Kuswar or Kuswad is a set of festive sweets and snacks made and exchanged by Christians of the Konkan region in the Indian subcontinent for the Christmas season or Christmastide. These goodies are major parts of the cuisines of the Goan Catholic community of Goa in the Konkan region, and the Mangalorean Catholic community of Karnataka. [1] There are as many as 22 different ethnic recipes that form this distinct flavour of Christmas celebration in Goa and Mangalore. [2] Kuswad is also made and exchanged by Karwari Catholics of Carnataca and the Kudali Catholics of Sindhudurg, in the Konkan division of Maharashtra.
Koswad, derived from the Indo-Portuguese term consoada , refers to the dinner served on Christmas Eve; it is synonymous with the Christmas spirit of "sharing" for the Bombay East Indian Catholics in their native Maharashtri Konkani dialects. Koswad ranges from kidyos and nevryos, to Christmas cakes, duck roasts, marzipan & other delicacies. [3] [4] [5]
The kuswar of Goan Catholics contains as many as 22 different traditional recipes that give a distinct flavour to Christmas celebration in Goa. [6]
The kuswar of Mangalorean Catholics also has traditional recipes. Neuero or Neuries are puffs stuffed with plums, nuts, and fried theel (sesame) and sugar. Kidyo or Kulkuls are curly concoctions dipped in sugar treacle, Pathekas are savoury of green nandarkai bananas. Simple salted or sweetened Tukdi (Diamond Cuts), theel Laadus and Golios are other items found in kuswar. Macaroons [ dubious ] is what Manglore is famous for and the subtle flavoured Rose Biscuits are a favourite. The Rich Plum Cake takes the better part of a week to make. Candied fruit, plums, currents and raisins are cut and soaked in rum. Flour is sieved and gently warmed in the sun. Nuts are shelled and chopped and families make the cake together. Jobs are allotted; one whips up the eggs while another creams the butter and sugar, cake tins are lined, and a strong pair of arms are requested to do the final mixing and stirring. The Mitais, Mandas, Ushae, Pitae & Manni are well-known, sweet dishes included in the kuswar. [8]
The koswad of Bombay East Indian Catholics also includes recipes like thali sweets, donuts, date rolls etc. These are not found among Goans of southern Konkan, Mangaloreans or Karwaris of Carnataca & Damanese of Damaon, Dio & Silvassa.
Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as cake, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts. In some parts of the world there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal.
Semolina is the name given to coarsely milled durum wheat mainly used in making couscous, pasta, and sweet puddings. The term semolina is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains as well.
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal, sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract.
Fruitcake or fruit cake is a cake made with candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated.
Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon, vanilla, and raisins.
Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its particular combinations of herbs, spices, fish, vegetables, rices, and fruits. The cuisine is highly centered around many varieties of rice, as well as coconut which is a ubiquitous plant throughout the country. Seafood also plays a significant role in the cuisine, be it fresh fish or preserved fish. As a country that was a hub in the historic oceanic silk road, contact with foreign traders brought new food items and cultural influences in addition to the local traditions of the country's ethnic groups, all of which have helped shape Sri Lankan cuisine. Influences from Indian, Indonesian and Dutch cuisines are most evident with Sri Lankan cuisine sharing close ties to other neighbouring South and Southeast Asian cuisines.
Kuih are bite-sized snack or dessert foods commonly found in Southeast Asia and China. It is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuits, or pastries in English and are usually made from rice or glutinous rice. In China, where the term originates from, kueh or koé (粿) in the Min Nan languages refers to snacks which are typically made from rice but can occasionally be made from other grains such as wheat. The term kuih is widely used in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, kueh is used in Singapore and Indonesia, kue is used in Indonesia only, all three refer to sweet or savoury desserts.
Laddu or laddoo is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets."
Mithai (sweets) are the confectionery and desserts of the Indian subcontinent. Thousands of dedicated shops in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sell nothing but sweets.
Somali cuisine has influenced many different countries mainly due to trade, but traditionally also varies from region to region due to the expansive landmass Somalis inhabit. It is the product of Somalia's tradition of trade and commerce. Some notable Somali specialties include kimis/sabaayad, canjeero/lahoh, xalwo (halwa), sambuusa (samosa), bariis iskukaris, and muqmad/odkac.
Goan cuisine consists of regional foods popular in Goa, an Indian state located along India's west coast on the shore of the Arabian Sea. Rice, seafood, coconut, vegetables, meat, bread, pork and local spices are some of the main ingredients in Goan cuisine. Use of kokum and vinegar is another distinct feature. Goan food is considered incomplete without fish.
Kidyo also known as Kulkuls are a sweet food, part of the goodies, Kuswar prepared for the Christmas festival celebrated in Goa and Mangalore, as well as the East Indian Community of Maharashtra.
The Mangalorean Catholic Cuisine is the cuisine of the Mangalorean Catholic community.
Goan Catholic Cuisine is the cuisine of the Goan Catholic community and is largely influenced by the Saraswat, Konkani, Portuguese, South Indian, and British cuisines. Due to over 450 years of Portuguese rule, the cuisine of Goan Catholics is dominated by ingredients and techniques of Portuguese cuisine like deep-frying, oven-baking, pork, vinegar, egg-based desserts, alcohol, etc.
A sanna is a spongy, steamed, and savoury unfilled dumpling originally made of red rice, black lentil and coconut in the Konkan region, by the western coast of the Indian subcontinent. They originated in Goa and Damaon, Mangalore, Bombay and Bassein (Vasai), and are especially popular among Goans, both the Goan Hindus and Goan Christians, and also among the Konkani migrants outside Konkan in Karachi, Sindh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala. They are also loved by the people of the Konkan division, such as the Kuparis of the Bombay East Indian community.
Nevryo is an Indian sweet dumpling made predominantly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and Goa, just before Christmas. It is also prepared during the Hindu festivals of Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi.
Love cake or Bolo di Amor, is a type of semolina cake eaten in Sri Lanka on special occasions. They are often baked for cultural celebrations such as Christmas, birthdays and weddings, served wrapped in gold paper for guests to eat or take home.