisin Muffins
Ingredients
• 225g flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 150g sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 60g melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 90g seedless raisins
Method:
Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Add sugar and mix. Beat eggs until they are pale and thick. Beat melted butter and milk. Add the flour mixture. Do not overbeat the ingredients, but just mix them.
Coat raisins lightly in a little extra flour to prevent the raisins from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. Fold raisins into the butter.
Divide the butter in floured muffin pans. Bake for 15 minutes or till the muffins are golden brown in a pre-heated oven (230 centigrade degrees – 450 Fahrenheit degrees)
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Capsicum in gravy
Ingredients
• 250g capsicum chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Cloves
• Curry leaves
• Onions
• Garlic paste
• Ginger paste
• Tamarind juice
• Coriander leaves
• Oil
Ingredients for Salan paste
• 1 tbs peanuts
• 1tbs coconut
• Sesame seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Red chillies
• Salt
• Pepper
Method
Slit, remove the seeds and fry capsicum in a little oil. Rost and grind all the ingredients for the Salan paste to make a paste. Soak the tamarind and make a pulp. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cloves and curry leaves. Mix onions and garlic into the pan and add the Salan paste to it. Stir fry. Add ginger and garlic paste. Add one cup water, tamarind pulp, salt and fried chillies. Take off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.
