Christmas 2025: Chef Kaizad Modi Shares 3 Holiday Recipes
Image Credit: Chef Kaizad Modi

Established in 1991 in Gujarat by Lily and Noshir Modi, Goodies Cafeteria started with a simple idea of serving well-made food that people would return to often. Over the years, Christmas became a big part of the cafeteria’s identity, with cakes and festive bakes that people look forward to every December. These are recipes shaped by time, careful measurements, and a love for flavours that feel right for the season. Today, that Christmas cooking continues under Kaizad Modi, who brings the same care into the kitchen while making these recipes easy to try at home. The three recipes shared here come straight from what Goodies has been known for during Christmas. They focus on method, balance, and enjoyment, and are meant to be cooked slowly, shared generously, and enjoyed around the table, reflecting the way Goodies Cafeteria has approached festive food since its beginnings.

Roast Chicken Legs With Miso, Mirepoix & Zero Basting Drama

Juicy chicken legs roasted over a bed of vegetables, glazed with umami and honey, served with stuffing patties and a gravy that tastes festive enough to demand its own carol.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 whole chicken legs, thigh and drumstick together, skin on. We don’t mix breast with leg meat. Different personalities and different cooking times.

Mirepoix Tray Base

  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 leek, roughly chopped
  • 6–8 whole garlic pods
  • A handful of whole shallots

Marinade

  • 8–10 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • 4–5 tbsp oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 finely chopped green chillies
  • 2 tsp very finely minced garlic
  • 4 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp shiro miso, the secret umami elevator

Stuffing Patties

  • 300 g chicken mince
  • Breadcrumbs equal to 30–40% of the mince weight
  • Rosemary, fresh or dried
  • 1–2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1–2 tsp garlic
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • A handful of plump raisins
  • A handful of dried cranberries
  • A handful of chopped pistachios
  • A handful of chopped pecan nuts

Pan Gravy

  • All the roasted pan drippings
  • A splash of water or stock
  • 2–3 tbsp cream

Image credit: Chef Kaizad Modi

Method

  1. Scatter onions, carrots, leeks, garlic pods, and shallots across a baking tray. This becomes your flavour bed. The vegetables soften and caramelise as they catch every drop of chicken goodness.
  2. Mix Worcestershire sauce, mustard, oil, green chillies, garlic, honey, miso, salt, and pepper until glossy and suspiciously delicious. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons for later.
  3. Rub the chicken legs generously with the marinade, getting under the skin because flavour likes hiding places. Rest for 4–5 hours if organised. If not, 30–60 minutes still works.
  4. Place the chicken legs skin-side up on the vegetable bed. Pour the remaining marinade around the tray, not over the chicken. Cover tightly with foil. This is a no-baste roast. The foil does the work.
  5. Roast at 150°C for 45 minutes. Check the thickest part. If the juices run pink, continue roasting in 5-minute intervals until clear.
  6. Remove the foil, lightly baste with the reserved marinade, and roast uncovered at 180°C for 5–10 minutes until golden, glossy, and camera-ready.
  7. Place the roasting tray on heat, add water or stock, scrape up the browned bits, reduce to about 20%, then stir in the cream until silky. This gravy makes adults emotional.
  8. Serve with roasted mirepoix, stuffing patties, gravy, warm bread, and a fresh salad. This dish tastes like Christmas, comfort, and confidence.

Also read: Christmas 2025: Nutritionist Kavita Devgan Shares Avocado & Pecan Recipes Built On Healthy Fats

Shepherd’s Pie

A cosy classic with modern upgrades, flavour bombs, forbidden shortcuts, and the confidence to say no to peas.

Ingredients

Mince Base

  • 500 g mutton mince with about 10% fat. Ask your butcher and trust yourself later.
  • 200–250 g tomato purée
  • 2½ tbsp garlic paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2–3 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce. Add this before adjusting salt. It is already salty and opinionated.
  • 1–2 bay leaves
  • A pinch of cinnamon powder
  • Optional peas, if tradition is calling. We won’t judge much.

Mashed Potato Topping

  • 4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3–4 tbsp cream
  • 1 cup grated processed cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp mustard, optional but adds personality

Crumb Topping

  • 2–3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp softened butter

Image credit: Chef Kaizad Modi

Method

  1. Heat a pan, add the tomato purée, and cook until the raw smell disappears and it thickens slightly. Consider this the tomato getting serious about life.
  2. Add the mutton mince and let it sizzle, releasing all that fat you wisely requested. Season with salt, pepper, green chillies, garlic paste, bay leaves, and a very restrained pinch of cinnamon. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce like a blessing, then add the oyster sauce and cook until everything smells like a warm hug.
  3. Mash the potatoes with butter, cream, processed cheese, salt, pepper, and mustard if using. Mix until creamy enough to spoon, pipe, or taste-test excessively.
  4. Spread the mince mixture evenly in a baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes. Pipe fancy swirls or keep it rustic. Both are valid life choices.
  5. Mix the breadcrumbs with softened butter and sprinkle generously over the top. It’s festive, buttery, and always welcome.
  6. Bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes until golden. Fresh breadcrumbs brown quickly, so keep an eye on it. Rest briefly before serving so enthusiasm doesn’t lead to burns.

Slow-Roasted Pork With Citrus, Spice & Zero Fuss

Meltingly tender pork slow-roasted in its own fat, gently kissed with citrus and wrapped in a spice rub that makes the house smell like Christmas is finally paying rent.

Ingredients

The Pork

  • 750 g lean boneless pork, cut into even cubes
  • 250 g pork belly, cut into matching cubes
  • A 75:25 ratio that balances flavour with a sense of responsibility

Pre-Rub Coat

  • 3–4 tbsp mustard
  • 2–3 tbsp oil
  • This is not a marinade. It exists purely to help the spices stick like loyal friends.

Dry Rub

  • 1½ tbsp black pepper powder
  • 1½ tbsp red chilli flakes
  • 1½ tbsp cumin powder
  • 1½ tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt

Optional Aromatics

  • 1–2 star anise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • Thick slices of orange for that perfect citrus aroma

Image credit: Chef Kaizad Modi

Method

  1. Wash, clean, and pat the pork completely dry. Wet pork steams. Toss the cubes lightly in mustard and oil. This is edible glue, not a massage.
  2. Mix pepper, chilli flakes, cumin powder, brown sugar, and salt. Taste a pinch. If it excites you now, imagine it after two hours in pork. Coat every cube thoroughly.
  3. Spread the pork in a baking tray, tuck in the aromatics, and scatter the orange slices with casual confidence.
  4. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 120°C for 1 to 1½ hours. This is where the fat renders, the meat softens, and the kitchen starts telling stories.
  5. Remove the foil, increase the heat to 150°C, and roast for another 30–40 minutes. If a fork slides in easily, you’re almost there.
  6. Increase the oven to 180°C for the final 5–10 minutes. The edges brown, the sugars caramelise, and the citrus does its thing.
  7. Serve with mashed potatoes, a crisp salad, and warm bread to mop up the pan juices. Praise will follow.