It is Christmas fever all around here in Sydney, at the malls, on TV, everywhere! Even hose pipes are being sold under chirstmas branding!! All the cookery shows on air are busy demo-ing dishes for Christmas! A vegetarian Christmas is not so uncommon these days, with lots of folks giving up meat and poultry! I found some sites featuring vegan x’mas menus. Sadly they were not very appetising ...to me – a very very hard core vegetarian (but not vegan!) Most sites featured lots of tofu, soya, mushrooms, and other “imitation meat”, besides some boiled vegetables!
I began thinking Vegetarian Indian Christmas Food, and then South Indian Vegetarian Christmas .... ummm that’s really very tough! What did my dear friends eat for Christmas? What did they prepare for us vegetarians? I slowly started remembering ...Rose cookies, Plum cake, Ginger Wine (non-alcoholic), masala tea, casseroles, bread rolls, cup cakes, tarts, dodol, sannas, aapam and stew....
I requested Chitra Amma to talk to some of our South Indian Christian friends to find out what food they would prepare for a Vegetarian spread, and asked my zillion friends on Facebook as well. We landed up with great suggestions and a number of dishes ... ranging from biriyanis to puddings, salads to mughlai dishes! Well many dishes are not really of South Indian origin, but have been prepared by South Indian Christians for a long long !
Here are recommendations from us for a delicious vegetarian spread. We've linked the recipes to most items, and will be adding more suggestions and links in the coming days.
If you want a grand menu, pick at least one item from each of the categories, and as many vegetables and salads, sweets and dessert as you want!! If you want a simpler menu – pick either soup or drink, one main dish, one vegetable, one salad or raita, and either the dessert or a sweet!
Here's wishing you all a very merry and tasty Christmas!
Drinks - select 1panakam/indian lemonade
badam kheer /almond milk
ginger squash
carrot payasam/ carrot and milk blend
Soups - select 1
chettinadu takkali rasam/thin spicy tomato soup
butternut squash winter soup
tenga pal (coconut milk)rasam
Starter - select 1 or more
kondai kadalai sundal / chick pea salad
raja special
Maddur Vadai
Main course- select 1
coconut milk rice served with avarekaalu kurma or bhagara baigan
corn pulav served with navratan kurma
vegetable biriani or seepla vegetable biriani – (published in blogger aid cook book) served any pachadi/raita
inspiration casserole (cauliflower, capsicum, rice, white sauce, cheese)
stuffed capsicum (stuffed with tomato rice) served with any pachadi/ raita
reshmae parota with avarekaalu kurma or bhagara baigan
plain rice with chinna vengaya (baby onion) sambhar / carrot kadalaikai (peanut) sambhar
Additional vegetables (dry) – select one or more
kattarikai masala – stuffed brinjal
senai kizhangu curry / elephant yam curry
urulaikizhangu podimas / potato lime curry
urulaikizhangu roast / potato roast
kose porial/cabbage curry
beans curry
mixed vegetable cashew curry
Main course- select 1coconut milk rice served with avarekaalu kurma or bhagara baigan
corn pulav served with navratan kurma
vegetable biriani or seepla vegetable biriani – (published in blogger aid cook book) served any pachadi/raita
inspiration casserole (cauliflower, capsicum, rice, white sauce, cheese)
stuffed capsicum (stuffed with tomato rice) served with any pachadi/ raita
reshmae parota with avarekaalu kurma or bhagara baigan
plain rice with chinna vengaya (baby onion) sambhar / carrot kadalaikai (peanut) sambhar
Additional vegetables (dry) – select one or more
kattarikai masala – stuffed brinjal
senai kizhangu curry / elephant yam curry
urulaikizhangu podimas / potato lime curry
urulaikizhangu roast / potato roast
kose porial/cabbage curry
beans curry
mixed vegetable cashew curry
Additional vegetables (gravy based) – select 1 or more
avial (Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Gravy)
yezu kari koottu/ seven vegetables gravy
podalangai pal koottu (Snake Gourd in Milk)
Salads and raitas – select 1 or more madulam pachai payaru sundal (pomogranate and green gram dal salad)
Puddings and desserts – select 1
easy berry cake
yule log
rose bread pudding
chocolate cream pie
wheat flour halwa
sutta kattarikai thair pachadi/ grilled egg plant in curd
beet root pachadi /beetroot in curd
vendaikai pachadi / okra in curd
urulaikizangu pattani thair pachadi
Savoury snack – select 1
masal vadai/spicy lentil and herb patties with mint chutney
vegetable bread bonda/fried vegetable dumpling with tomato sauce
beet root pachadi /beetroot in curd
vendaikai pachadi / okra in curd
urulaikizangu pattani thair pachadi
Savoury snack – select 1
masal vadai/spicy lentil and herb patties with mint chutney
vegetable bread bonda/fried vegetable dumpling with tomato sauce
khara kozhakattai / steamed dumplings with lentil stuffing with vengaya chutney or brinjal chutney
stuffed molagai bajji with mint chutney
stuffed molagai bajji with mint chutney
thair vada / lentil dumplings soaked in yoghurt
Sweets – select 1
badam halwa/ almond fudge
dodol / coconut and jaggery based dish
beetroot halwa
mysorepak
Sweets – select 1
badam halwa/ almond fudge
dodol / coconut and jaggery based dish
beetroot halwa
mysorepak
Puddings and desserts – select 1
easy berry cake
yule log
rose bread pudding
chocolate cream pie
wheat flour halwa
ice cream 
Christmas goodies - these are not part of the meal, but general fun!
coconut ice
galagala / a simple indian biscuit
rose cookies
banana walnut muffins
lavender lemon cup cakes
Christmas goodies - these are not part of the meal, but general fun!
coconut ice
galagala / a simple indian biscuit
rose cookies
banana walnut muffins
lavender lemon cup cakes
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If you know of any good christmas vegetarian recipes, we'd love to hear your suggestions! Enjoy!
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Clipart from http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net/christmas_clipart.html
