December is here, and so is Christmas, our favourite winter day of the year. Food and stories are the important ingredients that connect us in a celebration. Let us explore how different Indian regions celebrate Christmas with their unique festive foods. 

Bebinca 

According to legend, a Portuguese nun named ‘Sister Bebiana’ from Santa Monica Convent, Old Goa, used the excess of leftover egg yolks to create a seven-layered cake. Each layer represented the seven hills of Old Goa and Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Taking the priests’ suggestion, Bebiana added a dozen layers to her cake instead of seven. The dessert came to be known as ‘Bebinca’, named after her. Today, Bebinca is a multi-layered cake, made with up to 16 layers. As making this cake requires a lot of patience, many Goan families reserve Bebinca for special celebrations, such as weddings and Christmas.  

Gajrela or Carrot Pudding 

Around the 16th-century, in Mughal India, Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Pudding) was made as a rich, milk-and-ghee-based winter dish. It was created to celebrate the harvest of vibrant red winter carrots, which are available in North India during the month of December. Known as Gajrela in Punjab, grated carrots are slow cooked in sugar, milk, cardamom, and heaps of ghee, with khoya, or mawa, a kind of soft cheese, folded in for texture at the end. Gajrela is now enjoyed as a warm, aromatic food during the cold Christmas in Punjab, making it a favourite across the region.  

Plum Cake 

In 1880, a trader from Thalassery in Kerala, Mambally Bapu, returned home after he learnt the art of making biscuits in Burma. In 1883, during Christmas time, a British planter named Murdoch Brown brought a British Plum cake with him and asked Bapu to replicate it. Bapu accepted the challenge and baked a plum cake, but added arrack, a local brew made from cashews, apples, and Kadalipazham, a type of banana, to the batter. Brown tasted Bapu’s cake and loved the dish. Since then, plum cakes have become deeply associated with Christmas celebrations in Kerala and are widely enjoyed by the local community. 

Smoked Pork Curry  

In Nagaland, smoked pork holds deep cultural importance and is especially significant during Christmas. The traditional practice of smoking meat began as a way to preserve pork during the cold winter months. Over time, it became a cherished culinary tradition passed down through generations. Today, smoked pork curry is an essential part of Christmas celebrations, symbolising warmth, togetherness, and sharing food with family and community. It is commonly eaten with steamed rice and enjoyed alongside tea or locally brewed drinks. 

Roast Duck 

Did you know that ‘Boro Din’ (Big Day) is a popular Bengali name for Christmas in Kolkata? During British colonial rule, many Anglo-Indian communities were formed in West Bengal. They followed British traditions, including roasting poultry for Christmas. Ducks were used as they were more readily available in the Bengal wetlands than turkeys. Over time, most people added their own touch by including spices like cinnamon, ginger, and red chilli powder to the roast duck and paired it with fragrant yellow rice (pulao) or roasted vegetables, passing the recipe down through generations. So, Roast Duck has an important place in the community’s Christmas feasts in Kolkata, even today. 

This year let’s enjoy the flavours of Christmas along with the stories attached to it. In the end, that’s what makes the moment truly special. 

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

Astringents, the last of these, are peculiar. More sensation than taste, their effect on the tongue comes from tannin-heavy foods. The cooling numbness of tulsi, the gritty sweetness of paan, the ashy burn of tobacco, the dry bitterness of wine—all of these are astringents at play. In Sanskrit, the sixth flavour is called ‘kashaya rasa’.  

Khar

In ancient times, the landlocked state of Assam had no access to sea salt. The common folk needed a strong condiment and a cheaper way to preserve food—thus came about khar. This brown liquid, filtered from the ashes of sun-dried banana peel, has an earthy smokiness that makes it the soul of Assamese cooking. An all-in-one ingredient, khar is used as a palate cleanser, digestif, antiseptic, shampoo, and even detergent!

Did you know?  

Being an alkali, khar cannot be added to sour dishes, which contain acidic components like vinegar or tomatoes. This is because alkalis and acids neutralise each other.  

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

Bitterness often gets a bad reputation as the smell of burnt spices and the taste of medicine. However, the ability of bitters to balance out sweetness, cut through rich foods, and add depth of flavour, makes them integral to Indian cuisine. In the hands of a skilled cook, even the dreaded bitter gourd can be transformed into the crunchiest pakoras! 

Sundakkai

Also known as turkey berry, this marble-sized fruit grows in thorny shrubs all through the year. Rich in iron, it is said to prevent anaemia, and has a sharp, metallic undertone to its bitterness. These little flavour bombs are used in South Indian chutneys and gravies. They are also sundried, fried in ghee or oil, and eaten as an accompaniment to rice.  

Did you know? 

In Siddha, one of the five alternative systems of medicine in India, these berries are used to treat gastrointestinal issues. So great are their digestive properties, they are often eaten to break a fast. 

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

‘Sour’ is a combination of the first three—it has the brightness of sugar, the tang of salt, and the intensity of spice. Be it the tamarind that lends richness to sambhar or the mango pickle that completes a thali, the fourth rasa is irreplaceable. Souring agents like vinegar also aid in fermentation and preservation, extending the shelf life of many foods.

Kokum

Kokum trees are native to the Western Ghats of India, rarely straying afar. As such, the clusters of purple fruit dangling from their branches do not have an English name. Bite into a Kokum fruit and the tart explosion of flavour will taste like berries. Versatile, they can be at home in the sweetest of sherbets and the spiciest of curries.

Did you know? 

Kokum butter, extracted from the seeds of the fruit, is used not only in cooking but across cosmetic products like moisturisers, lipsticks, and face creams. 

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

India has been invaded time and again for its greatest treasures: gold and spice. The masala dabba holds pride of place in our kitchens, but did you know it once belonged in the medicine cabinet? Mughal physicians believed that pungent spices could destroy bacteria within the body. Even today, ginger tea and pepper rasam are go-to home remedies for a cold.   

Raja Mircha

Indian cuisine is synonymous with spice—the king of which can be found in Nagaland, as flaming-red crescents of ghost pepper. Raja Mircha, as it is known by the locals, was the world’s hottest chili pepper from 2007 to 2010. It has since been dethroned by artificially-bred contenders but remains one of the few naturally grown chili peppers on the list. People who have dared to try it say that its fruity heat blooms into an intensity that sets the tongue ablaze. 

Did you know?

Clocking in at over 10,00,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units, a measure of the heat of chilies and peppers), Raja Mircha is smeared on fences and infused into smoke bombs to keep wild animals away. 

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

India, known for its festive sweets as much as its strong spices, is the world’s second largest producer of sugarcane. From the sugarcane bow that Kamadeva wields as a weapon, to the dahi-cheeni mixture eaten before starting something important, sugar is considered a divine ingredient that brings about good luck. 

Jaggery 

Long ago, in the days before white sugar, our teeth knew the crunch of jaggery. This gravelly, brown sugar is made from sugarcane juice and the sap of palm trees. With its minimal processing and earthy sweetness, jaggery proves that health and taste can go hand-in-hand. Be it creamy payasam, rich halwa, or simple black tea—a crumble of jaggery can elevate just about anything. 

Did you know? 

Jaggery has many names: ‘gul’ in Marathi, ‘bellam’ in Telugu, ‘gur’ in Hindi, ‘sharkara’ in Malayalam, and the list goes on. Truly a pan-Indian treat! 

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According to Ayurveda, there are six tastes known as the ‘rasas’. Each rasa plays its own role in boosting health and influencing the taster’s mood. Thus, the perfect meal has to contain all six rasas: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, bitter, and astringent.  

Salt, the first of these, has always been valuable in our country. The Tamil word ‘sambalam’, meaning wages, comes from samba (paddy) and alam (salt pans), as workers were paid in rice and salt. Salt is also a gauge of honour—derived from Urdu, the phrase ‘namak-haram’ refers to a traitor as someone who betrays the hand that has fed them.  

Illustration: Anjali Narendra

Kala Namak

After the Dandi March, white salt conjures up the sounds of marching feet and the scent of sea breeze. But buried in the salt lakes of Rajasthan and the foothills of the Himalayas, lies a more colourful history. Kala Namak, a reddish-black rock salt, has been around for thousands of years. When finely powdered, it looks pink. Legend has it that Maharshi Charaka, the father of Ayurvedic medicine, documented its medicinal properties. According to him, Kala Namak is filled with minerals that aid digestion and enrich the body.  

Did you know?

A sprinkle of Kala Namak is what gives chaat masala that distinct flavour. Its sulfuric smell, often likened to eggs, is also used to perk up vegan recipes. 

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During the summer season, when the craving for ice cream is higher than the temperature, some go for the classic Gadbad Ice Cream. Popularised in Mangalore, packaged versions of this ice cream can now be found in every store. But do you know how this iconic ice cream came to be?

It all started in 1962, when Mohandas Pai of Diana Hotel in Udupi, was visited by a group of customers who demanded different flavours of ice creams. But the hotel only had limited flavours. So Mr Pai, in a moment of genius, added all the flavours available in a glass and garnished it with nuts, syrup and jelly. The customers who tasted it, devoured it. When asked what the name of this dessert was, Mr. Pai said that it was to be called gadbad, the Kannada word meaning ‘in a hurry’.

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An exotic vegetable, lovingly made Indian by Indians, cauliflower was brought to India by the British. In 1822, Botanist Dr Jemson, in charge of the Company Gardens in Saharanpur in the United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh), first imported cauliflower seeds from England to India.

In order to experiment, the crop was grown at the same time in both countries, India and England. However, India’s climatic conditions gave birth to a new variety of cauliflower. The growers researched this variety, which eventually led to the introduction of the Indian cauliflower. By 1929, four new varieties of Indian cauliflower were raised viz. Early and Main Crop Benaras and Early and Main Crop Patna.

Utsa Ray in her book ‘Culinary Culture’ in Colonial India states two possible reasons why the colonists brought this vegetable to India.

1. Introducing modern food would mark a sign of progress for the population.
2. Cauliflower, a homegrown vegetable, would give a sense of belonging to the colonisers in India.

However, in no time, various Indian communities added cauliflower as an ingredient to their traditional recipes, making the vegetable local and popular. From Gobi Paratha to Gobi pakodas and Aloo Gobi to Gobi Masala, cauliflower has adapted itself to every recipe and continues to tingle the taste buds of millions. 

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While summers in India can be brutal, they also have a silver lining. Summer brings with it a host of delicious fruits, as well as traditional dishes and drinks, all of which are perfect combinations of taste and nutrition. We have gathered fascinating facts and legends around some of the most popular summertime foods and drinks that make Indian summers unforgettable. 

Mango

There is no fruit that is as strongly associated with Indian summers as the mango. Throughout history, from Mughal emperors to classical poets, no one has been able to resist the charm of the King of Fruits. It is believed that Emperor Akbar was so fond of mangoes that he planted up to 100,000 mango trees. The great poet Mirza Ghalib’s love for mangoes is apparent in his writing. He wrote a famous poem, ‘Dar Sifat-e-Ambah‘, solely dedicated to this fruit. He is also believed to have mentioned mangoes in more than 60 letters that he wrote to friends. Similarly, the poet Amir Khusrau called mango ‘naghza tarin mewa Hindustan‘ or the ‘fairest fruit of Hindustan‘. Even Rabindranath Tagore dedicated a poem called ‘Aamer Monjori‘ to this fruit. 

Jamun

The tiny Jamun, packed with nutrients, is a common ingredient in summer dishes such as ice creams, sherbets, coolers and syrups. This purple fruit also finds place in some fascinating legends of India. Rama’s skin is often compared to the rich colour of the jamun and he is said to have lived on this fruit during his 14 years in exile. It is also said that Megha, the god of rains, descended to the earth in the form of a jamun, which is why the colour of the fruit is like that of a stormy sky. 

Ice Gola

In India, summer holidays are synonymous with little children happily enjoying refreshing ice golas from street vendors. This preparation, made with shaved ice and flavoured syrups, has many names. It is called barf ka gola, chuski or gola ganda in different parts of the country. The ice gola is popular even outside of India. In North America, it is called a snowball or snow cone. In Mexico, ice golas are called raspa and are often spicy and tangy. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is called Ais Kacang and often has red beans as toppings. Ice golas are extremely popular even in Japan, where they are called Kakigori. In fact, it is believed that the dish might have been invented in Japan during the Heian period. 

Aam Panna

Aam Panna, also called kairicha panha, aam jhora or aam pora, is a refreshing summer made from raw mangoes. The drink derives its name from the Sanskrit word ‘paaniya‘, meaning ‘something one drinks.’ Aam Panna finds its mention in a large number of ancient texts, which indicates how popular it has been for centuries. The drink is described in a number of ancient Ayurvedic texts, as well as in the writings of Sanskrit playwright Kalidasa. Aam Panna was also popular among the Mughal emperors since it is described in Ain-e-Akbari, a 16th-century record of Akbar’s court as well as the Baburnama, which are Babur’s memoirs. 

Thandai

Thadai is a popular summertime drink made with milk, sugar and various nuts and spices. Containing the word ‘thanda‘, meaning cold, thandai is not only a refreshing beverage but also has a special place in Indian mythology. It is believed that after Shiva drank the poison that emerged out of Samudra Manthan i.e. the churning of the ocean, he flew into a terrible rage. In order to calm him down, he was offered thandai. It is said that ever since then, the thandai has been Shiva’s favourite drink. This is why thandai is prepared and consumed during the festival of Mahashivratri, especially in North India. 

Sattu Sherbet

Sattu sherbet is a summer superdrink that is both delicious and extremely nutritious. This drink is made from Sattu flour, which in turn is prepared by grinding together various grains, pulses and cereals like wheat, barley, jowar, etc. This drink is such a powerhouse of energy that it has been used throughout history in wars and conflicts. The armies and traders of the Kalinga dynasty often carried Sattu during long voyages. Even Chhatrapati Shivaji’s army would consume this drink during their guerilla wars against the Mughals. There are also some legends that suggest that Tibetan monks would carry Sattu during journeys.

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