Good Friday & Easter Specials from Bridget's Kitchen

Good Friday and Easter both come with their unique significance and food traditions. Here are two recipes for both occasions.

GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday is a day that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death on the Cross at Calvary. It is observed by Christians during the Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum preceding his resurrection on the 3rd Day after his death. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, and Black Friday. Good Friday is observed as a day of fasting and abstinence by Christians all over the world. Most people usually have just one simple meal at midday on Good Friday. When we were children growing up in Kolar Gold Fields, a simple Rice, Lentil, and Coconut Gruel or Congee was part of our lunch menu on Good Friday. 

RECIPE FOR GOOD FRIDAY RICE AND COCONUT GRUEL (Rice Congee)

Serves 6 

Ingredients:

1 cup Raw Rice

3 tablespoons Moong Dhal / Yellow Lentils 

¼ cup Sugar or Jaggery (optional)

½ cup grated coconut or 1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons broken cashew nuts and raisins.

A pinch of salt

2 small pieces of cinnamon

2 cloves

Method:

Wash the rice and soak it for half an hour in a little water.

Dry roast the Moong Dhal/Yellow Lentils lightly in a pan and take it off the gas. 

Boil 3 cups of water and the salt in a suitable pan, and when boiling, add rice and the roasted Moong Dhal.

Cook on low heat till the rice and dhal are soft.

Add the coconut, sugar/ jaggery, and raisins and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

The Gruel / Porridge / Congee should be of the consistency of thick soup or Pish Pash.

Serve plain or with coconut chutney or any pickle of your choice. 

(Note: You could omit the sugar or jaggery if desired)

EASTER

The word "Easter" is supposedly named after “Eastre,” the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A festival was held in her honour every year at the vernal equinox as a "salute to spring", marking re-birth. There are many symbols associated with Easter Sunday, such as eggs, rabbits, chickens, lilies, etc. It is believed that Easter Eggs represent the beginning of life, while rabbits and chickens represent the rebirth of the earth. The ‘Easter Bunny’ or the "Easter Hare", became symbols of fertility because hares and rabbits give birth to multiple young ones.

The Easter Cake represents all the good stuff that was sacrificed during the 40 days of Lent. Easter Sunday is the time to rejoice and be happy at the resurrection of Christ, and what better way to rejoice than to indulge in a rich cake with sweet butter icing! There's nothing quite like sharing generous slices of mouth-watering homemade cake with family or friends at Easter. This a simple recipe for a melt-in-mouth Vanilla Sponge Cake with creamy butter icing which would leave one craving for more than a slice.

RECIPE FOR EASTER BUTTER SPONGE CAKE WITH BUTTER FROSTING

(From the book A Collection of Simple Anglo Indian Recipes by Bridget White Kumar)

Ingredients:

300 grams, refined flour or Maida                 

200 grams, powdered sugar

250 grams, butter                                          

4 eggs, beaten well.

½ cup milk                                                    

1 teaspoon baking powder.

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees C

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Cream the butter and sugar together.

Add the beaten eggs and vanilla essence and mix well.

Fold in the flour a little at a time.

Add milk if the mixture is too thick.

Pour into a greased and floured cake tin and bake in a moderate oven (180 Degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes (Or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean).

Cool and then remove from the tin.

FOR THE BUTTER ICING FROSTING

Beat 200 grams of butter and 500 grams of icing sugar together until creamy.

Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence and 2 drops of pink food color.

Using a spatula, cover the cake with the butter icing. 

Then with a wet fork, make soft peaks across the surface of the icing.

Decorate as desired and enjoy!

  You can find more about Bridget White Kumar and her cookbooks here: https://bridget-white.com/cookery-books/

You may also like to read: How Bridget Kumar is Bottling The History of Anglo-Indian Cuisine

Cover Image: Deborah Hudson/Pixabay

What is on the table on Good Friday and Easter in your home? Share with us in the comments below.