FOODIE/ CHRISTMAS SPECIAL ..............Christmas on a platter

Christmas on a platter

A silent storm has been brewing in Catholic households across the country, one that makes itself felt in hearts and stomachs for Christmas

East Indian fare At an East Indian feast, be prepared to find a startled roast and stuffed piglet with an apple in its mouth. Fast disappearing given the political correctness of our times, it was the piece de resistance on an East Indian festive table. Next to it is a mountain of foogyas – little innocuous looking balls that are just what the doctor warned if you’re watching your weight. Made of white flour, it is left overnight to ferment in yeast and deep fried to delicious crispness. Surrounding these two are acolytes like sorpotel, this one vastly different from its Goan cousin. Nearby lurks a tray of ‘piggy-in-the-blanket’ (as if ‘piggy with the apple’ wasn’t enough). This is a misnomer though. It’s basically little frankfurters wrapped in crispy potato mash. Pan-rolls (mince wrapped in pancake batter) also compete for attention. Traditionalists at Christmas will look for khudi curry with mutton, meatloaf and duck moile (a gravy dish which uses the famous ‘bottle masala’’ as it does in the khudi curry). No table is complete without wedding rice, a broth p ced with fried onions, slices of boiled eggs and fried dry fruits. All this is washed down with mulled wine, made in summer so it’s now rich, mature and mellow.amy.fernandes@dnaindia.net, @amyglada Nagaland’s Yuletide cheer Nagaland is a community of over 20 tribes. And each tribe brings to the table its own special flavour. Like, Semas are big on fermented soya bean paste axhone, Aos love soya bean paste anishi and Lothas see bamboo shoot as a favourite. Expect a lot of boiled or roasted meats in a typical Naga Christmas spread. Karen Yepthomi of Delhi’s Dzükou Tribal Kitchen says that her memory of a Christmas spread is of several pork dishes. “The pig’s head, intestines, trotters and everything else ends up as different dishes – pork curry, pork ribs, pork with anishi, with axhone, raja mircha (the hottest chilli in the world), bamboo shoot and yam leaves. Also, several chutnies – roasted tomato, raja mircha, dry fish and boiled vegetables,” says Yepthomi. Crab chilli sauce is a preferred side dish. Dried pork and roasted intestines are popular delicacies. “We have it with rice beer, or beer. Some prefer black tea,” shares Yepthomi. amrita.madhukalya@dnaindia.net, @visually_kei Mangalorean spread An array of rice cakes with pork, chicken, sweet pulao and more pork, graces a Mangalorean Christmas table: l Pork Bafat: Mangaloreans’ undying love for bafat masala is proven with this dish of pork, spices and tamarind juice. l Coconut roce chicken curry: Chunks of chicken swimming in coconut milkgravy. lGhee Chicken: Chicken soaked ghee and select spices for a soft, buttery feel. l Pork indad: More full-bodied and spicy than Goan vindaloo. l Sorpotel or rakti: Almost every inch of a pig with generous dose of pepper to make a not-too-pungent gravy. l Jerem merem: Jeera-and-pepper chicken in delicious onion broth. lRice cakes: Kori roti (paper dosa), appams, pan polay (neer dosa), polay, (yeast dosa) and sannas (toddy idlis). lSweet pulao: Rice with caramelised onions, raisins and cashewnuts.ornella.dsouza@dnaindia.net, @_oregano_ Anglo fusion Christmas food is an integral part of the Anglo-Indian cheer – cakes and puddings drizzled with rum, baked goodies and roast meats. For Bridget White-Kumar, an Anglo-Indian and author of several books on the unique European-Indian fusion cuisine of her community, Christmas holidays began with helping her mother make kulkuls – fried spiral-shaped sweets. As children, Bridget and others in the house sat around the dining-table, rolling little balls of dough into different shapes, which her mother fried and frosted with sugar syrup. Christmas pudding was another family affair. Everyone took turns at stirring the dough and making a wish. Sometimes a coin, ring or thimble would be dropped into it – to bring luck to the finder. It was made on Stir Up Sunday, last Sunday before Advent or four weeks before Christmas, and had 13 ingredients – for Christ and each of his 12 disciples, and stirred from East to West, for the route the three Maji took while looking for infant Jesus. Bridget’s menu for an Anglo-Indian Christmas Dinner: *Mutton/lamb chops or a roast with gravy *Country captain chicken *Stuffed turkey or chicken roast *Anglo-Indian pork vindaloo *Pork buffad *Steamed meat loaf *Shepherd’s pie *Grilled whole fish *Chicken casserole *Grilled tomatoes *Baked vegetables *Mash potatoes *Bread, roti or a rice pulao on the side Dessert: *Tipsy trifle pudding *Bread and butter pudding *Caramel custard gargi.gupta@dnaindia.net, @togargi Goan spread No self-respecting Goan will produce a table without at least five of the following dishes: l Xacuti: Spicy rich dish usually made with chicken or lamb. Overarchingly rich so you know that Goans don’t scrimp on spices. lCafreal: Spicy gravy loaded with coconut. l Arroz: A Portuguese import of pulao soaked in broth, now adapted to Goan cooking with lots of coconut milk. l Sorpotel: Every Goan will tell you that Goan sorpotel is the best. East Indians will boast that theirs is the best. The jury is still out. lVindaloo: Another Portuguese hangover, fiery with garlic, chillies and vinegar. Choose your meat. l Croquettes: We have to mince our words on this since beef is off the table. This finger-food is now made from lamb. lRoast and stuffed chicken: Here’s where the wars are fought: my-stuffing’s–better-than-yours kind. lPrawn balchao: A pickled, very typically Goan, delicious dish that can be had in measured pace like pickle or mopped up like gravy depending on how hungry you are. Again, there’s fierce competition from the Mangalorean quarters who claim this for their own, but the jury has tried and tasted. Case closed. l Chilly fry: When they’re not sure of what to do with the fish or meat that has been ordered in excess, it’s chilly fry to the rescue. Lots of onions, toss in chillies and a few spices, caramelised sweet onions a super foil to whatever is game in the dish. A yummy (virtuously pan fried) dish. l Goan sausage: Do not believe anyone but Goans when they say they can make Goan sausage. It’s unique. It looks like sausage (made from pork, of course with fat and rind, all inclusive), but a gravied meat dish when cooked and unanimously declared delicious amy.fernandes@dnaindia.net,