Food Talk | Reinventing Christmas with two lesser known dishes

Food plays a significant role in any good celebration, and Christmas is no different. While Christmas cake is a common feature across the world, there are many unique traditional offerings associated with Christmas in different parts of the world.

Christmas also features a range of desserts and festive dishes, some specific to certain countries and others more broadly enjoyed. Dishes like orange and chocolate mousse, oyster fricassee, mince pies, and log cakes are commonly associated with the season, though they may not always appear frequently.

Fried chicken in Japan is a popular Christmas tradition. Chef Saurabh Saran from Guppy says, “Some widely known Christmas dishes include roast turkey, various pies such as pumpkin and apple, and roast meats like ribs or chops with cranberry sauce. However, many countries also have unique food traditions tied to the festival. For instance, oysters in France, Shashlik in Russia, duck spring rolls in China, and fried chicken in Japan—particularly from KFC—are special features of Christmas celebrations in these regions.”

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But again, Christmas isn’t just about desserts and cakes - it’s so much more than that. It’s all about those smoky, roasted sides that bring the real magic to the table: crispy Brussels sprouts, caramelized sweet potatoes, rich English gravies, tangy cranberry jus, golden roasted cauliflower, and the ultimate comfort- braised red cabbage with apples and walnuts. Let’s be real, these dishes are way more exciting and flavourful.

Chef Dhruv Oberoi, Executive Chef at Olive Qutub and The Grammar Room says, **“**The star of the show is the roast, of course, served up on vibrant brass and ceramic platters for that epic communal feast vibe. And you can’t forget the sips - mulled wine and hot toddies served straight from a chic gueridon trolley, setting the perfect festive mood. And yeah, dessert totally has its moment too, but it’s not just about rum-soaked cakes and puddings anymore. Think dreamy desserts under a glass cloche: German stollen and Italian panettone making waves, or Aussie classics like white coconut lamingtons. Not to mention Japanese matcha custard, bayberry-filled mochis, or buttery shortbreads stealing the show.”

Japanese style Christmas Fried Chicken by Chef Saurabh Saran

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast: 150 g (deboned and cleaned)

• Chicken leg: 75 g (cleaned and coarsely minced)

• Egg: 1

• Panko breadcrumbs: 75 g

• Cornflour: 20 g

• Diced bell peppers (yellow, green, red): 25 g

• Butter: 10 g

• Basil: 4–5 leaves

• Garlic: 5 g

• Onion (chopped): 25 g

• Black pepper powder: To taste

• Soy sauce: 20 ml (adjust to taste)

• Milk: 40 ml

• Ham (diced): 20 g (optional)

• Oil: 20 ml

• Homemade purple cabbage pickle

• Apple sauce and cranberry sauce (as required)

Method:

For stuffing:

2. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté garlic and onion.

3. Add the chicken leg mince and cook over medium heat until cooked and almost dry. (If using diced ham, add it at this stage.)

4. Add diced bell peppers, black pepper powder, soy sauce, a touch of butter, and roughly torn basil leaves. Mix well.

5. Cook for 1 minute until the bell peppers soften and the mixture dries out.

6. Set aside and let it cool.

For the roll:

2. Slit open the chicken breast lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Fill the chicken breast with the cooled stuffing.

4. Roll it tightly and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Precook Preparation:

2. Prepare an egg wash by beating the egg and mixing it with milk.

3. Spread breadcrumbs on a flat tray.

4. Set the knife and cutting board.

5. Pour the sauce into the serving bowl.

Cooking:

The traditional way to finish this dish involves dipping the roll in egg wash, coating it with breadcrumbs, and frying it in hot oil until crisp and cooked. However, here’s an alternate, non-fried version:

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, then reduce it to 175°C.

3. Arrange the rolls on a baking tray and lightly brush them with butter.

4. Cook in the oven for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes.

5. Check if they are 80% cooked.

6. Remove from the oven and rest for 5–7 minutes to cool slightly.

7. Apply the egg wash to the cooled rolls, quickly roll them in browned breadcrumbs, and repeat for extra coating if needed.

8. Lightly spray with clarified butter and finish in the oven for 4–5 minutes or until done.

Notes:

• Alternatively, you can cook the rolls in an air fryer.

• If the egg wash coagulates or dries quickly, let the chicken cool further and add more milk to the egg mix before chilling it again.

Christmas Cake Tartine by Chef Dhruv Oberoi

Soaked dried fruits

2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, cranberries, sultanas)

½ cup chopped dried figs

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup dark rum

Combine all dried fruits in a bowl.

Pour in the pineapple juice and rum, making sure the fruit is well-covered.

Cover and let it soak for at least 24 hours (or up to 2-3 days) in warm area, stirring occasionally.

Reserve the liquid to soak the cake

Christmas cake

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs

1 ½ cups soaked dried fruit

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking powder

½ cup pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a 7-inch pan.

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then mix in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange juice.

Fold in dried fruit.

Pour into pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool and slice ot like toast and soak it with left over liquor soaked dried fruit liquid.

Whipped mascarpone

250g mascarpone cheese

1 cup heavy cream

2-3 tbsp powdered sugar (adjust to taste)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Chill the Equipment: Place your mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for about 10 minutes to help the cream whip better.

Whip the Cream: In the chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.

Add Mascarpone: Gently fold in the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract (if using) until smooth and fluffy.

Top up the warm sliced liquor soaked cake with generous spoons of the whipped cream. Garnish with crunch of your choice like toasted corn flakes, caramelized popcorns or salt toasted cashews.