10 Easter Dishes You Must Try

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Christians across the world celebrate Easter. Easter eggs and bunnies are almost synonymous with the celebrations and joyous festivities. It is a time for families to gather and also a time for feasting after the long Lent. Beginning on Ash Wednesday the Lent is an important spiritual and religious abstinence that continues for six weeks and ends before Easter Sunday. 

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Easter or Resurrection Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. Easter is thus, an important religious occasion fraught with prayers, sentiments and purposeful divinity. Though a major occasion in many countries of the world, Easter is celebrated with much fervor and enthusiasm in India as well. 

Some of the cities and states that have a sizable Christian population are well-known for Easter celebrations. Goa, Mumbai, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, as well as cosmopolitan cities, such as Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. are great places to be during Easter. 

Easter celebrations in India

10 Easter must try Dishes- Easter celebrations in India
Image – Pixabay

French, Portuguese and British colonization has played a role in influencing the Easter celebrations in India. In Goa the biggest crowds gather in Panjim at the Our Lady Immaculate Conception Church. Goa in fact, is where Easter is celebrated with much fervor including street plays, dance performances etc. that take place throughout the state. Carnivals and the ‘Way of the Cross’ a skit and march past are the highlights. In Kerala, which has a large Christian population, Easter is an important festival with a lot of family gatherings and bonhomie. Similarly, in the northeast, choirs in churches, dances as well as Vigil services or readings from the Testament are all a part of Easter celebrations. 

Easter delicacies

Easter also means the time to meet up with family and friends. And it also means enjoying delicious dishes together. So without much ado let’s plunge into discovering some of the most yummy and mouth watering Easter special dishes that are sure to keep craving you for more. 

Again the type of cuisine might vary from region to region depending on the style and flavors of cooking. However, overall the kind of dishes that are prepared during Easter are usually the ones that are the family’s favorite. Also, remember that after a long period of Lent, the dishes tilt slightly in favor of non-vegetarian preparations. 

Marzipan Easter Eggs

10 Easter must try Dishes-Marzipan Easter Eggs
Image – Wikimedia

Easter is quite not itself if one doesn’t think of Easter eggs. Easter eggs are in fact one of the most common gifts around the world. But when one thinks of them as a dish, Easter eggs made from marzipan are extremely tasty. Made from sugar, egg white, almonds and rose water, the mix is then shaped as eggs and decorated with icing or flavors. 

Hot Cross Buns

10 Easter must try Dishes-Hot cross buns
Image – Wikimedia

The Easter Hot Cross Bun is a traditional bread prepared especially in England. Many bakeries and homes in India make the delicious hot cross buns which are a delight when straight out of the oven. Traditional bakers in many parts of the country, especially southern India, continue to rake up these warm squishy buns which many take home to break their Good Friday fast. 

Deviled Eggs

10 Easter must try Dishes-Deviled Eggs
I,age –alanagkelly / Flickr

Another egg recipe, the classical deviled eggs are a perfect side dish on any meal or also a great breakfast dish. Filled with a paste made from egg yolk the stuffing can be made of mayonnaise, mustard sauce or many other ingredients depending on taste. 

Chicken Curry

10 Easter must try Dishes-Chicken curry
Image – Pixabay

Alright, this one has a vast scope and might seem a sweeping generalization, but chicken curry is definitely one of the most enjoyable dishes during Easter. Made in different ways across the country and homes, the chicken curry is the staple dish that goes with almost everything, including paratha, rice and palappam and appam. In Kerala usually toddy is used in the preparation of palappam and the curry is prepared with typical spices from the state. 

Fugias –

Easter-Dishes-Fugias
Image – Akshata’s Recipes

A deep fried sweet bread the fugias is a dish prepared by those living in the eastern region of India. It is a Roman Catholic dish and is also prepared by the community living in other parts of the country, such as Mumbai. The bread is a mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, milk, yeast and is also eaten with the different Easter curry specials.

Sorpotel and Sanna

10 Easter must try Dishes-Sorpotel and Sanna
Image – Xantilicious /Facebook

Coming from Goa and also Mangalore the fascinating sorpotel is a Portuguese dish. Made from meat and prepared in vinegar sauce, the curry is eaten alongside the soft, white steamed rice and coconut bread called Sanna. The sorpotel can also be prepared with pork. 

Turkey kurma

10 Easter must try Dishes-Turkey kurma
Image- Canadian Turkey/ Pinterest

Turkey is another hit ingredient during Easter. Many different dishes made from turkey are prepared, such as turkey korma or turkey balls with gravy etc. The Turkey curry is particularly a favorite in Puducherry and also prepared during Christmas. 

Naga curry

Easter-Dishes-Naga Curry
Image – Wikimedia

The food from northeast is relatively untouched by modern ingredients and has traditional and distinct flavors to it. Some of the Easter curries include the Naga Pork curry also called Awoshi Kipki Ngo Axone rich in special flavors. There is also the Anishi or black curry made from fermented leaves that are then smoked. Anishi is often eaten with bamboo shoots along with fresh fruits. 

Sea food starters – Sea food delicacies are a must especially when it comes to Goan cuisine. Shrimps sautéed in different flavors or the spicy Prawn Balchao are perfect Easter recipes for seafood lovers. The juicy prawns can also be eaten alongside rice. 

Simnel Cake – A popular Easter fruit cake the Simnel is a popular sweet dessert in the UK and Ireland. Made of different layers of almond, marzipan and decorated with balls on top, the Simnel cake is a definite Easter special. 

Easter is a time of festivities that are accompanied with a deep sense of spiritual influence too. It is a period after abstinence through Lent and hence the burst of flavors on the palate are only a natural outcome. Sweet dishes and cakes are in season, as much as are grape wines and starters. However, the non-vegetarian platter is enviable with dishes prepared from meat, chicken, pork, duck and rabbit. Though fewer households in recent times prefer duck or rabbits and have shifted to meat and chicken, the variety across the recipes is wonderful. This is more so, because different regions and cities have their own special Easter recipes that are often shared when the community or household shifts to another base. 

Finally, Easter is a time for prayer and forgiveness. A solemn occasion that brings one closer to the divine. But like all festivals, there is symbolization that makes it identifiable to people across all religions. The Easter bunny and eggs are a favorite artistic expression for all no matter which religion or caste. Similarly, the Easter celebrations, like many other religious celebrations in the country, are a perfect reminder of how cultural unity and inclusivity are the need of the hour. So why not celebrate Easter in your home with some special dishes and celebrate the oneness that is so weaved in our social and cultural existence.

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