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During Easter, households across the country make some of the most delicious and significant dishes in Indian cuisine, most of which have interesting backstories. You can witness a true diversity of ingredients as there are quite a few regional Easter recipes which are often overlooked whenever Eater foods are mentioned.
Did you know that in certain parts of Kerala, Christian households prepare something called an Easter appam or an ‘INRI’ appam which is named after Jesus? In cities like Maharashtra and Pondicherry, regional delicacies play a big role and seasonal produce is quite key for these underrated dishes. Here are quite a few regional Easter dishes you need to learn about
Easter Appam/ Inri Appam
In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Easter is celebrated with a sweet and fluffy delicacy known as Easter Appam. Made with fermented rice batter, coconut milk, and a hint of jaggery or sugar, this appam is cooked in a special appam pan to achieve its characteristic shape and texture. It’s also called INRI appam which alludes to the letters above Jesus’ head on the crucifix, which translates to “Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews.” Pesaha Appam is prepared only once a year on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter and is served warm with a drizzle of ghee or sweet coconut milk.
Bundt Biryani
One of the best Easter dishes is the Hyderabad-special Bundt Biryani. This biryani is made with fragrant basmati rice cooked with tender pieces of meat (such as lamb or chicken), boiled eggs, caramelized onions, and a medley of aromatic spices including saffron, cardamom, and cloves. Slow-cooked to perfection, this festive biryani is a symbol of communal harmony and culinary excellence in Hyderabad and it’s usually served like a bird’s nest with boiled eggs on top.
Sorpotel
In Goa, locals celebrate Easter with Sorpotel, a traditional pork dish. Sorpotel is a flavorful stew made with pork, liver, and other offal, cooked in a spicy and tangy sauce infused with vinegar and Goan spices like cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. The dish is typically served with sannas (steamed rice cakes) or poi (Goan bread), representing a fusion of flavours that reflects Goa's Portuguese and Konkani heritage.
Turkey Kuruma
This flavourful and hearty curry is widely consumed in Pondicherry and parts of northeast India during Easter. The festive kuruma is actually a turkey cashew curry, featuring a rich coconut and cashew-based gravy made with a blend of spices lime cinnamon, cloves, turmeric and red chillies.
Fugia
Also known as East Indian Bread, these fluffy breads are balloon-shaped and they’re deep-fried. They are typically served as sides to a festive Easter meal; they were first made in South America and it’s believed that the Portuguese introduced these airy, round breads to Indian cuisines around Maharashtra and Goa.
Pork Baffarth
This mixed meat stew is an Anglo-Indian delicacy which can be made with a variety of meats, including chicken, pork, and mutton. Buffarth can also include vegetables. This stew was a staple in most Anglo-Indian homes in the country back in the day although its relvance has somewhat faded since its recipe is quite elaborate, Baffarth is made with Indian spices like coriander, chilli, turmeric, pepper and cloves.
