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Growing up, Easter used to be a big deal in my convent school. Preparations used to begin days in advance. Although students were not a part of celebrations, we used to study Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, a holiday commemorating Jesus Christ coming alive on the third day of his burial, followed by his crucifixion (mentioned in the New Testament).
The Easter feast used to be a mystery for me, and decorated eggs always fascinated my creative brain. I studied in a convent school from fifth to tenth standard, but I never knew about the various Christian communities that exist in India, let alone the world. Easter is among the most important festivals for them - a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and penance, and it ends with a midnight Mass followed by a lavish repast the next day.
In India, Christian communities are quite diverse. We have Catholics, Oriental Orthodox, and Protestants. These are further divided into different groups. If you continue diving deeper, you will come across East Indian Christians, also referred to as East Indians or Bombay East Indians. This ethno-religious community is native to the northern Konkan region, Mumbai Metropolitan Area, and seven islands of Mumbai, the financial capital of India.
The origin of the community can be traced back to the 16th century when Portuguese missionaries arrived in India. They were the local fishermen, farmers, and salt makers who adopted Roman Catholicism. Their culture is quite distinct from Mangalorean and Goan Catholics, which is why Britishers called them East Indians. Interestingly, this community is responsible for shaping Mumbai and the surrounding areas as we know them today.
To learn about how East Indian Christians celebrate Easter, I connected with Pastry Chef Freny Fernandes, Founder of Freny’s and Monèr - Bistro Dessert Bar. Whether you are craving sugary desserts or lip-smacking finger foods, you head to Freny’s and experience a blend of traditional and modern recipes on your plate.
Traditional Easter Recipes Enjoyed In East Indian Households
With a hint of excitement in her voice, Chef Freny said, “When we come home after attending the midnight mass, my mom’s stuffed roast chicken is ready.” She explained how East Indians enjoy a classic chicken roast with the stuffing of sausages, liver, croutons, gizzards, carrots, and peas. Adding an oomph factor is the marination of the meat with bottled masala (a spice blend prepared using local spices), butter, and ginger-garlic paste.
Image Credit: Chef Freny Fernandes/ Instagram
For lunch, her family indulges in pork vindaloo, which she says is the East Indian version of Goan-special vindaloo curry. “It is dry and tangy, and the base has no tomatoes,” the chef explained. The feast comprises her father’s special mutton curry (khudi curry), interestingly, including potatoes, and the gravy exudes nuttiness from tawa-roasted coconut blended with spices like bottled masala and garam masala. At Freny’s home, her mother bakes dessert, which is usually the traditional custard and jelly or cake.
“Since I have opened restaurants, I barely get the time to cook. So, mom does the cooking, and I experiment with the dessert since I am the pastry chef,” she chuckled. The pastry chef also explained that East Indian Easter food or traditional delicacies differ from one community to another.
In Hindi, there is a saying - kos kos par badle pani, 4 kos pr vaani (the taste of food changes from one village to another, and the language changes after every fourth village). It is the same with the East Indian community of Mumbai. “Even East Indians are unaware of the culinary diversity that we as a community have inherited. The cuisine of people living in Vasai is different from the communities of Bandra, Uttan, or Gorai,” the chef added.
Also Read: Easter 2025: Themed Desserts You Must Make
Easter Celebration At Chef Freny’s Home
The celebration of Easter begins a day in advance with the midnight mass and stuffed chicken roast. The chef has her cousins over, and after 40 days of vegetarian food and no alcohol, everybody enjoys wine and the lip-smacking chicken.
Image Credit: Chef Freny Fernandes/ Instagram
“The next morning, we get up early and head to the market to get the fresh meat. My mom starts with marination, and we help her with chopping, cutting, salad preparation, and a little bit here and there. I also help with the dessert.”
She reminisces and laughs at the fact that her mother does all the preparation for the mutton curry, and her father takes the credit for it. This one particular anecdote is a cliche in many households where moms run the kitchen, and dads slide in with the Superman cape, stir the ingredients, and present the dish with a charming persona.
For Easter, Chef Freny’s mother also prepares fugiyas, a sweet East Indian balloon bread that is often relished during weddings, but it’s the chef’s favourite, so it graces the festive spread, too. Next on the menu are potato chops. “These are like Goan potato chops, but we don’t deep-fry, instead pan-fry. Potatoes are mixed with minced chicken and spices. The blend is shaped into patties, which are later fried with eggs,” added the chef.
They have pork roast in which a big piece of meat is roasted on a stove with dried red chillies and spices so that the meat absorbs all the flavour. Accompanying it is either chicken or mutton curry, fruit custard, and desserts like bomb Alaska or different cakes. “My mother also makes these cute little Marzipan Easter eggs, too,” Chef Freny concluded.
Sadhya-Style Easter Feast At Freny’s
Even as a vegetarian, I was salivating at how Chef Freny explained that each one was prepared and cooked to perfection to grace the banquet the next day. If just the mere mention of delicacies has left your mouth watering, you must book a table for the East Indian Easter at Freny’s in Bandra. She is doing a Sadhya-style meal comprising around 20 traditional and modern Easter dishes.
This year, Chef Freny Fernandes is also making pasties de nata, a traditional dessert that she learnt while honeymooning in Portugal. “I attended a whole workshop, and I made my husband come with me,” she shared with a laugh.
