MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS

My

kind

of Christmas

As families gather to celebrate together, it’s not always about turkey and trimmings. Five families share their alternative takes on that special meal

Meet Tanya Jackon, husband Steve and sons Rowan and Arthur

Tanya says: “Come the first week of December, I’ll mix up a big batch of dough to make Swedish-style gingerbread, called pepparkakor. I’ll get my two boys involved in cutting out the biscuits (we have cute woodland animal-shaped cookie cutters which we always use for Christmas) and make sure there’s plenty of leftover dough for the rest of December. Then, any time we run out of biscuits, I’ll bake a fresh batch. We also use this dough to make a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve, adding icing paste to hold everything together. This year I’m going to take the build a step further, melting down boiled sweets to make stained glass windows. The house stays on display as decoration for a few days, then my sons’ friends will come over before New Year and, together, they’ll demolish the lot.

“I have family in Sweden (where my mum is from) and I used to visit my cousins over Christmas. I loved getting involved with their gingerbread house construction, which is why I started doing it with my own kids. It means a lot to me to connect with my heritage by introducing these Swedish traditions. And this one never fails to get me in the festive mood. A thin, crisp pepparkakor biscuit and a glass of mulled wine is the perfect Christmas Eve treat.”

“A pepparkakor biscuit and a glass of mulled wine is the perfect Christmas Eve treat”

Gingerbread wreath

Get the whole family involved with making and decorating an edible wreath this Christmas, inspired by traditional Swedish pepparkakor biscuits.

Serves 12-15 | Ready in 2 hrs Faff factor | V

• 100g Asda Dark Brown Sugar • 125g Asda Unsalted Butter • 4tbsp Asda Great to Bake

Golden Syrup • 2tbsp treacle • 275g plain flour, plus extra for dusting • ½tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1tsp ground cinnamon • 1tsp ground cloves • 1tsp ground ginger

To decorate • 150g icing sugar, sifted

Special equipment • George Home Stainless Steel

Cookie Cutters

1 Put the sugar, butter, golden syrup and treacle in a pan and melt gently over a medium heat, stirring until fully combined. Bring up to a gentle simmer and let the mixture bubble for 1-2 mins, remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 mins. 2 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices together into a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter mixture and mix to form a smooth dough, making sure the colour is even, avoiding over handling. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins. 3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and then roll out the chilled dough until it is about the thickness of a pound coin. 4 Use a small round plate, approx. 23cm in diameter as a template to cut a circle of pastry. Carefully transfer onto a lined baking tray. Use a small side plate, approximately 16cm in diameter, to cut another circle from the middle to form a ring. 5 Use the remaining dough to cut 3 different sizes of stars to cover your wreath, rerolling any scraps until all the dough is used. Use a fish slice to transfer the shapes to the lined baking trays and bake for 9-10 mins. Allow the biscuits to cool fully on the trays. 6 To decorate, mix the icing sugar with 1-2tbsp hot water, adding the final tbsp of water a drop at a time, until it makes a thick paste – you may not need it all. Fill a piping bag or alternatively, you can add the icing to a resealable food bag, twist the top and snip a small hole in the corner. Decorate the gingerbread biscuits however you like, then leave the icing to dry. 7 To assemble your wreath, pipe a little icing on the back of each biscuit before sticking onto the main biscuit ring.

Each 46g portion contains

Energy 883kJ 211kcals 11% Fat 7.2g Med 10% Sat Fat 4.5g High 23% Sugars 19.9g High 22% Salt 0.13g Low 2%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 879kJ/210kcals

Selected stores only, subject to availability. Delivery, collection, and carrier bag charges may apply. Minimum spend or minimum basket charge may apply; see Asda.com/minimumbasketcharge for details. Delivery and collection slots subject to availability. Photographs show serving suggestions.

David D’Souza, his mum Viveca, dad Darryl, brothers Daniel and Ashley, sister-inlaw Premika and niece and nephew Jasmine and Jayden

David says: “I spend Christmas with my parents, brothers, sister-in-law and niece and nephew. We always sit down to a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Christmas Day – and it’s swiftly followed by a traditional Goan sorpotel, as a nod to our heritage. Sorportel – also known as vindaloo – is a Portuguese pork spiced curry (Goa was a Portuguese colony), but it shouldn’t be as hot as you’d assume for a vindaloo.

“Sorportelis a popular Goan dish that’s always served at parties and events – and each family has their own recipe. I’ve tried loads of versions, but I like my mum’s the best! She does all the cooking at Christmas but is relaxed about it. It helps that it’s best made a few days in advance – the vinegar mellows and the flavours meld over time, making it richer – so she’ll rustle it up on either the 22 or 23 December. We’re careful to save room for it after the turkey, and we can always squeeze some in. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.”

“Sorportel is a popular Goan dish that’s served at parties”

Go back for more

This dish is perfect, if not better, for making in advance – store in the fridge until ready to serve, or freeze half for later.

Goan sorpotel

Slow cooked to perfection, this rich and spicy pork curry brings out bold Goan flavours at Christmas.

Serves 6 | Ready in 3 hrs Faff factor | GF

• 2 x 700g packs Asda Tender Pork

Shoulder Steaks, cut into large chunks • 2tsp ground cumin • ½tsp ground black pepper • 1tsp ground cinnamon • ¼tsp turmeric • 2 cardamom pods, seeds only • 5cm piece of ginger, grated • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 3 red chillies, chopped • 2tbsp sunflower oil • 2 onions, finely chopped • 4tbsp cider vinegar

1 Place the pork in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cover with cold water, then place over a medium heat and bring gently to the boil. Cover and simmer for 5 mins, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Once the meat is cool, chop into small pieces. 2 Meanwhile, use a hand-held blender to grind together all the spices along with 1tbsp of the oil and the ginger, garlic and chillies to form a thick paste, adding a little of the vinegar if needed. 3 In a large pan, fry the onions in the remaining oil until soft. Add the meat and cook for 3-4 mins, stirring often, then add the spice paste and cook for a further 2-3 mins, mixing well. 4 Stir in the remaining vinegar and simmer for 1-2 mins, then add the reserved cooking liquid. Cover and cook on a very low heat for 2-3 hrs until thickened, or in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hrs. Season to taste, if you like, then serve alongside brown rice.

Each 205g portion contains

Energy 1,698kJ 406kcals 20%

Fat 23.2g High 33% Sat Fat 7g High 35% Sugars 4.1g Low 5% Salt 0.25g Low 4%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 828kJ/198kcals

Meet Joanna, Stephane and Maya Clerc

Joanna says: “I’m Polish and my husband, Stephane, is French, so we’re both quite far from our families. It’s normally just us and our daughter Maya for the big day – but that suits us fine. We both work in restaurants, so we’re ready for a chilled-out day by 25 December! I’ve not been back to Poland for Christmas in 17 years, but I still like to honour some of the traditions we have there – albeit with a French twist, for Stephane.

“In Poland, Christmas Eve is the big occasion – we’d have a traditional Wigilia supper, which consists of 12 dishes. While I don’t cook that much, we do like to stick to the tradition of eating a special meal that evening and waiting for the first star to appear (usually from 5pm to 6pm) before we tuck in. And I always still make fish, as is custom. Not carp though (which is a classic Christmas Eve dish back home), because I can’t stand it! This sea bass recipe is simple, quick and flexible – you can use any type of fish (salmon or trout also work well) and add whatever herbs and veg you like. Because it’s baked in a parcel, the meat stays moist and gets infused with the flavours you pack in.”

“This sea bass recipe is simple, quick and flexible”

Easy baked fish

A whole meal in a parcel – what could be better? This simple supper keeps all its flavour and moisture as it cooks, plus you can prepare it in advance and store in the fridge for up to 6 hrs until ready to cook.

Serves 4 | Ready in 30 mins Faff factor | GF

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced • 500g baby new potatoes, par-boiled and sliced • 6 spring onions, finely sliced • 2 bulbs fennel, thinly sliced • 1 x pack Asda Grower’s Selection

Vine Ripened Cherry Tomatoes • 4 sea bass fillets • 4 large sprigs dill • 4tsp olive oil • 8tbsp white wine (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6. Arrange 4 large squares of strong baking foil over a large baking tray. Divide the lemon, potatoes, spring onions, fennel and tomatoes in the centre of each piece of foil. 2 Top parcels with fillets of sea bass and dill. Pinch the short ends of the foil to seal and create a bowl shape before drizzling over the olive oil and the wine, if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 3 Finally, pinch the foil shut to seal and bake for 20 mins. Allow the parcels to stand for 5 mins before carefully opening each parcel to serve alongside your choice of greens.

Cook’s tip: Use a fish slice to carefully lift each cooked parcel onto your serving plates as the juices will be hot. Serving suggestions: Steamed green beans or broccoli.

Each 301g portion contains

Energy 1,083kJ 259kcals 13% Fat 8.4g Low 12% Sat Fat 1.5g Low 8% Sugars 5.7g Low 6% Salt 0.18g Low 3%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 360kJ/86kcals

Meet Vaneetha Balasubramaniam, her husband Marcel Moreno, sister Geetha and mum Shantha

Vaneetha says: “My family is a big one, and we’re spread all over the world. There are plenty of us in the UK these days though, mostly around London, so we always have a big get-together around Christmas. There can be as many as 30 of us at our bashes! When there’s so many of us, we don’t have a sit-down meal – instead we all just head to the kitchen, grab a plate each and fill it up with all the different dishes everyone has brought. Then, we find somewhere to perch or just eat standing up, holding our plates or balancing them on any surfaces we can find throughout the house – we take it in turns to host each year.

“My family originally comes from Sri Lanka – my mum and dad were both born there, and came to the UK in the 1970s – so our feast usually features lots of Sri Lankan dishes, including this chicken curry, which to me is the ultimate comfort food. It’s all about the spice blend, which gives it a drier, less fiery kind of heat than most Indian curries. As well as a few other meat and seafood dishes, there’ll also be lots of vegetables, like deep-fried aubergine, red lentil dal and maybe some sprouts (always with chilli!) as well as piles of poppadoms.”

“Our feast features lots of Sri Lankan dishes, including this chicken curry”

Sri Lankan chicken curry

Making your own curry powder is easier than it sounds, and the roasted spices give this dish a lovely depth of flavour – well worth that little bit of extra effort.

Serves 4 | Ready in 1 hr 15 mins Faff factor | GF

• 1tbsp sunflower oil • 1tsp mustard seeds • 1tsp fennel seeds • 1tsp cumin seeds • 2 red onions, chopped • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 4cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated • 1 green chilli, seeds removed • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks • 6 curry leaves • coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)

For the curry powder • 1tsp cumin seeds • 2tsp coriander seeds • 1tsp fennel seeds • ½tsp ground fenugreek • ½tsp chilli powder • ½tsp turmeric • ½tsp black peppercorns

1 To make the curry powder, place a dry frying pan over a medium heat and add the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Cook for a few mins until lightly toasted and fragrant. Add the remaining curry powder ingredients and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 mins before blending to a powder using either a hand-held stick blender or, alternatively, in a pestle and mortar. 2 Add the sunflower oil to a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid set over a medium heat. Add the mustard, fennel and cumin seeds and cook, with the lid on, until they start to pop. 3 Add the onions and cook until softened, stirring from time to time, before adding the garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook for 2-3 mins then add the chicken and fry until browned. Sprinkle over half the curry powder along with the curry leaves and mix well to coat the chicken. Add enough water to just cover the chicken and bring to the boil. 4 Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 20 mins. Remove the lid and increase the heat to reduce and thicken the sauce before serving with dahl, rice and poppadoms, if liked.

Cook’s tip: The curry powder makes enough for two curries. Store the remainder in a small jar in a cool dark place. It will keep well for 2 months. Alternatively, make double the amount of curry and freeze half for later.

Each 194g portion contains

Energy 982kJ 235kcals 12% Fat 11.4g Med 16% Sat Fat 2.5g Low 13% Sugars 4.7g Low 5% Salt 0.12g Low 2%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 506kJ/121kcals

Selected stores only, subject to availability. Delivery, collection, and carrier bag charges may apply. Minimum spend or minimum basket charge may apply; see Asda.com/minimumbasketcharge for details. Delivery and collection slots subject to availability. Photographs show serving suggestions.

Meet Ben Atkins, wife Clair, daughter Emily and parents Phil and Mary

Mulled cider

A simple winter warmer, perfect for enjoying while gathered around a fire pit. For an easy non-alcoholic version, simply swap the cider for more apple juice.

Serves 4-6 | Ready in 45 mins Faff factor | GF

• 500ml cloudy apple juice • 2-3 cinnamon sticks • 6 whole cloves • 3 thick slices fresh ginger • 2 litres dry cider • 2 clementines, thinly sliced 1 Gently heat the apple juice along with the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and ginger in a large pan until just boiling. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the dry cider and sliced clementines to the pan. 2 Leave to infuse for at least 30 mins, then gently reheat until hot but not boiling. Skim off the cloves and discard before ladling into heatproof glasses to serve.

Each 390ml portion contains

Energy 702kJ 168kcals 8% Fat 2.0g Low 3% Sat Fat 0.4g Low 2% Sugars 18.3g High 20% Salt 0.08g Low 1%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100ml 180kJ/43kcals Ben says: “Every Christmas Eve, we have friends and family (usually my parents and brothers) over in the evening and gather in the garden around the fire pit. The sliding doors to the kitchen are open and we’re in and out, serving drinks and snacks (homemade sausage rolls are the nibble of choice). The star of the show, though, is Clair’s mulled cider, which she makes like her mum always did: with dry, bubbly cider (or cloudy apple juice for our daughter, Emily), cinnamon, cloves and clementines. There’s something magical about being out in the dark, among the glowing lights we put up and the cracking fire.”

Tell us about your foodie gatherings!

Do you have a special foodie tradition with family or friends? It might be a regular family meal, a monthly meet-up, or a fave night-in for two. Tell us about the meals that bring you together. Email asdamagazineeditor @asda.co.uk or tag us on social #MyKindOfAsda