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Kulkul: a Portuguese sweet that spreads the Christmas cheer
The little boy looked all around the venue at the people gathered around the race track, the referee ready to blow the whistle at the starting point, his friends with their parents and his parents along with his twin Aanya.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
This race was a major milestone for six-year-old Dhruv, who was running the one-mile marathon for the first time. It was in aid of giving goodies and presents as Christmas gifts for the underprivileged children. The person who ran the fastest got the choice of what they would give as gifts. Dhruv lined up with others at the starting point. His heart was beating fast as he wanted the presents to be his choice — a train set and kulkul sweets that his mother had made.
As he ran, his focus was only on winning and not on anything else. The spirit of Christmas had truly set in — the spirit of giving, sharing and spreading joy and love. A small boy through his efforts was going to share much more than a train set and a basket of kulkuls; he would be sharing his love and heartfelt compassion, which is the true meaning of Christmas. Dhruv ran into the finish line, exhausted but totally excited. He was faster than all the kids even those a little older than him.
His twin sister Aanya was jumping with joy. His mother ran and hugged him and the referee at the finishing point patted his back. The glorious moment was when he handed over the train set and big basket of kulkuls to the matron of the underprivileged children’s home. His medal swinging merrily on his chest, he sat with his sister and friends eating Christmas goodies.
Kulkul is a sweet identified with Christmas and giving and was a Portuguese inheritance, which saw its way into Christian homes in India. While it is known by this name widely, some communities refer to it as kidyo. They are made by deep-frying inch-long bits of sweet dough shaped into small curls (like butter curls), which are often coated with a sugar glaze. The dish is made mostly during Christmas and distributed to family and friends along with plum cake and other goodies.
Ingredients
3/4 kg all-purpose flour
11/4 cup sugar (granulated)
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup coconut cream
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup sugar, powdered
1/2 cup butterÂ
1 glass water
Coconut oil 1 big cup for deep-frying
Preparation
- Sift and mix the flour and baking powder.
- Add the butter gradually and mix again.
- Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the flour-butter mix.
- Add the powdered sugar, 2 tbsp water and coconut milk to this mixture and knead into soft dough.
- Form the dough into small marble-sized balls.
- Grease the back of a fork with some oil and flatten and press a ball of dough with it.
- Starting at one end, roll the dough off the fork and into a tight curl. The end result will be a tube-like curl with the design of the fork on it.
- Make similar tube-like curls with the remaining dough.
- Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan on medium flame.
- When hot, fry the kulkuls in it.
- Turn regularly till they are a light golden brown.
- Drain and keep aside on kitchen towels.
- In a separate pan, prepare the sugar syrup by adding granulated sugar and 3/4 glass water and cook till the sugar melts fully.
- Put the cooled kulkuls into this sugar syrup and coat well.
- Remove and allow to cool on a plate till the sugar gets encrusted on the kulkuls.
- The delicious sweets are ready for distribution.
Prepar: 60 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins
Serves: 3 dozen kulkuls (36 servings)
Calories: 2 pieces contain 121 calories
Kitchen Tip
- Check your oven and make sure it is clean and in good condition.Â
- Ensure that baking of sweets and cakes is done one week before the festival for stress-free cooking Â
- Make a list of all ingredients needed to avoid last minute panic.Â
- Delegate chores to all the family members for total involvement.
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes
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