FOOD COURT
Traditional
Christmas fare
Christmas is a festival that attracts people from all over the world. Almost
everyone enjoys listening to carols, receiving gifts from Santa Claus and
also feasting on delicious Christmas preparations. Lots of Christmas
traditions are practised by a number of countries. These traditions can be
as diverse as the culture and religious practices of each country.
BY JYOTI BALANI
F
EASTING has always been an important part of
the Christmas celebrations, one that most people look forward to. There are various traditional preparations that are made during Christmas.
Roast turkey, plum pudding, eggnog, the Yule log, etc
are some of them. Eggnog, a drink that brings back so
many memories for people, is one of the traditional
Christmas recipes. There are various stories linked to
the origin of the name for this drink. One adaptation
says that the name has originated in Colonial America
where a thick drink was generally called a “grog.” This
drink was called “egg-and-grog” since eggs are a part
of it and later it became eggnog. It is also believed that
the eggnog tradition began in Europe as a variation of
the various milk and punches often served at social
occasions. Eggnog was used as a toast to one’s health
and could only be afforded by the well heeled as milk
and eggs were not easily available in Europe. This was
in the 17th century. Christmas pudding or plum pudding is another Christmas delicacy. Plum pudding is
generally steam-cooked in a cloth; it is believed that
everyone in the family should stir the pudding and
then they can make a secret wish. Roasted meats such
as turkey are usually served with lots of vegetables
accompanied by a number of fruit sauces such as
apple, prunes, apricots, cranberries, etc etc...
At present, the Christmas meal in most households
is a combination of the traditional and the modern
and may include a variety of preparations. One can
get creative and come up with original recipes to
spring a surprise on friends and family. In this
feature, Adarsh Hegde and Pirzad
Amalsadiwala from Red Fusion-Le Royce,
Pune, India dish up six delicacies for you
to enjoy during this festive season.
CHICKEN CASSEROLE
CHICKEN CASSEROLE
76
December 21, 2007
Serves 4.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients:
4 baby leeks
3 carrots
5 cloves garlic
2 cubed potatoes
3 chicken breasts
2 bay leaves
3 thyme sprigs
400 ml chicken stock
30 gm Dijon mustard
100 ml double cream
30 g any fresh herb
Olive oil for cooking
Salt and pepper to season
Method:
Clean, wash and prepare the vegetables and chicken.
In a casserole dish, heat olive oil, add leeks and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Add in the chicken and cubed potatoes, sauté till
the chicken is sealed, slightly golden brown.
Add in the bay leaves and thyme, followed by
IRISH CREAM EGGNOG
Serves 4.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
150 ml Irish cream syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp all spice powder
1/4 tsp clove powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup double cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
Method:
Break eggs into a bowl and whisk until light
and frothy.
Add in the Irish cream syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and clove powder.
Slowly whisk in milk until eggnog is thoroughly mixed.
Serve in a fancy shaped glass sprinkled with
nutmeg on top.
chicken stock. Cook on a high flame for 5 - 7 minutes
to reduce the liquid.
Mix in the mustard with the cream, add it to the
chicken mix. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add and check the seasonings.
Remove the casserole from heat, add in the fresh
herbs. Serve hot with bread rolls or steamed rice.
December 21, 2007
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