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Celebrate Good Friday with soulful Indian traditions—from coconut-jaggery buns and vegan coconut ceviche to sacred breads like hot cross buns and Kerala’s Pesaha Appam, each dish steeped in faith and flavor.
Good Friday: Coconut-Jaggery Buns: A Sweet Offering to End Lent
As Good Friday approaches, kitchens across India begin to stir with quiet reverence and warmth. While fasting, prayer, and reflection remain central to the day, food—particularly breads and baked sweets—becomes a gentle symbol of communion, sharing, and celebration once Lent ends. From the coconut-scented bylanes of Goa to the ancestral kitchens of Kerala, here’s how Good Friday is celebrated with bakes that are as spiritual as they are delicious.
Coconut-Jaggery Buns: A Sweet Offering to End LentBy Home Chef Tahzeeb Fatima, Gurgaon
Inspired by Goan Good Friday traditions, these soft, mildly sweet buns are filled with a lush mixture of coconut and jaggery—a fitting tribute to the end of Lenten simplicity. “They’re humble, nostalgic, and perfect for sharing with family after prayers,” says Tahzeeb.
Ingredients (Makes 8 buns):
Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp STAR Salt
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp STAR Cottonseed Oil
¾ cup warm water
Filling
1 cup grated fresh coconut
½ cup grated jaggery
½ tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp STAR Cottonseed Oil
Optional Glaze
2 tbsp warm milk + 1 tsp sugar
Method:
Activate the yeast with warm water and sugar. Mix with flour, oil, and STAR Salt to form a soft dough. Let it rise until doubled.
Meanwhile, sauté coconut and jaggery in oil until it blends and thickens. Add cardamom. Cool.
Shape dough into 8 rounds, fill with the mixture, and rest again.
Brush with milk glaze and bake at 180°C for 18–20 mins. Enjoy warm with tea or as a post-prayer treat.
Young Coconut Ceviche: Light, Bright & Completely Plant-BasedBy Chef Sagar Sarkar, Corporate Head Chef, Bellona Hospitality
For those looking to enjoy a refreshing, meat-free dish that still feels indulgent, Chef Sagar presents a vibrant vegan ceviche. “It’s tropical, tangy, and honors the Lenten spirit while being modern and completely plant-based,” he shares.
Standout Ingredients:
Sweet corn, coconut water, lemongrass, jalapeño, lemon juice, vegan butter, avocado oil, and a hit of garlic and coriander.
Preparation Tip:
Gently sauté aromatics, mix with citrus liquids, and fold in veggies. Chill for at least an hour for the best flavor meld.
Optional Upgrade: Add diced avocado or tender coconut meat before serving.
The Sacred Breads of Holy Week: From Hot Cross Buns to Pesaha AppamBy Chef Dheeraj Mathur, Cluster Executive Chef, Radisson Blu, Kaushambi, Delhi NCR
Across Christian communities in India, bread holds deep spiritual meaning, particularly on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. “It’s not just about sustenance—it’s symbolic of sacrifice, fellowship, and remembrance,” says Chef Dheeraj.
Hot Cross Buns
At churches across India on Maundy Thursday, priests wash the feet of 12 lay people—recreating Christ’s humility. After this service, congregations receive soft, sweet yeast buns marked with a cross, known as Hot Cross Buns. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and occasionally dotted with currants, these are eaten on Good Friday in memory of the Last Supper.
Pesaha Appam: The Unleavened Bread of Saint Thomas Christians
In Kerala, Syrian Christian families observe Maundy Thursday with Pesaha Appam—a yeast-free rice cake symbolizing the Passover, eaten with Pesaha Pal, a coconut milk dip.
The weeklong preparation includes drying, grinding rice, and often shaping a palm cross (from Palm Sunday) to place on the dough before steaming. “Traditionally, the head of the family breaks the appam into 13 pieces—symbolizing Jesus and the 12 Apostles—and serves it after reading from the Old Testament,” says Chef Dheeraj.
A Taste of Faith and Family
These dishes remind us that food, even in its simplest form, can become sacred. Whether it’s the rich sweetness of coconut-filled buns, the zing of a modern ceviche, or the solemnity of Pesaha Appam, Indian Good Friday food reflects a unique blend of devotion, tradition, and culinary identity.
