Kuswar facts for kids
Kuswar (pronounced Koo-swar) or Kuswad is a special collection of yummy sweets and snacks. Christians in the Konkan region of India make and share these treats during the Christmas season. They are a big part of Christmas celebrations for Goan Catholics in Goa and Mangalorean Catholics in Karnataka. There are about 22 different traditional recipes that make up this unique Christmas food.
Another name for these treats is Koswad. This name comes from an old Portuguese word, consoada, which means the special dinner served on Christmas Eve. For the Bombay East Indian Catholics, Koswad means the spirit of "sharing" during Christmas. Koswad includes many different foods, from small fried sweets like kidyo and nevryo to Christmas cakes and marzipan.
Kuswar in Goa
The Kuswar made by Goan Catholics includes about 22 different traditional recipes. These treats add a special flavor to Christmas celebrations in Goa. Here are some of the popular ones:
- Perada is a sweet made from tasty green guavas and sugar. It's like a guava cheese.
- Kidyo or Kulkuls are curly, crunchy sweets. They are made from semolina (a type of flour) and flavored with coconut and cardamom.
- Neuero or Neuries are pastries filled with a mix of coconut, cashew nuts, raisins, and cardamom. They are then deep-fried until golden.
- Bebik (Bebinca) is a famous layered dessert. It's baked with flour, sugar, coconut milk, and ghee (clarified butter).
- Doce (Doce de Grao) is a sweet treat made from chickpeas and coconut.
- Marzipan is a sweet candy made mainly from sugar and ground almonds.
- Bolinhas are small, round coconut cookies. They are made with grated coconut, sugar, semolina, egg yolks, and butter. They are flavored with cardamom and gently baked.
- Nankatais look like little snowballs. They are made from sugar, butter, and flour, beaten until they are light and white. They are flavored with vanilla and cardamom and lightly baked.
- Baath is a moist, rich coconut tart. It's baked in a large round shape with a pretty pastry design on top. It tastes of cardamom and currants.
- Kormolas are sweet coconut pastries. They are rolled out, cut into squares, and shaped to look like flower buds.
- Pinarg (Pinaca) are sweet, cutlet-shaped treats. They are made from jaggery (a type of unrefined sugar) and crushed rice.
- Mango Miskut is a sweet made from mango pulp and sugar.
- Tuelinnas (Tuelinnas de Coco) are sweets made from coconut.
- Dodol is a type of pudding made with jaggery and rice.
Kuswar in Mangalore
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The Kuswar of Mangalorean Catholics also has its own special traditional recipes.
- Neuero or Neuries are puffs filled with plums, nuts, fried sesame seeds, and sugar.
- Kidyo or Kulkuls are curly sweets dipped in a sweet sugar syrup.
- Pathekas are savory snacks made from green nandarkai bananas.
- Simple salted or sweetened Tukdi (Diamond Cuts) are also popular.
- Theel Laadus (sesame seed balls) and Golios are other items found in Kuswar.
- Macaroons are very famous in Mangalore.
- The subtly flavored Rose Biscuits are a favorite.
- The Rich Plum Cake takes almost a week to make! Candied fruit, plums, currants, and raisins are cut and soaked in rum. Flour is sieved and gently warmed in the sun. Nuts are shelled and chopped. Families often make the cake together, with everyone helping out.
- The Mitais, Mandas, Ushae, Pitae, and Manni are other well-known sweet dishes included in the kuswar.
See also
In Spanish: Kuswar para niños
