20 Christmas Delicacies Prepared in India

20-Christmas-Delicacies-Prepared-in-India

Christmas is all about singing carols, visiting the church, exchanging gifts, and having Christmas cakes. The houses decorated with lights and Christmas trees add up to the festive vibe. When we think about Christmas, all we can see is Christmas cakes and wines, people dancing, singing, and indulging in delicacies prepared by family and friends.

Following is a list of all the delicacies eaten during Christmas in India:

1 Gujia

Prepared by many Indians during Holi and Diwali, Gujia is a must prepared dish prepared during Christmas too. These pastry shells have a filling of khoya or coconut with nuts considered as a tradition in many states like Goa and Uttar Pradesh.

gujia

2 Coconut Barfi

If you love the combination of coconut and cardamom, you ought to love coconut barfi then. It has the right amount of sweet and often made during Diwali, which is the Hindu festival of lights.

coconut-barfi

3 Bebinca

Bebinca, a Goan pudding, is popular among people. It is made with coconut milk, ghee, sugar, eggs, and flour. Usually made with 16 layers according to the tradition, but you can make it with fewer. Each layer has to be prepared and cooked properly before moving on to the next one. This dish requires patience and can prove to be tiring.

bebinca

4 Chhena Poda

Chhena Poda, made with cottage cheese, also known as Chhena is roasted and then soaked in sugar syrup. This dish is garnished with nuts and is loved by all. It is eaten during Christmas and is a traditional dish of Orissa.

chenna-poda

5 Kheer

Be it Christmas or not, everyone loves Kheer as a dessert. It is made with boiled rice cooked in milk, saffron, sugar, and garnished with various nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios. You can also use barley instead of rice.

kheer

6 Guava Cheese

Also known as Perad, Guava Cheese is a dish from Goa. It was brought to the state by Portuguese. It has other names like Guayabate, Guava Pate, or Pasta de Guayaba in America. You can have it for breakfast and spread it over toast because the texture is just like fudge. It can also be used as a filling in pies and pastries.

guava-cheese

7 Biryani

No festival is complete without Biryani, especially Christmas. There are many variants in Biryani like Turkey Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, and Vegetable Biryani. Invented in the kitchens of Muslim Indian kings, chefs would customize the taste of the biryani to please their kings.

biryani

8 Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins are eggless, dairy free, and made without refined sugar. Dry Ginger, Nutmeg Powder, and Cinnamon give the muffins a spicy taste. Because of these spices, they are aromatic.

pumpkin

9 Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun is a traditional dessert all over India. Commonly made during festivals, they are rose-colored dumplings soaked in sugar syrup. They melt in the mouth within the first bite and taste delicious.

gulab-jamun

10 Pineapple Payasam

Pineapple Payasam, a refreshing dessert made with pineapples. A perfect combination of coconut milk and pineapple is used in many dishes. A famous drink pineapple and coconut milk.

pineapple

11 Thaen Mittai

Thaen Mittai is a bright orange coloured candy used to be sold in shops earlier. These melt in the mouth and are soaked in sugar syrup. When you take a bite, the sugar syrup oozes out of the ball into your mouth. Now, that sounds delicious!

thaen-mithai

12 Candy Cane

Candy Cane is cane-shaped candy associated with Christmas. It has red and white stripes with peppermint flavor. Other flavors and colors are also available. These can be available in bakery shops or can be prepared at home. These are loved especially by little children.

candy-cane

13 Stew

Stew is a combination of food ingredients like vegetables such as potatoes, beans, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and peppers cooked in liquid and served in gravy. Apart from vegetables, you can also add meat like chicken and seafood. Seasonings and flavorings enhance the taste.

stew

14 Allahabadi Cake

Allahabadi Cake is a traditional cake. As the name suggests, it originates from the North Indian city of Allahabad. Ingredients include eggs, butter, maida, sugar, marmalade, ginger, nuts, and fennel. You can choose own flavors and ingredients to add to the cake as per your taste rather than going with the traditional one.

allahabadi-cake

15 Jalebi

Jalebi is also known as Zalabia and Zulbia (bet you didn’t know that). It is made by deep-frying all-purpose flour in circular shapes and then soaked in sugar syrup. They are famous all over India and eaten with rabri.

jalebi

16 Mathri

Mathri is a famous snack and originates from Rajasthan. It is a flaky biscuit made with flour, cumin seeds, and water. You can serve it with chili or lemon pickle along with tea to enjoy. Masala Mathri is another spicy version of the plain mathri made with spices.

mathri

17 Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake is a fruitcake served especially during Christmas. Variants cake, cake with various nuts, and many others are also available. This particular dish has many favourites. Many Christian families prepare these cakes in a large quantity and exchange with each other just like how people exchange gifts and sweets during Diwali.

christmas-cake

18 Vindaloo

Vindaloo is an Indian curry dish famous in Goa. It is usually made with pork meat marinated in garlic and wine which enhances the curry.  Globally, considered as the spiciest dish available, but it varies in taste at every restaurant.

vindaloo

19 Jam Bread Rolls

Jam Bread Rolls are a good option in breakfast as they are healthy and are made with whole wheat flour. They taste good when paired with tea or coffee. These have a filling of homemade jams or cheese or chocolate fillings.

jam-bread

20 Nankhatai

Nankhatai is a sweet and savory snack loved by kids as well as elders. It can be known as the Indian shortbread cookies. Ingredients like all-purpose flour, sugar, and butter are used. You can use semolina for a healthier option.

nankhatai