Easter celebrations in north Indian Christian households are special in their own way.
The reflective period of Lent is followed by joyful, food-rich celebrations with strong community and family bonding.
An Easter Sunday spread will feature rich, celebratory dishes -- Keema (minced meat) with peas plus potatoes or else a mutton or chicken curry, which are gravy preparations that use north Indian masalas.
Owing to regional influences, some families stick to a Roast Chicken or lamb, albeit prepared with Indian spices rather than Western herbs. Being a feast, a pulao or biryani is also usually made too.
Easter menus definitely include egg dishes, either savoury or the typical Easter eggs. While many families opt for Western desserts, some even settle for Suji Halwa and Phirni.
In places like Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Christian cuisine, especially at Easter, might reflect Anglo-Indian roots or local cuisines and they don't cook coconut-heavy dishes seen in the South or western India. Meals are served with wheat-based breads and robust gravies.
Some families prefer also having cutlets, stews or baked dishes, made as per colonial-era recipes.
Adrika Anand collects delightful Easter recipes from New Delhi-based home chef Neetu. Her Chicken Bhuna Masala and Mutton Korma are often ordered for Easter lunches.
All photographs: Neetu for Rediff
Chicken Bhuna Masala
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
- 1 kg chicken, curry pieces
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 to 1½ tbsp red chilly powder
- 2 tbsp brown dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp chicken masala powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4-5 tbsp mustard oil + 1-2 tbsp for the marination
- 3-4 medium onions, sliced
- 2 tej patta or bay leaves
- 1-2-inch pieces dalcheeni or cinnamon
- 1-2 bari elaichi or black cardamom
- 3-4 green elaichi or cardamom
- 4-5 lavang or cloves
- Salt to taste, about 2 tsp
- 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise, for garnish
- Handful fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Method
- Marinate the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chilly powder, coriander powder, lemon juice, mustard oil, garam masala.
Keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or a kadhai over medium heat and add the whole garam masala, sautéing lightly.
Next add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Now, add the sliced onions and sauté well until golden brown.
Then add the marinated chicken and sauté thoroughly over high heat.
Add the red chilly powder, salt, black pepper powder, coriander powder, chicken masala, and mix well.
Continue sautéing, stirring constantly until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the spices have coated it well.
Take off heat, garnish with the fresh coriander leaves, green chilies and serve with rice or parathas/puris/naans.
Mutton Korma
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1 kg mutton, curry pieces
- 6 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 5 tbsp mustard oil
- 2 tej patta or bay leaves
- 2-inch piece dalcheeni or cinnamon stick
- 2 badi elaichi or black cardamom
- 4-5 choti elaichi or green cardamom
- 5-6 lavang or cloves
- 8-10 black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 cup whisked dahi or yoghurt
- 1½ tbsp red chilly powder
- 2 tbsp brown dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 2-3 cups water
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- Salt to taste about 2 tsp
- Handful fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Method
- Heat the mustard oil in a pressure cooker over high heat until it begins to emit a light smoke.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown and then drain from the oil and keep aside.
- In the same oil, add the mutton and sauté over medium-high heat.
Simultaneously, add the whole garam masala spices and continue to sauté the mutton until it turns brown.
Next add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes till its raw flavour/smell goes.
Now add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, salt.
Mix well and continue to sauté until the oil begins to separate from the spices.
Next add the whisked yoghurt, stirring continuously until the gravy thickens slightly.
Add the previously fried onions and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the water, close the pressure cooker, and cook for 5-6 whistles, or until the mutton becomes tender.
Once the pressure has released naturally, open up the cooker, add the ground garam masala, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Take off heat and garnish with the fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or Jeera Rice or a light pulao or rotis/naans/parathas.