The Christmas season has arrived, bringing with it bright decorations, delicious treats and a merry atmosphere. What better way to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year than with a culinary journey that defies convention and celebrates the exotic. Imagine a table laden with mouth-watering delicacies that showcase the diversity of the world’s cultures, from vibrant and spicy side dishes to roasts flavoured with aromatic herbs. This Christmas, treat your palate to a variety of tempting and unique recipes that will turn your holiday meal into a culinary experience. From rich sweets that create a sweet symphony to succulent roasts flavoured with spices from around the world, these gastronomic delights are designed to add a touch of magic to your festivities. (Also read: 3 delicious and healthy recipes to relish walnuts this winter season )
Must-Try Christmas Recipes
1. Spaghetti Vegetable Bolognese
(Recipe by Chef Deepak Bhatt, Ganga Kinare Rishikesh)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
100 grams vegetable mince
200 grams pasta
Small bunch of basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese, to serve
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the saucepan. Sauté
3. gently until the onion starts to soften.
4. Add the crushed garlic clove to the vegetables and continue to sauté until the vegetables are tender.
5. Incorporate the vegetable mince into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until browned.
6. Boil the pasta separately according to the package instructions.
7. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the saucepan with the sautéed vegetables and mince.
8. Pour in the tomato sauce, add crushed black pepper, salt, and the chopped basil leaves. Stir the ingredients nicely.
9. Allow the mixture to heat through, ensuring all the flavors are well combined.
10. Serve the spaghetti vegetable bolognese in bowls, and top each serving with Parmesan cheese.
11. Enjoy your flavorful Spaghetti Vegetable Bolognese!
2. Strawberry Berry and Basil Smoothie
(Recipe by Chef Ronit Kumar at Ministry of Appetite)
Ingredients:
50g Strawberries
20g Mixed Berries
20g Fresh Basil
50g Oats
180ml Milk
100g Ice Cubes
Garnishing:
10g Basil
10g Strawberries
10g Mixed Berries
Method:
1. Place the strawberries, mixed berries, fresh basil, oats, milk, and ice cubes in a blender.
2. Blend the ingredients until smooth and well combined.
3. Pour the smoothie into glasses.
4 Garnish the smoothie with fresh basil leaves, sliced strawberries, and mixed berries on top.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy your refreshing Strawberry Berry and Basil Smoothie! Feel free to adjust ingredient quantities to suit your taste preferences.
3. Plum Pudding
(Recipe by Chef Namita Zutshi, Namzbakehouse)
Ingredients:
Nuts Mix:
40g Walnuts
40g Almonds
25g Orange Peel
25g Cherries
25g Cranberries
40g Raisins
75ml Rum
3 tbsp Honey
70ml Orange Juice
Batter:
75g Flour
75g Almond Flour
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Clove
½ tsp Nutmeg
¾ tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
100g Butter
Garnishing:
Dripping cream or royal icing
Fondant red balls
Green fondant leaves
Method:
1. Combine walnuts, almonds, orange peel, cherries, cranberries, raisins, rum, honey, and orange juice in a bowl.
2. Mix well and let it soak for 3 weeks.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and baking powder.
4. Prepare wet ingredients, in another bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until creamy.
5. Add the egg to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
6. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula until well combined.
7. Incorporate the soaked nut mix into the batter and stir until evenly distributed.
8. Transfer the batter into a round baking pan, ensuring it is well distributed.
9. Bake: Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
10. Bake the plum pudding for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Once the plum pudding has cooled, drizzle dripping cream or royal icing on top.
12. Decorate with fondant red balls and green fondant leaves for a festive touch.
13. Slice and serve the plum pudding with its delightful garnishing.
4. Gingerbread Cookies
(Recipe by Chef Namita Zutshi, Namzbakehouse)
Ingredients:
For Batter:
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp White Sugar
1 Egg
¼ cup Golden Syrup
¼ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Ginger
¼ tsp Clove
¼ tsp Baking Soda
1 ¼ cup Flour
For Garnishing:
1 Egg White
Sugar (for icing)
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with brown sugar and white sugar until creamy.
2. Add the egg to the mixture and beat until well mixed.
3. Incorporate the golden syrup, flour, baking soda, ginger powder, clove, and cinnamon. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients using a spatula until a dough forms.
4. Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm it up.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Roll out the chilled dough and use Christmas-themed cookie cutters to create festive shapes.
6. Place the shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
8. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the garnishing. Beat the egg white until frothy, then gradually add sugar to create a smooth icing.
9. Transfer the icing to an icing bag and design the cookies as per your choice. You can create intricate patterns or simply outline the edges.
10. Once the icing has set, serve and enjoy your delightful homemade gingerbread cookies!
11. These cookies make a perfect treat for the holiday season with their warm and spicy flavors. Feel free to get creative with the icing to add a festive touch!
