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Suppose you are organising a Christmas dinner at your home, or you are being invited over to a place. In that case, these recipes are delicious options to contribute to the menu. Let your table explore the world this season. As Christmas dawns , think about incorporating some of that international warmth into your celebration, from the UK to Goa and beyond. These recipes are fantastic for sharing and making new memories around your holiday table since they are full of warmth, tradition, and winter richness. Let's look at these recipes for a wholesome dinner this year:
Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Goat Cheese Stuffed mushrooms are a wonderful vegetarian option for your Christmas parties. They will please both vegetarians and non-vegetarians and can easily become a part of your party menu. This is a simple and delicious recipe. The stems of the mushrooms are first removed and chopped into small pieces to be used later for the masala filling. The contents inside the mushroom caps are then removed to create cavities, in which a filling of masalas and grated cheese is put. The Stuffed Mushrooms are then topped with grated cheese and cooked in olive oil for three to four minutes until the topping of grated cheese melts. The Stuffed Mushrooms should be cooked over medium flame and not low flame to retain the moisture of the mushrooms.
Green Bean Salad
Serve up a big bowl for a burst of colour on the table and a burst of freshness on your palate. What really gives this dish an extra touch of something special are the toasted almonds. That nuttiness, in contrast with the sharp balsamic and the salty feta, kicks the whole dish into high gear. And what’s even better is that it can be served warm or cold and can be left out without wilting or getting soggy, so it’s the perfect choice for a buffet too. With a bit of respect and some care, green beans can be one of the most versatile salad ingredients around. They work well cold or hot, and when cooked correctly, have an amazing crunch that adds texture and dimension to a dish.
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Roasted Turkey
Craft the perfect and classic Roasted Turkey, which is a symbol of festive abundance and shared joy. This recipe, infused with herbs and accompanied by savoury stuffing and rich gravy, ensures a memorable holiday feast. For generations, the art of preparing the perfect turkey has been a cherished tradition, a culinary symphony that serves as the centrepiece of familial togetherness. With its golden-brown exterior and moist, flavourful interior, it has become an emblematic dish synonymous with Christmas lunch or dinner. The very presence of a beautifully adorned turkey on the dining table signifies the essence of holiday feasting, a symbol of abundance, gratitude, and shared moments of joy. The tradition of serving a perfectly roasted turkey extends beyond its culinary prowess; it encapsulates the spirit of communal gatherings, where family and friends unite to partake in the richness of the season. As the aroma of the turkey permeates the kitchen, it sets the stage for a festive ambience, creating lasting memories around the heartwarming act of breaking bread together.
Arroz Con Pollo
Arroz con Pollo is an extremely popular dish in both Hispanic and Latin American everyday cuisine. Arroz con Pollo means rice with chicken, and is quite similar to Paella or the rice dish of Spain. The origin of this staple dish is disputed between Spain and Puerto Rico. The dish has many versions and variations throughout Latin America, and the Mexican version is quite spicy and flavourful. Chicken sausages are made of ground meat of chicken, and get their cylindrical and spherical shape because of the edible casings of skin in which they are stuffed. The most comforting part is that this one-pot rice is pleasantly similar in flavour and seasonings to our Indian food, with taco spices and includes cumin, black pepper, and red chilli added to the gravy. Arroz con Pollo is full of the savouriness of tomato puree and lemon juice, and with the crunchiness of fresh bell peppers added in the end. Take care not to break the long rice grains while stirring and mixing. The rice needs to be soaked for 20 minutes before cooking. You can add more herbs of your choice.
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Gingerbread Cakes
With a cup of coffee or tea, the gingerbread cake is moist and tasty enough to be served on its own. For a more conventional dessert, it also goes fantastically with a layer of buttercream or cream cheese icing, a drizzle of lemony custard sauce, or salted caramel sauce. You can refrigerate gingerbread cake by tightly covering it in plastic wrap or an airtight container to store it for up to three days and protect it from drying out. Butter cake is modified into gingerbread cake, which includes fresh and ground ginger, molasses, and baking spices that make gingerbread so distinctive. Like fast bread, bakers can frost the cake or serve it unadorned. Gingerbread basically refers to a wide category of baked items that are flavoured with ginger and spices like cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, along with the sweetness of honey, sugar or molasses. But did you know it was not until the 15th century that gingerbread was applied to desserts? In Medieval England, the term was simply referred to as “preserved ginger”.
Bebinca
This traditional Goan dessert is popularly prepared during Christmas and boasts a rich cultural heritage influenced by its history of Portuguese colonisation. Bebinca is a layered pudding made with ingredients like flour, coconut milk, sugar, and ghee. It’s usually baked layer by layer, with each layer being individually set before adding the next one, so it’s quite labour-intensive and not often found off the rack in bakeries. Every Goan household and most Indians celebrate this popular holiday with a decadent slice of Bebinca. To make this tempting Goan dessert at home, one needs to spare out a minimum of 5-6 hours and should possess the skills of patience. The way it’s slowly baked in a series until all the layers are stacked atop one another flawlessly is what sets this dessert apart from every other dessert. The name "Bebinca" is thought to be derived from the Portuguese word "bebe," which means baby or little one, possibly alluding to its rich, layered appearance. Over time, Bebinca became an amalgamation of European and Indian culinary influences, resulting in a unique fusion of flavours.
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Hot Toddy
Warm up during the winter season by enjoying the comforting warmth of a Hot Toddy. It's a comforting concoction for the spirit, made with a combination of whisky, honey, lemon juice and hot water. This drink is absolutely perfect for a cosy Christmas evening. It not only warms you up but also brings a touch of elegance to your festive celebrations. For those who don’t know, "taddy" in Hindi actually means a "drink made of fermented palm sap". By the end of the 1700s, the word had gained quite a popularity as a beverage containing alcohol, water, hot sugar, and a lot of spices. The British took that beverage along and claimed it as their own. Some legends believe that this cocktail can be traced back to India when it was under British control. Another legend believes that Dr Robert Bentley Todd was the one who created the hot toddy. The legend says that Todd requested his patients to consume a mixture of warmed brandy, sugar water, and cinnamon to cure the ailments that may have been affecting them. The most likely answer as to how the drink came to be is a combination of both theories.
