HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD

HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD
Week #2

So how are you enjoying the podcast of our Holiday Tradition of Holidays Around the World.  It just goes to show how small the World really is when it comes to our Holiday Celebrations.

Well what do you say we take a look at a place where you don't realize Christmas is celebrated.  India.  Now this country is not predominately Christian and only about 2.3% of people here are Christian...but the overall population is over 1 Billion so that means there are about 25 Million Christians in India!  Did you know that?  I found the numbers.  So when it comes to celebrating the Christmas Holiday, it of course, differs in certain areas on India.  One of the largest Indian Christian Communities is a city, Mumbai.  Mumbai was previously known as Bombay.  India's smallest state is Goa which is on the west side of the India.  There is also Manipur Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram on the east side of India.  So what do all these states of India do to celebrate.  Well Midnight mass is very important...whole families will walk to the mas and this will be followed by a massive feast of different delicacies.  Mostly curries are served and the presents are opened.  The churches decorated with Poinsettias and candles.   However; the Christmas Tree is somewhat different from what we would do.  Most homes decorate a Banana or Mango Tree.  They also use mango leaves for decoration.  Parts of Southern India, Christians often put small oil burning clay lamps on the flat roofs of their homes to show their neighbors that Jesus is the light of the World.  It must be beautiful!  Now some homes in India decorate in the traditional way that we Americans are use to.  They also have large Nativity Scenes set up and some go Caroling.   They also decorate the usual Trees and the popular western meals like chicken or turkey are served.    They also have a a traditional Christmas Cake.....yes a fruit cake....They too love their sweets during the Holiday and have a favorite made with coconut and cashews and fruit.  In certain locations in India...they also have a Santa Claus.  Based on the area you are from....Santa is known by a few different names.  Christmas Baba or Urdu....it translates to Father Christmas.  Then there is Christmas Thaathaa and hristmas Thatha    both mean Christmas Old Man.   Now there is also Natal Bua...translated means Christmas Elder Man.   In Kerala he is know as Christmas Papa.    It amazes me how such a large World becomes small when you step inside and see how some of the other countries celebrate and how closely it resembles the way you may celebrate.

Well I know I like sweets and this one seems like something fun to make...it may be a little tricky...good luck..

NEUREOS

Passive  60 minutes Prep15 minutes Cook120 minutes

Servings
40 Pc.

Ingredients

For the Filling:-

•  2 cup Desiccated coconut or sweetened shredded coconut
•  1/2 cup Water
•  1/4 cup sugar (Use ¼ cup if sweetened coconut is used, otherwise use ½ cup sugar for desiccated coconut)
•  1 tsp cardamom powder
•  1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)
•  1/4 cup Cashewnuts (Chopped)
•  1/4 cup Raisins
•  1/4 cup Almonds (Chopped)

For the outer cover:-

•  250 grams All-Purpose Flour
•  1 tsp Salt
•  1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)

Instructions

Prepare dough for outer cover:-

• 1 Keep all the ingredients ready.

• 2 Knead the flour with ghee, salt and water. Keep dough aside, covered with a wet cloth for at least an hour.

Make the filling:-

• 3 In a pan, add water and sugar, bring it to a boil. Add the nuts and raisins. Cook for about 2-3 mins.

• 4 Add the coconut and the ghee. Keep stirring.

• 5 Add cardamom powder and a pinch salt. Cook mixture for about 10-15 mins on low flame till all water is dried up completely. Cool this filling completely before using it.

To assemble the neureos:-

• 6 Divide dough into 36 small balls. Take few balls at a time and roll out into a circle. Put filling on each circle.

• 7 Seal opposite edges using water to form moon shape. Using neureo cutter(or use pizza cutter) cut the edges for a neater look.

• 8 Keep neureos ready for deep frying on a flour dusted parchment paper or a plate.

• 9 Deep fry neureos on medium low flame, till you get a nice golden brown color on the crust.

• 10 Drain neureos on a paper towel.

• 11 Cool completely. Store in an air tight container. (See recipe notes below). Serve these neureos and enjoy!!!

! Recipe Notes

1.  Keep the dough for at Least an hour to ferment. Do not work with the dough immediately after kneading.

2.  Make sure the filling isn’t moist.

3.  Store the neureos for not more than 6-7 days

Russia/Ukrain...and Thanksgiving....
I sure do hope you are listening to my podcast...We had Jim Hannayyer all the way from the Ukrain/Russia region....He was talking about Thanksgiving.   We heard that despite the attempts...the Turkey did not survive.  But what is more important is that the tradition of bringing friends and family together was attempted and they still had fun.  If you missed this segment...you can still hear it on my podcast...  Enjoy...

Did you know you can visit my website at www.zeemichaelsontravel.com and you can let your imagination run wild.  If you want to visit any of these places that we talk about or something you see on my website, give me a call and I will help you Make Your Travel Dreams Come True