The year 2023 is finally on the verge of bidding goodbye and we are all set to embark on a brand-new journey of another three hundred and sixty-five days. With Christmas celebrations around, the last few days of every year are the most interesting ones, brimming with fervency across the globe irrespective of religious beliefs.
Besides a religious occasion, Christmas is also about lights, home decor, the exchange of presents, welcoming winters, and indulging in mouth-watering food, cakes, cookies, and desserts. Until we gorge on sweets, any festivity remains incomplete. Be it a chocolate-laden cake or a nutty pudding, sweets are the most important part of the Christmas frenzy and holiday season. We are firm believers that the best holiday recipes are the ones that impress your friends and family without keeping you forever in the kitchen. For all of the Christmas feasting needs, we created a spread of delightful recipes for a wholesome Christmas meal.
1. Christmas Cheese Toast
Have a look at the recipe by Chef Vikram Shokeen, Chef of The Ashok.
Ingredients
Sandwich Bread Slice
Processed Cheese
Tomato
Green Capsicum
Eggs
Capsico Sauce
White pepper powder
Salt
Yellow Capsicum
Red Capsicum
Carrot
Method
1. Wash and cut all vegetable in fine chopped cubes.
2. Take a clean bowl mix grated processed cheese with egg, capsico sauce, salt. White pepper, and make a paste.
3. Add all vegetable to the above mix, leave a small quantity for final topping.
4. Take bread slice and apply butter on one side and toast.
5. Once the bread attains crispiness apply the above made mixture on the toasted side and gratinate.
6. Gratinate till the top starts getting brown crust and is soft from center.
7. Remove and cut in 4 triangles.
8. Serve hot with Nacho.
2. Spinach, Cherry Tomota & Basil Pizza
Have a look at the recipe by Chef Vikram Shokeen, Chef of The Ashok.
Ingredients
Pizza Base
Tomato Concasse
Mozzarella Cheese
Salt
Olive
Spinach
Spinach leaf
Garlic cloves
Basil leaf
White Pepper Powder
Method
1. Take few spinach leaves clean and blanch, pad dry, chop and cook along with few cloves of garlic with olive oil and keep a side.
2. Take pizza base apply tomato concasse, and chopped spinach prepared earlier over it, half cut cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and few basil leaves on top, drizzle olive oil and bake in salamander.
3. Gratinate and serve.
3. Pan-fried Atlantic Salmon with Creamy Polenta and Madras Curry Sauce
The recipe is by Chef Joseph Manavalan, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Licious,
The Creamy polenta and aroma of Madras Curry Sauce perfectly balance the succulent delight that is Pan-Fried Atlantic Salmon. The succulent Atlantic salmon steak, expertly seasoned and pan-fried to a golden brown, is a culinary symphony. This dish is a delightful combination of flavors and textures, especially when paired with the zesty punch of Madras Curry Sauce and the velvety richness of creamy polenta.
Ingredients:
Atlantic Salmon Medium Size Steak
Vegetable oil
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Madras Curry Sauce
Vegetable oil
Cloves
Ginger finely chopped
Green chilli finely chopped
Curry leaves
Sliced onions
Turmeric
Coriander powder
Black pepper
Chopped tomato
Mango Puree
Coconut milk
Polenta
Water
Milk
Thyme
Method:
1. First, prepare the sauce. Heat oil in a pan, add the cloves, ginger, chilli and curry leaves and saute for a minute. Add the sliced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes or until translucent, then add the turmeric, coriander and black pepper and saute for 1 more minute. Add the tomato and saute for 2 minutes, then add mango puree. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer it for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
2. For polenta, take a pan, heat butter and toast the polenta. Add in the water and milk. Cook until the polenta softens on low flame. Add in the thyme and salt. Make sure the polenta is creamy.
3. Season the Salmon filet with salt, pepper and oil. Heat butter in a non-stick pan, and add the filets over medium heat. Make sure you put the skin side down first so that the skin turns crispy or until golden brown. Flip the salmon and cook it for another 3-4 minutes basting it often.
4. To serve, Place the fish on large plates. Pour some of the sauce over and around the fish, and spoon out the creamy polenta on the side.
4. Fruit Apple Tea Bread
Have a look at the recipe by Chef Vikram Shokeen, Chef of The Ashok.
Ingredients
Butter
Brown Sugar
Sultanas
Apple Juice
Apple peeled core and chopped
Eggs
Flour
Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Soda
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Oil and line the base of a 900 g/2 lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put the butter, sugar, sultanas and apple juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool.
3. Stir in the chopped apple and beaten eggs. Sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda over the apple mixture.
4. Stir into the sultana mixture, spoon into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top level with the back of a spoon.
5. Toss the apple slices in lemon juice and arrange on top.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Cover with tinfoil to prevent the top from browning too much.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on to a wire rack.
9. Brush the top with golden syrup and leave to cool. Remove the lining paper, cut into thick slices and serve with curls of butter.
5. Breakfast Strawberry Cookies
Have a look at the recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.
Ingredients
Fresh chopped Strawberries
Refined Flour (maida)
Oats powder
Baking powder
Baking soda
Sugar-free Green Powder
Butter
Eggs
Vanilla essence
Milk
Oats
Halved almonds
Black coffee
Method
1. Preheat the oven at 180ºC.
2. Sift together refined flour, oats powder, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl take Sugar Free Green Powder and butter and beat the mixture with an electric beater till it dissolves and becomes light and fluffy.
4. Add in the egg and mix well, add vanilla essence and milk, and mix well.
5. Add the flour mixture, oats and mix till well combined.
6. Add strawberries and mix gently.
7. Line a baking tray with a parchment paper. Divide the mixture into equal portions and flatten and arrange on the baking tray.
8. Press the halved almonds on top and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
9. Allow to cool and serve with black coffee.
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Cuisine: Fusion
Serves: 6-8
Amount of Sugar reduced in the recipe by the use of Sugar Free Green: 195 grams
Tip: If you do not have a parchment paper, simply grease the baking tray with butter and use it
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