Easter is in the offing and this year it will be celebrated on April 1. The festival of rejuvenation of life and living, Easter is celebrated around the world to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter celebrations in India begin with Lent and end with Easter Sunday. The festival also represents the celebration for food after 40 days of prayer and fasts. From the traditional Easter Eggs to popular dishes like Pork Vindaloo, we have compiled four recipes that you can enjoy on Easter Sunday.

Chocolate Marzipan Eggs

Marzipan Easter Eggs. (Photo Credits: daylepereira/instagram)

Ingredients

  • Ground Almonds or Cashew nuts – 250 gms

  • Confectioner’s (icing) Sugar – 250 gms

  • Water – 100 ml

  • Egg White – 1

  • Almond or Vanilla Extract – few drops

  • Food Colour – As desired

Method

  • In a saucepan, melt sugar with water to make a syrup of on string consistency. Mix in ground almonds or cashew nuts, egg white and stir continuously till the mixture reaches a soft ball stage, leaving the sides of the pan, around 20 minutes.

(Soft ball stage – A small amount of the mixture dropped into cold water should form into a soft flexible.)

  • Pour onto a board and using gloves, while still warm, knead to form a dough.

  • Divide marzipan into balls and add colour as desired. Fill in egg shaped moulds and unmould on parchment to dry.

  • Once the eggs are hardened, decorate with icing to stick two halves together.

  • Decorate the eggs with flowers and leaves made of royal icing or fondant.

Pork Sorpotel

Pork Sorpotel. (Photo Credits: Mojea Goa Amchi Mumbai/Facebook)

Ingredients

  • Pork shoulder – 1 pound

  • Pork liver – 1 pound

  • Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

  • Kosher salt

  • Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp

  • Chopped garlic – 10 cloves

  • Chopped Ginger – 1-inch piece

  • Green Chillies (slit) – 4

  • Bay leaves – 2

  • Pork Blood – ¼ cup

For Spice Paste

  • Peppercorn – 10

  • Dry Red Chillies – 10

  • Cinnamon – 2-inch piece

  • Cloves – 3

  • Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

  • Coconut Vinegar (or any other vinegar) – ¼ cup

Method

  • Make the spice paste. Combine the peppercorns, dry red chilli, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds and half of the vinegar in a blender. Blend on high speed, until a smooth red paste is formed. Set aside.

  • Combine pork shoulder and live in a large saucepan. Add turmeric, 1 tbsp salt and cover with three cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, reduce to simmer, cover and let it cook for 30 minutes. Skim the liquid. Strain, reserving meat and broth separately. Trim pork of any rind or fat and cut into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.

  • Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the drained pork and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, for about 4 minutes.

  • Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and bay leaf. Stir for 4 minutes or until fragrant. Add the spice paste and cook. Stir for about 10 minutes until raw aroma disappears.

  • Add the remaining vinegar, reserved broth and blood. Stir till the mixture is reddened with the spice paste. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Pork Vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo. (Photo Credits: Blissful Trails/Facebook)

Ingredients

  • Dried Kashmiri Chillies (stemmed & seeded) – 16

  • Cinnamon – 1-inch piece

  • Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

  • Whole Cloves – 6

  • Whole Black Peppercorns – ½ tsp

  • Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

  • White Vinegar – tbsp

  • Salt – to taste

  • Boneless Pork Loin Roast (trimmed & cut) – 2 pounds

  • Vegetable Oil – ¼ cup

  • Chopped Onions – 4

  • Minced Garlic – 10 cloves

  • Minced Ginger – 1 to 2-inch

  • Boiling Water – 2 cups

  • Green Peppers (cut into stripes) – 2

  • White Vinegar – ¼ cup

Method

  • Grind the Kashmiri chillies, cinnamon stick, cumin, clove, peppercorns and turmeric with a mortar and pestle or ground in the grinder. Mix 1 tbsp of white vinegar to create a smooth paste. Season with salt to taste.

  • Mix the pork cubes with spice-vinegar paste in a bowl until evenly coated. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the onions, garlic and ginger until golden brown for about 10 minutes. Add the marinated pork and cook, stirring frequently, until the pork cubes firmed for about 5 minutes. Pour in the water, bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook until the pork is tender for about 40 minutes.

  • Stir in the green peppers in ¼ cup of vinegar. Cook uncovered until the peppers have softened and the vindaloo has thickened for about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Easter Lamb with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Easter Lamb. (Photo Credits: Three Stone Hearth/Facebook)

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil – 2 tbsp

  • Diced Yellow Onion – 1

  • Minced Garlic – 1 head

  • Ground Lamb – 1 lb

  • Chopped Fresh Rosemary – 2 tbsp

  • Diced Tomatoes – 15 oz

  • Chickpeas – 15 oz

  • Chicken Broth – ¾ cup

  • Salt and Ground Pepper

  • Lemon (cut into wedges) – 1

  • Chopped Fresh Parsley – Garnish

  • Greek Yogurt – to serve

Method

  • Take a large pan and heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, sauté until tender and lightly browned for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lamb and brown on all sides for about 15 minutes.

  • Stir in the rosemary, tomatoes and broth, then bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer and let cook for 2 hours or until the lamb is fork tender.

  • Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze 1 lemon wedge over the lamb and garnish with parsley. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Each of the above recipes is a winner. Celebrate the Easter Sunday with great fervour and enthusiasm. This Easter, lay out a fabulous feast to celebrate with friends and family. Spread the Easter magic on your friends and family and leave everyone enchanted with mouth-watering meals.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2018 06:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).