In India, Christmas isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s a scent, a ritual, a taste shared across generations. Long before decor, lights and carols travel across towns, the festive season begins in kitchens: fruits are soaked in rum weeks ahead, batter and dough come alive under agile hands, and recipes whispered from grandmothers to grandchildren are folded into every batch. 

Here, food doesn’t just satiate hunger — it carries memories of colonial histories, coastal trade winds, community kitchens, and family gatherings that stretch across towns and states. From the fruitiness of plum cake in Kerala to the coconut layers of Goan bebinca, Indian Christmas food is a living archive of culture and connection. 

These dishes — sweet, savoury, spiced and slow-cooked — reflect more than festive cheer; they tell stories of adaptation, belonging, and the joy of sharing.

From Delhi to Kerala, plum cake is the unofficial signature dish of Christmas. What began as a British colonial import has taken on an unmistakably Indian character: dried fruits and nuts soaked in rum or brandy for weeks, complemented by a warm spice profile of cinnamon and nutmeg. The........

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