From Goa to Kerala: Indulge in these regional roasts this Christmas

Feniinfused roast tongueHome chef Aaron DrsquoSouzarsquos memories of Xrsquomas are flavoured by the heady whiff of masalas that go into his motherrsquos indulgent tongue roast DrsquoSouza who dishes out Goan delicacies from The Goan Poie recalls that the recipe was passed down to his mother Patience by his grandmother which she made her own Now he has added his own twist to it with feniinfused chillies ldquoFor our gettogethers we would have a potluck and my mother would get sorpotel and a roast The toddy vinegar and feniinfused chillies change the game completely So the dish tastes even better after a couple of daysrdquo he sharesIngredients 1 ox tongue medium size 2 onions finely chopped 6 feniinfused whole Kashmiri chillies soak in feni overnight or three days 2 tbsp toddy vinegar or lime juice 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste 12 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp sugar Salt to tasteRoast masala to grind 40 peppercorns 2 cardamoms 3inch cinnamon stick 10 clovesMethodWash the tongue and use a fork to pierce it This will allow the marinade to seep in Marinate it with salt toddy vinegarlime juice ginger and garlic paste turmeric sugar and the roast masala Allow the tongue to marinate for at least two hours or preferably overnight In a pressure cooker add oil onions and the feniinfused Kashmiri chillies Add the marinated tongue with a cup of water Cook it for 30 minutes on a low flame After itrsquos cooked set aside to cool and cut into thin slices Add the slices back into the stock thatrsquos in the cooker Cook till it reaches the desired consistency you can even fry the slices if you likeEast Indianstyle stuffed chickenMidnight mass merrymaking with family and friends the exchange of sweets and a table laden with fugias sorpotel vindaloo and a stuffed chicken roast form a part of Savio Nelson Drsquomellorsquos Yuletide traditions Drsquomello who runs HampCharlie a steakhouse in Borivali shares that the stuffed chicken is originally a Portuguese delicacy that East Indians have adopted he now prefers to add a more contemporary touch to it by serving the dish with a BBQ pepper or mushroom sauceIngredients 1 whole chicken roughly 15 kg 3 tbsp oil for roastingFor the marinade 2 tbsp unsweetened yoghurt 2 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 12 tsp red chilli powder 12 tsp turmeric powder 12 tsp saltFor the filling 3 tbsp oil 34 tsp cumin seeds 2 medium onions chopped finely 2 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 200 gm minced chicken 100 gm chicken sausages 100 gm chicken salami and chicken ham 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp garam masala Salt to taste 2 medium tomatoes chopped finely 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 1 large potato peeled and cut into oneinch cubes 1 tsp lime juice 14 cup fresh coriander leaves choppedMethodFor the marinade pat the chicken dry In a large deep bowl mix the ingredients together Place the whole chicken into this marinade and coat it well Cover the dish with a cling wrap and marinate for two to three hours in the refrigerator For the filling gather the ingredients Heat three tbsp oil on medium flame Add cumin seeds followed by onions and fry until they turn pale golden Tip in the garlic paste and ginger paste sauteacute for a minute Toss in the minced meat sausages and ham ground coriander garam masala and salt Cook the meat stirring often to prevent burning This should take five to seven minutes Now add tomatoes peas and potatoes Stir and cook until the potatoes are soft Turn the heat off add lime juice and chopped coriander leaves Mix well Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and fill the stomach cavity with the minced meat stuffing Try to get all the stuffing in if possible Place in a bakingroasting dish and drizzle butter all over it Roast the chicken uncovered for one hour and 15 minutes at 180 degree Celsius It should ideally be golden in colourKerala Nasranistyle buff roast An indulgent duck roast or buff peralan roast or a chicken roast occupies pride of place at a Kerala SyrianChristian festive table Although Ashwin Nair doesnrsquot hail from the community the home chef shares that their culinary traditions influenced his cooking style ldquoThis was thanks to some much appreciated exposure during my formative years I fondly remember being invited over for Christmas and Easter parties every year by our SyrianChristian family friends as their spread was indeed something to write home aboutrdquo he recalls adding ldquoMy fatherrsquos friend Nirmala Chandy aunty played a huge role in shaping my understanding of Suriani or Nasrani cookingrdquo Itrsquos her buff roast that has stayed with him a delicacy he shares with diners at Aiyo Patrao a delivery venture he runs with Marian DrsquocostaIngredients 1 kg buff chunk a cut ideal for slow cooking only 1 cup shallots 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste Salt to taste 14 cup coconut slivers optional 2 tbsp coriander powder 12 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp pepper powder 1 tsp Kerala garam masala 1 tsp fennel powder 3 green chillies 3 tbsp coconut oilFor searing 3 to 4 slit green chillies A handful of curry leaves 14 cup oilMethodWash clean and set the buff aside Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan add the sliced shallots and salt stir for a few minutes Tip in the gingergarlic paste and cook till the raw smell is gone Now add the curry leaves Toss in some turmeric chilly powder fennel coriander and Kerala garam masala Stir and ensure the spices donrsquot burn Now the cleaned beef goes in Stir and slowcook on a low flame without adding much water till the meat is tender or a little before the desired level of doneness Set aside the gravy if needed Meanwhile heat oil in a frying pan and add curry leaves along with the cooked beef Donrsquot stir much else the beef will begin to shred Sear till the beef has a crispy exterior Now add in the green chillies Allow the meat to rest before slicing Dry up the saved gravy till itrsquos thick and drizzle over the sliced meat You can serve it with grilled veggiesFor a mean roast Stuffed chicken by HampCharlieAT Ekta Angan Holy Cross Road IC Colony BorivaliCALL 9867300090LOG ON TO Swiggy Rudolphrsquos roast tongue with feniinfused chillies by The Goan PoieCALL 9167164009LOG ON TO thegoanpoie Kuttanad duck roast that forms a part of Nair on Firersquos fourcourse special Christmas feastCALL 9324059522 LOG ON TO naironfireindia Christmas roast turkey at GallopsTILL January 1 12 pm to 11 pm Christmas Eve dinner on December 24 7 pm to 1130 pmAT Inside Mahalaxmi Racecourse via gate 1 Keshavrao Khadye MargCALL 8928947188