And it’s a roast!

Stuffed, braised and roasted to perfection, the customary holiday bird roast makes a comeback on the Christmas table in different avatars across communities. Four chefs reveal classic family recipes that have been passed down through generations

The Anglo Indian stuffed bird 

Lorraine Woodman

Flipping through the pages of old cookbooks and handwritten recipes, 72-year-old Andheri resident Lorraine Woodman verbally shared with us her family recipe of Stuffed Turkey and Chicken. “It’s hard to finish the whole bird for a family, that’s also why people prefer chicken. Also, tastes have had a makeover to chicken kiev, chicken wings and only leg roast. Back in the day, we would make stuffed bird by first washing it inside out and rubbing it with salt and pepper. We’d keep it aside and meanwhile prepare the butter rub using about 250 grams of Amul butter in a bowl, adding a little garlic paste, parsley, nutmeg and pepper and keep it aside. For the stuffing, we’d put bread cubes fried in butter and any cold cuts of ham, bacon, chicken liver—all chopped small and sautéd in butter. Grated carrot, green peas and minced onions are sautéd too with salt and pepper. Add some lemon zest and juice to the mixture. We would then gently separate the skin from the bird on top without tearing it. Then, we used to try and rub as much flavoured butter inside, reserving some to smear over the rest of the bird. We would mix all the fried stuffing with hands and put into the cavity of the bird, filling it tightly and securing the opening with tooth picks. This would be baked over a bed of sliced carrots, onions and sliced potatoes in a greased baking tray and cooked in the oven at 180C covered with foil for 45 minutes. Then we would remove the foil and brush the juices of the pan over the bird (basting), repeating this a few times and returning it to the oven till the bird looks cooked and golden brown. We’d pierce it with a skewer to check if the juices that run out are not red but brown to ascertain it is cooked through. Next, we’d put off the oven and leave the bird in. Even after removing it from the oven, we would leave it covered with foil so that it remains moist. A usual serving of potato salad, pumpkin pie, fresh green salad and bread would make the meal complete. Do give it a try,” says Woodman.

Macaroni Stew, Goa /// By Chef Rohan D’Souza

Ingredients
1 ½ onions, chopped
6 cloves
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tomato (diced)
1 cup potatoes (peeled, cubed and boiled)
1 cup carrots (peeled, cubed and boiled)
1 cup green peas (cooked)
2 cup macaroni (cooked)
2 tbsp butter

For pepper masala:
¼ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tbsp pepper powder
½ tbsp coriander powder

The Roast Turkey and Macaroni Stew  by chef Rohan D’Souza at Juhu’s Estella. Pic/Shadab Khan

Method 
In a pan, add two tbsp butter. Add cloves, cinnamon and one chopped onion. Fry onion till soft and translucent. Add  tomato. Cook till soft. Add the pepper masala. Fry for a minute. Add the cooked potatoes, carrots and peas. Mix in well. Add the macaroni and a laddle of the roasted turkey juice from the roasting pan, stir well. Serve along with slices of roasted turkey.

Roast Turkey, Goa /// By Chef Rohan D’Souza

Rohan D’Souza’s best memories of Christmas were while working on a cruise ship. “With the quantum of turkeys, gammon and a variety of roast dishes to be made, it was challenging yet fun. On a personal level, I have always been partial to the turkey roast made in Goa. Served with macaroni stew, it’s a must-have at most Christmas meals,” he adds.

Ingredients
6 kg turkey (whole bird)
1/4 cup Goan bancal sauce 
2 tbsp jaggery (melted)
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp Goan all-spice powder
4 bay leaves
4 to 5 dry red chillies
1/4 cup butter
Salt as required

Method
Pre heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius. Pat dry the turkey with a kitchen towel. Apply the marinade on the turkey and in between the skin. Allow it to marinate for at least 1-2 hrs. Spread the soft butter on the turkey. Tie the drumsticks together with a kitchen twine. Prepare a roasting pan. Line a rack in the roasting pan. Place the marinated turkey on the rack. Cover the turkey with silver foil. Roast at 180 degree for 2.5 hours. Remove the foil and roast for another 30 minutes. Reserve the turkey juice to make the gravy. Allow the turkey to rest. For the gravy, in a pan melt butter. Add two cloves and a bay leaf. Slightly brown one medium-sized onion. Add one tbsp butter and flour. Stir in with the brown onion, now add the turkey stock, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Check seasoning if required. Strain the sauce and serve.

The Kerala duck

The Kerala Duck Roast is an all-time favourite delicacy, especially if its prepared in the most traditional manner. Sashi Jacob, Vice President & Corporate Chef, Villa Maya, says, “Duck dishes though delicious in its own way is not always the first choice for some, as one needs to acquire a liking towards the flavour, texture and the fattiness of the duck. The Kerala Duck Roast is different from most other preparations, mainly due to the tender meat of the duck as its mostly homebred and the bird is not more than five months old. The spices used are all from the local farms and fresh, which enhances the flavour in a big way.” The double marination mainly helps in bringing out the best in the final product, he adds. “The succulent meat of the duck and the gravy prepared from its own jus is what makes it unique. While you can have the fish on its own, I prefer it with fluffy parathas or appams. Though the preparation is tedious and takes time, it’s definitely worth the effort.”   

Kerala Duck Roast /// By Chef Sashi Jacob 

Ingredients 
First marination
100 g chilli powder
100 g coriander powder
100 g garam masala 
100 g black pepper
50 g fennel powder
100 ml coconut oil
100 g ginger garlic paste
50 ml lemon juice
Salt to taste

Second marination
100 g flour 
50 g chilli powder
50 g garam masala
50 g coriander powder
50 g pepper 
Salt to taste

For the gravy
200 g onion, chopped
20 g ginger sliced 
20 g garlic chopped 
10 green chillies
5 g curry leaves
200 g tomato 
50 g coconut oil 
50 g chilli powder
20 g turmeric powder
40 g coriander powder 
25 g garam masala
20 g fennel powder 
20 g pepper
50 ml coconut milk
Salt to taste

For tempering
100 g grated coconut
50 g chopped garlic
50 g chopped ginger
50 g green chilli
10 g fennel 
10 g mustard 
20 g curry leaves
10 g whole red chillies 

Method
Apply the first marination on the whole duck and keep a side for two hours. Roast the duck in the oven at 140 degrees Celsius for 2.5 hours. Rest for one hour and apply the second marination and keep a side for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a big wok and fry the whole roast duck until you get a reddish roast colour. For the roast masala, heat coconut oil, add chopped garlic, chopped ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Put chopped onions and cook until it gets translucent. Add chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Then put roast chicken and toss it with garam masala powder, jeera powder, pepper powder and fennel powder, curry leaves and season it. Heat coconut oil in a pan.  Add the above ingredients and fry until golden brown on low heat. Remove from the heat. Best served with fluffy Kerala paratha or appams that are soft in the centre and crisp around.

The Naga Roast

Ducks and chicken are often the gifts of choice for guests during Christmas in Nagaland. Recreating a part this old tradition, in Goa this time, chef Alistair Lethron brings fore a Christmas lunch with a delightful Smoky Duck with Mustard Leaves. “As children, in Nagaland, we waited all year long for Christmas. It was the time when the entire village would turn into one giant hall of celebrations. The air itself would seem to change; with the fragrances of warm broth and cheerfulness infusing every breath you took. A very important Christmas tradition was the exchange of livestock as Christmas presents. My mother used to make this extensive Christmas lunch every year. It was mostly a Pork Roast that would make for the highlight. But, I remember when I was around seven, my mother had prepared a duck with mustard leaves. It was a memorable dinner, because it was also the year our dog Jenny got home her first hunt, a Jack Rabbit,” says Lethron.

Roasted Duck with Mustard Leaves, Nagaland /// By Chef Alistair Lethron

Ingredients
1 duck (with skin) 
30 mustard leaves
2 king chillies
50 g garlic 
50 g ginger
5-6 Michinga cones
100 g dry bamboo shoots 
Salt to taste

Method
Start with roasting the duck on a wood fire to take off any feathers and give it a nice smokey flavour. Once done, cut it to pieces and add to a cooking pot. Add one and a half glass of water, four crushed green chillies and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for about 50 minutes. Remove lid and you’ll see that the meat is tender now. Add crushed garlic, ginger, king chilli, dry bamboo shoots and Michinga and stir for about two minutes. Then, add the mustard greens and cover for another 10 minutes. Then, remove lid and stir on high flame for about five minutes. Enjoy it with steamed rice and some Axone chutney.

Turkey tip 

Chef D’souza says ideally, it’s good to brine the turkey for at least eight hours so that it remains succulent. Make sure the turkey is at room temperature before roasting the bird and that you cook turkey on high heat for the initial stage at about 250 degrees and then drop it down to 190 degrees for the next 3.5 hours. Keep checking the internal temperature. Let the bird rest for 15 to 20 minutes after it’s taken out from the oven as it will keep the juices intact, hence moist.

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