Good tidings of taste

Pushpesh Pant

There are many festivals in India associated with celebratory foods. Of these, Christmas, also known as X-mas or Bada Din, could be placed on the top of the heap. Christmas is synonymous with a special cake with chocolate coating dressed up with snow white icing. The mouth-watering decorations include miniature Christmas trees, images of Father Christmas and bright red cherries. For us, nothing compares with the rich plum pudding. Weeks, if not months, before Christmas, the batter for pudding is prepared soaking dried fruits and nuts in whisked eggs, rum and spices.

The gift hampers are overladen with assorted goodies that can be enjoyed till New Year and beyond. However, what one looks forward to is a traditional Christmas dinner on the 24th of December, or a lazy, gluttonous brunch that extends till early evening on the 25th.

Till recently, a lavish British spread included roast turkey, leg of lamb or pork chops and mince pie. Dessert would be trifle or fruit salad with custard. This rich repast was washed down with planters punch that evoked the nostalgia of those who lived in semi-exile in the tea gardens. The mix of wines, lightly brewed tea, rum, lime juice and fruit juices was served in a large bowl. In Latin America and the Philippines, the Spanish culinary influence is clearly discernible. In the southern states of US, turkey is for thanksgiving and expensive cuts of beef are often served on Christmas. In Italy, roasted fish and stuffed pasta are popular.

Across India, Christians have happily incorporated regional signature dishes into the traditional Christmas feast. In Goa, sorpotel and pork vindaloo retain their predominance. Bebinca, the multilayered coconut, jaggery, vanilla confection, and bhaat (not to be confused with rice) made with coconut and jaggery and having a texture like soft thekua from Bihar and Jharkhand.

In Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, turkey is an alien bird and murgh musallam rules the roost. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, biryani, including variations prepared with fish and prawn, is popular. Beef roast, leg of mutton and recipes that use duck are some resplendent gems of the Suriani (Syrian Christian kitchen). Roasted or minced duck is a specialty in Assam while people in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram stay loyal to most of their traditional repast.

The fast dwindling Anglo-Indian community had an X-mas menu that represented the best of Indian and western recipes. Roasts coexisted happily with ‘bad word’ (meat ball) curry mimicking Mughlai kofta and saffron tinge pilaf. Traditionally, also present were cutlets and chops.

What we miss at Yuletide these days are home-cooked delicacies. Overpriced X-mas hampers brim over with bloated packets of chocolates, chips, biscuits and tetra packs of fruit juice. One can understand the wines and cheeses, but we are totally flummoxed by the inclusion of expensive smartphones. Any ‘cakes and ale’ seem to be an afterthought. Make some traditional classics this time and see how quickly the joy of sharing drives the winter chill away.