''Kuswar'' or ''Kuswad'' is a set of festive sweets and

snacks A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home. Traditionally, snacks are ...

made and exchanged by Christians of the

Konkan region The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

in the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

for the Christmas season or Christmastide. These goodies are major parts of the

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

s of the

Goan Catholic Goan Catholics ( gom, Goenchem Katholik) are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians following the Roman Rite of worship from the Goa state, in the southern part of the Konkan region along the west coast of India. They are Konkani peo ...

community of

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

, and the

Mangalorean Catholic Mangalorean Catholics ( kok, Kōdiyālcheñ Kathōlikā) are an ethno-religious community of Latin Catholics in India typically residing in the Diocese of Mangalore in the erstwhile South Canara area, by the southwestern coast of present-day K ...

community of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

. There are as many as 22 different traditional recipes that form this distinct flavour of Christmas celebration in Goa and Mangalore. Kuswar_in_Bombay

''Koswad'', derived from the Indo-Portuguese term '' consoada'', which refers to the dinner served on

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

, is synonymous with the Christmas spirit of " sharing" for the

Bombay East Indian Catholics The East Indians, also called East Indian Catholics or Bombay East Indians, are an ethno-religious Indian Christian community native to the Seven Islands of Bombay and the neighbouring Mumbai Metropolitan Area of the Konkan Division. Histor ...

in their native

Maharashtri Konkani Maharashtri Konkani or Konkan Marathi, is a group of Konkanic dialects spoken in the Konkan division of the Konkan region. George Abraham Grierson, a British Indian linguist of the colonial era referred to these dialects as the ''Konkan Stan ...

dialects. Koswad ranges from

kidyo 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. Kulkul is made from maida flour, milk and sometimes eggs, and sha ...

s and nevryos, to Christmas cakes, duck roasts,

marzipan Marzipan is a confectionery, confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into Confectionery, sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzi ...

, and others.

Goa

The kuswar of

Goan Catholics Goan Catholics ( gom, Goenchem Katholik) are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians following the Roman Rite of worship from the Goa state, in the southern part of the Konkan region along the west coast of India. They are Konkani pe ...

contains as many as 22 different traditional recipes that give a distinct flavour to Christmas celebration in Goa. * ''Perada'' (Guava cheese) is a confection made from savory green

guava Guava () is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava ''Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, the ...

s and sugar. * ''

Kidyo 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. Kulkul is made from maida flour, milk and sometimes eggs, and sha ...

'' or ''Kulkuls'' are a semolina-based confection flavoured with

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

and

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are rec ...

. * ''Neuero'' or ''Neuries'' are dough mixed with coconut, cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom and then deep fried. * ''Bebik'' (

Bebinca ''Bebinca'' or ''bebinka'', (Konkani; ''bibik'') is a layer cake of Indo-Portuguese cuisine in Goa, India. In traditional baking, Bebinka has between 7 and 16 layers, but bakeries can modify the cake recipe as per convenience and taste. It ...

) is a layered baked dessert made with flour, sugar, coconut milk and

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...

. * ''

Doce Doce was a Portuguese female band from the 1980s. It was one of the first girl bands in Europe. The girls took part in the Portuguese national final in order to represent the country in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 with the song "Doce" ("S ...

'' (Doce de Grao) is a sweet made using

chickpea The chickpea or chick pea (''Cicer arietinum'') is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its different types are variously known as gram" or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. Chickpea seeds are high ...

s and coconut. * ''Marzipan'' is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and

almond meal Almond meal, almond flour or ground almond is made from ground sweet almonds. Almond flour is usually made with blanched almonds (no skin), whereas almond meal can be made with whole or blanched almonds. The consistency is more like corn meal than ...

. * ''Bolinhas'' are small cakes also known as coconut cookies made with grated coconut, sugar, semolina, egg yolks and butter. They are flavoured with cardamom, made into a round shape with markings on top, and baked gently. * ''Nankatais'', which resemble snowballs, are made from sugar, butter, and flour, and are beaten until light and white. They are flavoured with vanilla and cardamom, rolled round, and lightly baked. * ''Baath'' is a moist, rich coconut tart baked in a large round shape with pastry lattice work on top. It is flavoured with cardamom and currants. * ''Kormolas'' are sweet coconut pastries rolled out, cut in squares, and shaped into flower buds. * ''Pinarg'' (Pinaca) are cutlet-like sweets made from jaggery and crushed rice. * ''Mango Miskut'' is a confection made from mango pulp and sugar. * ''Tuelinnas'' (Tuelinnas de Coco) are sweets made from coconut. * ''Dodol'' is a type of jaggery and rice pudding.

Mangalore

The kuswar of

Mangalorean Catholics Mangalorean Catholics ( kok, Kōdiyālcheñ Kathōlikā) are an ethno-religious community of Latin Catholics in India typically residing in the Diocese of Mangalore in the erstwhile South Canara area, by the southwestern coast of present-day Kar ...

also has traditional recipes. ''Neuero'' or Neuries are puffs stuffed with plums, nuts, and fried theel (sesame) and sugar. ''

'' or ''Kulkuls'' are curly concoctions dipped in sugar treacle, ''Pathekas'' are savoury of green ''nandarkai'' bananas. Simple salted or sweetened Tukdi (Diamond Cuts), theel

Laadu ''Laddu'' or ''laddoo'' (; ms, kuih laddu; id, kue laddu) is a spherical sweet originating from India and spread through the Indian subcontinent and the Malay world. Laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar or j ...

s and ''Golios'' are other items found in kuswar. Macaroons 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, 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''.

Mumbai

The koswad of

Bombay East Indians The East Indians, also called East Indian Catholics or Bombay East Indians, are an ethno-religious Indian Christian community native to the Seven Islands of Bombay and the neighbouring Mumbai Metropolitan Area of the Konkan Division. Histo ...

has many recipes like thali sweet, donuts, date rolls etc.

References

External links

Goan Christmas Sweet Recipe, How to make Christmas Sweets and Savories FlavorsofMumbai.com
{{Indian Dishes Christmas food Indian cuisine Goan cuisine Mangalorean cuisine

Goa

Mangalore

Mumbai

See also

References

External links