Celebrate Christmas with a Pair of Exotic International Delicacies!
Merry Christmas is almost here, with its magical vibes and joyful jingles! The world is getting ready to embrace the year-ending festive spirit. In every household, this is the time of celebrations. Beautiful Christmas trees and colourful twinkling stars adorn the house, reminding us of the divine birth of Jesus Christ. It is also the time of gatherings, warmth and delights, and the delicious aroma of festive dishes. People around the world love to celebrate Christmas by adapting their own traditions. A scrumptious festive feast is an unavoidable part of Christmas. Here are two mouth-watering recipes for your Christmas feast.
Mexican Tamales- The Tasty Delight Wrapped In Corn Husks
Tamales are a traditional Christmas recipe from Mesoamerica and a popular dish from Mexican culture and traditions. There are some exciting stories about the origin of this dish. This dish is believed to be the creation of divine hands and is always offered to gods during special occasions as part of their sacred rituals. Since this dish is highly nutritious and easily portable, it was the go-to meal for travellers during long expeditions. As per Mexican tradition, tamales are served as a special dish during the Christmas feast.
Ingredients
3 ½ cups of Masa harina (dry corn flour)
1 Cup oil ( Traditional recipes use lard or animal fat instead of oil)
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
3 Cups of water or broth
1 tsp Cumin
Few Dried corn husks
For Filling
4 pounds Broiler chicken
Garlic pods
3 medium onions – chopped
Salt
Water
Chilli powder
Pepper powder
Method
Soak the dried corn husks in cold water for 2 hours. This helps to soften the corn husks.
After the chicken pieces are cooked, the stock should be removed and kept aside.
Place a pan on the stove and heat the oil. Add crushed garlic pods, chopped onion, some salt, and then the shredded chicken. Saute well. Add chilli powder and pepper powder and mix well. Add water or retained stock to the chicken mixture and cook until the mixture becomes thick.
To make the dough, beat the vegetable oil in a glass bowl until it becomes fluffy. Add dried corn flour to the oil in small portions. You can also add the reserved chicken stock in small amounts. Add salt, baking powder and cumin. Beat well. Put a small portion of the dough in a glass of cold water to check the proper consistency. If the dough is floating, it shows that the consistency is correct.
Drain the corn husks and pat them dry using a clean cloth. Now place three tablespoons of the dough in the middle of the husk and spread it. Place one tablespoon of the chicken filling on it, and fold the husk gently over the filling, overlapping slightly. To secure it from spilling, you can tie it with a thread.
Place a steamer filled with water on the stove; once the water starts boiling, place the tamales inside the steamer and allow them to cook for almost 45 minutes to one hour.
Tasty, aromatic Mexican tamales are ready to serve.
Pavlova- Add the vibe of sweetness to your year-ending party
Did you know that the delightful dessert called Pavlova, which hails from New Zealand, actually got its name from the talented Russian ballerina Anna Matveyevna Pavlova? There is an interesting story behind the origin of Pavlova. Once, a chef of the Willington Hotel in New Zealand happened to watch Anna Matveyevna Pavlova’s live performance. The beauty and charm of the dancer carried him away. Inspired by the performance, the chef created this new dessert.
There is also a story that this dessert originated in Australia.
It is easy to make this wonderful dessert. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
300 grams of egg white
500 grams of castor sugar
Icing sugar for decoration
500 grams of fresh cream
Chopped fruits and berries for topping
Method
You must preheat the oven to 100 degrees for a few minutes.
Get ready with a baking pan and greased paper. Beat the egg white until it becomes fluffy. Add 100 grams of sugar slowly to the egg white. Slowly add the remaining sugar and continue whisking. Replace the mixture in the baking pan and sprinkle the icing sugar on top. Bake for 2 hours. Now you get a crispy, sweet item called meringue. Keep the meringue aside and let it cool.
Whip fresh cream by adding the icing sugar. Spread the sugar-cream mixture over the meringue once it has cooled. Top up with fresh berries and fruits to decorate it. The deliciously sweet Pavlova is prepared for consumption.