Indian Christmas feast. A grand festive feast with multi-course elements deep rooted in the centuries-old culinary traditions of christians in Kerala. Usually served for Christmas, Easter and other special occasions, this celebratory meal brings together centuries of history and traditions in one unforgettable table.
What Makes This Feast So Special
You might not have heard about it, but this is the very traditional Indian Christian feast featuring classic non vegetarian dishes simply loaded with your favorite proteins in the form of curries and stews. Think gorgeous wines, fruit studded Christmas cake, lacy pancakes or appams, and desserts to tantalize your taste buds. I'm talking about the supersized feast you might come across in every Kerala Christian home during Christmas, Easter and all other special occasions. It’s delicious! It’s very traditional! And it’s called theenmura.
Basically, this feast is very popular among the Syrian christians in Kerala, and it’s always been a testament to the vibrant Indian culinary heritage. Influenced by Portuguese colonialization and West Asian food traditions, the celebratory feast evolved over the centuries blending local spices and regional cooking techniques, and adapted distinct serving methods, like the banana leaf.
Unlike the classic Kerala sadhya, theenmura is non-vegetarian, and rooted in the long history of spice trade that shaped the Christian (nasrani) cuisine. The multi-course structure, including the use of meat and fish, introduction of stews and bread like sides, addition of coconut milk, the welcome course of wine and cake, and generous use of vinegar and spices, adds layers of culinary traditions from West Asian / European cultures.
How To Serve Indian Christmas Feast (Theenmura)
- Welcome course - Wine and cake, preferably classic Christmas plum cake.
- Starters - The first starter includes meat cutlet with challas (tangy pickled onions). The second starter consists of Appam (rice pancakes, idiyappam (string hoppers) or white bread served with mutton stew and duck roast. You can also sub mutton with chicken or beef stew.
This is followed by beetroot vinegar (pickled beets), usually served as a palate cleanser.
- Main course - Boiled rice, preferably matta rice served with chicken roast, fish moilee, beef fry, and red fish curry. Depending on the region, this course will also requires meen manga pal curry (fish mango curry) or moru curry (yogurt curry). The vegetable accompaniments usually include a simple stir fry with cabbage or long green beans.
- Sides and accompaniments - This includes pappadom, and lemon pickle or raw mango and carrot pickle, depending on the region.
- Desserts - Desserts have not always been a part of theenmura, they are a recent addition.
Pazham and pani (Banana with jaggery syrup) - Sometimes, the pani or jaggery syrup is also infused with toddy.
Payasams or traditional puddings influenced by classic Kerala sadhya are also a part of this feast.
Other Regional Christmas Classics
Apart from these dishes, you can make a gorgeous Indian Christmas feast with the addition of other popular recipes from the subcontinent.
- Vindaloo - The fiery curry with Portuguese roots.
- Kulkuls - Christmas sweet featuring deep fried curls of dough coated in sugar syrup.
- Bebinca - Classic cake with 7-16 layers.
- Trifle pudding - Inspired by classic trifle, this features layers of sponge, custard, jelly and cream.
- Railway mutton curry - Subtly spiced, vinegar infused curry.
- Meatball curry - An Anglo-Indian favorite.
Welcome Course: Wine and Plum Cake
Starters:
Main Course:
Accompaniments: Pappadom and Pickles
Desserts:
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