Traditional Indian Christmas Sweets: How The Portuguese Left Their Timeless Mark With The Underrated Guava Cheese

Written by Jheelum Basu | December 13, 2023

Goa is a food-loving state. While a lot of Goan specialties are about seafood, the Goan desserts have a separate fanbase as well. Be it Dodol and Bebinca or the classic cashew marzipan candies, all of them are popular in the coastal state during the Christmas season.

But what about the hundreds of other recipes that are waiting to be recognized? Guava Cheese is one such regional sweet. While it is quite popular in the Goan community, it surely deserves more love and recognition. Also known as Perad, it is one of the most popular Christmas desserts in the majority of Catholic homes. This crunchy, melt-in-the-mouth fudge is one of the most delicious Indian Christmas sweets. And it carries a strong Portuguese connection.

Back in time, the Portuguese visited India and stayed here for years, and their impact on Goa's cuisine is still very much present. Back then, food ingredients were largely exported from Portugal, and the Portuguese also brought several cooking methods to India. Goa and its surrounding districts, including Daman and Diu, were largely impacted by Portuguese culture.

Portuguese ancestry is the source of Guava Cheese, as is the case with many aspects of Goan culture. It all began during Brazil's colonial era, when guavas were employed as a convenient local alternative to oranges in marmalade. It is a thick slab that is shared almost like a jelly sweet. In contrast, Brazilian Goiabada, which is spread on toast for breakfast, is a thin paste that is used as a filling. The final texture is determined by the sugar-to-water ratio, the time of the cooking process, and the species of guava, as each has a unique natural sugar content. Once set, it can be kept for months in a cold, dry place, but we're betting that people will devour this gooey, melt-in-your-mouth treat in a matter of seconds!

Now that you know all about the history and heritage associated with this utterly Goan sweet, let’s quickly move on to the Guava Cheese recipe. Read on to know more.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg red guava
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ghee or butter
• A pinch of salt

Directions:

• To make the Guava Cheese, start by washing and cutting the fruit into quarters, then steam it for ten to twelve minutes. Alternatively, put it under water and pressure cook it for two whistles.
• After cooking, transfer the guavas to a blender and process until they form a smooth paste. Strain the paste to remove seeds or big chunks.
• Fill a heavy-bottomed pan with the strained pulp, then heat it to a boil. Next, reduce the heat to low and add the salt and sugar. Once it takes on a deep brown hue, add butter or ghee.
• Add the lemon juice and continue cooking for a further ten minutes as it starts to pull away from the pan's sides. Spread it out over the borders of a tray that has been oiled.
• Let it cool fully before slicing it into the desired shape. Now, either store it in an airtight jar or serve it with toast, sandwiches, or other foods.
• To add an extra zing to the plate when you serve it, garnish with Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk shavings for that chocolatey surprise.

Tips and Tricks

Guava Cheese takes a little bit of work since you have to mix it constantly to reach the appropriate consistency. Cook the sugar and guava pulp over low heat, stirring all the time. And, keep an eye out for that picture-perfect, chef-worthy consistency while making your own Guava Cheese. The colour of the guava determines the colour of the Guava Cheese - usually no artificial color is added to it.

Rose Cookies (Achappam)

This traditional flower-patterned Christmas delight is enjoyed for its light, crispy texture. Popular in South Indian households during Christmas, Achappam got its name from the Malayalam words ‘ach’, which means mold, and ‘appam’, which means snack or bread. These delicious deep-fried cookies are made using a special floral mold.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• A pinch of salt
• Oil

Directions:

• Start by whisking coconut milk, sugar, and egg in a large mixing bowl until it forms a smooth mixture.
• Next, add some rice flour, sesame seeds, and salt to the mixture and combine everything well to form a lump-free batter.
• In a deep pan, heat the oil and place the floral cookie mould inside to heat. Once it turns hot, dip it into the batter and then immerse it in hot oil.
• Fry the batter until the cookie releases from the mould and turns golden and crisp.
• Once the cookies are fried, remove them from the mould and drain the excess oil on paper towels. Let the cookies cool completely before storing.

Marzipan

Made with nuts (almond or cashew), sugar, and egg whites, Marzipan is a clay-like, pliable sweet treat often used to sculpt edible decorative toppings. Be it icing the Christmas cakes or cookies, or creating Christmassy figures of Santa Claus, trees, or snowmen, Marzipan is an absolute sweet delight that adds to the visual appeal of the desserts as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered cashew nuts
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp rose water or plain water
• A few drops of food colouring (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Directions:

• In a blender, start by dry grinding the cashew nuts into a fine powder. Be careful about making sure that the nuts don’t release oil.
• Take a mixing bowl and combine cashew powder, powdered sugar, and cardamom powder and give them a good mix.
• Next, slowly add rose water and knead the mixture to form a soft, pliable dough.
• Now, once the dough is ready, divide it into portions. Add food colours accordingly and shape them into fruits, flowers, or festive designs.
• Once the figures are ready, let them dry slightly before serving or storing in an airtight container.