THE YEAR OF THE

THE YEAR OF THE
LEICESTIVAL
Almanac 2013
50 Volunteers
12 recipes
6 festivals
1 year
FOREWORD
Leicester is a thriving city, which claims to be the UK’s
most multi-ethnic. But, it is one in which the residents are
less prone to shout about or recognise its greatness.
The origins of the Year of the Leicestival derive from this
point of view and have from the onset led to a fuller
appreciation for what is great about the city. The Year
of the Leicestival from the beginning ascertained that
this greatness is found in the people and the regular
cultural celebrations that occur throughout the year.
Along with this, the variety of food that has become
synonymous with the city has led to the inherent and
inherited qualities that enable the city to be greater.
The importance of the food and the cultural festivals to Leicester’s heritage cannot be
overstated. Leicester’s food and festivals bring together the people of the city from a
range of diverse communities. The various histories and traditions behind these events,
along with the dishes that are eaten during the festivals have made such an impact
that they have transformed the culture of the city. The increasing diversity of those
that attend some of the cultural festivals have brought dishes from all over the world
to many of the city’s residents.
The Year of the Leicestival has enabled a diverse group of young volunteers to
develop, plan and lead a project that looks into six of the city’s many cultural and
religious festivals. The year-long journey of the 40 young people who took part has
given them a greater appreciation for the cultural festivals that occur in the city. This
book provides a tangible piece of evidence of their journey and illustrates, like the
city itself, an emerging and diverse group that feel a stronger sense of civic pride and
connection with their city.
Over time the impact of the influx of people to the city of Leicester from different
countries is such that it has evolved into the UK’s first plural city, with no dominant
ethnicity residing. Therefore, it is possible to claim that Leicester embraces both the
traditional and the contemporary; with various denominations, cultures and ethnicities
doing more than co-existing but increasingly sharing cultural experiences across ethnic,
religious and community boundaries through their festivals.
This almanac represents a taste of the journey the young people undertook as they
experienced the flavours, sights, sounds and huge community effort that comprised
Chinese New Year, Vaisakhi, Caribbean Carnival, Eid, Diwali and Christmas. In presenting
their almanac the young people have summarised the history and meaning of each
festival, how they have changed in response to being part of Leicester’s cultural
landscape, and how they took part in the celebrations. It also captures just a few of
the incredible dishes they helped to prepare and thoroughly enjoyed eating!
Leicester really has got a lot to shout about and our project sought to support a group
of young people who wanted to better understand how and why they could do just
that.
Darren McWilliams
Leicestival Project Manager
Contents
Foreword
What is Year of the Leicestival?
Focus and the Youth Action Team
Chinese New Year
Vaisakhi
Caribbean Carnival
Eid
Diwali
Christmas
Leicestival recipes
Youth Action Team: Our journey
With thanks to our Youth Action Team
Contributors
What is Year of the Leicestival?
The Year of the Leicestival project was developed in response to a conversation
that occurred between some of the young people of our Youth Action Team
(YAT) in 2012. They discussed how they felt about Leicester, the city that they
lived, learned and worked in. To paraphrase their collectively agreed summary
slightly, they felt that “It’s a bit rubbish.” This self-deprecating view of the city was
reinforced by other young people we spoke to. This raised two questions for us:
Why did young people feel this way? And what could we do to change it?
Three members of the YAT came together to help us answer our questions and
they described two key features of the city that they felt genuine pride in. Firstly,
the food; anything you want to eat is available somewhere in the city. This they
felt was due to the huge cultural diversity; Leicester is, after all, the first plural city
in the UK with no ethnic group being in the majority.
Secondly, the welcoming nature of the different communities and how their festivals
were open to anyone to enjoy. One of the young people in particular, who had
experienced homelessness at the age of 16, talked of the warm welcome he
received at a Sikh temple, where he was invited to eat for free despite not being
Sikh himself.
Many members of the YAT felt that their peers might not share their view of the
value of the food and festivals that Leicester should be more famous for, and so
The Year of the Leicestival was born. With support from the Heritage Lottery Fund,
the YAT set about trying to learn more about the city’s festival calendar in 2013
and the food that is central to each event.
It’s been a fantastic journey throughout the year. It’s been, at times, exhausting,
exhilarating, frustrating and inspiring.
We very much hope you enjoy the stories, recipes, information and photos
contained in our almanac and that they’ll inspire you to get more involved in
some of the amazing festivals that Leicester has to offer.
Focus and the Youth Action Team
Focus Charity is a young people’s organisation based in Leicester. Founded in 1988 by
two university students, we have supported over 17,000 young people to develop their
skills, self-confidence and self-esteem through our innovative approaches.
Our Vision
Our vision is of a society in which young people feel inspired and empowered to have
a positive impact in their communities.
Our Mission
We support young people to develop the skills, confidence and aspirations to lead
fulfilling lives and to make a positive contribution to their communities. We aim to be
the leading organisation in Leicester in our field.
Our Values
Central to the success of all of our work are four basic values:
• Passion - we have a passion for working with young people and develop positive,
trusting and supportive relationships with them.
• Innovation – we create innovative, properly-resourced and high quality activities that
are inspiring and engaging for young people and for our staff and volunteers.
• Commitment – our staff and volunteers have the skills and commitment to ‘make it
happen’, to find the right solutions and to see their work through.
• Young people-centred - we are committed to supporting young people on their
terms and in the ways that best suit their needs.
These values are supported by a belief that our lives are not pre-determined and that
our destinies are in our own hands. The decisions we make will determine the direction
our lives take. This is true for all people, but is especially important for young people
making the transition to adulthood. These decisions are most often taken following
key moments and events in our lives.
At FOCUS we believe that anyone with whom we come into contact can be provided
with such a key moment in their life. We must always believe that we are about to be
presented with an opportunity to ‘switch on a light’ and support someone in making
an important life decision.
Therefore, if we carry out our duties with passion, innovation and committment, and
with young people at the centre of our work, we can have a significantly positive
effect on the lives of those people.
Youth Action Team
At the heart of Focus Charity are a group of young people who form the Youth Action
Team. Open to all young people who want to volunteer and have an adventure, they
are the foundation of Focus.
The role of the Youth Action Team is to inspire their peers and other young people to
volunteer, developing youth-led community action projects and to work alongside
Focus Charity to increase the quality and quantity of youth involvement across
voluntary, public and private sectors.
LEICESTIVAL
FESTIVALS
According to legend, Chinese New Year started with the fight
against a mythical beast called Nian. The Nian would arrive
each new year to eat livestock, crops and even villagers.
The villagers fought back by leaving food outside their house,
making loud noises and using the colour red to decorate as
the Nian was scared of this.
The importance of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is one of the most important Chinese celebrations
and is also known as the lunar year and the Spring Festival. Chinese
New Year is one of the oldest Chinese festivals and the most popular.
The festival is celebrated annually, representing a new start of a new
life, a new beginning and the time in which to harvest.
In preparation for the holiday
Homes are thought to get rid of “huiqi,” or bad luck, which might
have been collected during the old year. Cleaning is also carried out
to appease the gods that are said to come down from heaven to
make inspections.
Tradition
Food and paper icons are used as ritual sacrifices that are offered to
gods and ancestors. People post scrolls printed with lucky messages
on household gates and set off firecrackers to frighten evil spirits.
Elders give out money to children. These acts are carried out as a
way to bring good luck to the household and long life to the family,
especially parents.
Establishing Chinese New Year in Leicester
A Chinese committee in Leicester started to organise the first
Chinese New Year in 1979. It first started from a youth club on
Melton Road. Soon after the youth club started to expand and
over the years eventually renovated above a Chinese restaurant
on Melton Road.
In 1987, a Chinese ladies circle formed and recognised a need
within their community. In November 1989 they opened a
community centre that is now funded by different organisations
and who now seek to fund upcoming events such as the Chinese
New Year festival in Leicester City.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Chinese New Year is traditionally the most important festival in the
Chinese calendar, in which all members of the family take part in the
celebration. Home and family life becomes the main focus principally
over work.
Chinese New Year: A Young Person’s
Account.
It was a cold and gloomy morning as
I started walking through the drizzling
rain at 9.30am. As I rushed to catch
the bus before meeting the other
young people at Focus Charity, I
realised that this was the first festival
for the ‘Year of the Leicestival’ and I
had not been to a Chinese New Year
celebration before. So, as I arrived at
Focus Charity, I was already a little
nervous but also enthusiastic about
getting involved and helping out at
the day’s event.
My role as a photographer was to
document the event by capturing
relevant images of the day, which,
in some way, made me feel a little
anxious and excited.
As I arrived at the festival with the Youth
Action Team we were welcomed in to
what seemed to be a small festival.
As I set up my camera in the rain I
tried to capture the current mood of
the festival. At that moment it was
somewhat uneventful and dampened
by the rain.
For a brief moment, I still felt a little
anxious. However, a few moments
later Dr Paul Ng, who is the Chair of
the Chinese Community Centre and
Sir Peter Soulsby, who is Leicester City
Mayor, opened the event.
Whilst this was happening, I started
taking photos, still feeling a little like
I was going through the motions and
hadn’t woken up yet. However, all that
was to come to an abrupt end as a
sudden loud banging noise emerged.
The loud sound, which seemed to
crackle and emit a large amount
of smoke, came from the traditional
Chinese firecrackers…and they were
loud! The smell of the smoke and the
loud noise seemed to permeate and
take over all my senses. For a couple
of minutes all I could, see, hear, smell
and taste was the firecrackers.
As I looked on, I positioned myself
next to our camera crew who were
clustering together holding clear
plastic bags above the equipment
to protect it from the rain. But we
were both aware that we had the
responsibility of capturing the event
as well as enjoying it.
Moments later, we were awarded
once again as a bright and colourful
dragon appeared, held up by a
couple of dancers from a local
martial arts centre. Accompanied
by the sound of crashing symbols
and the beat of a large drum, the
dancers performed a vibrant dance,
catching the crowd’s attention.
As the festival continued, a range
of talented local Chinese musicians
played the ‘erhu’, which is a two-string
instrument, and a zither known as
guzheng. From this, a calming melody
played and added to somewhat of a
spiritual and yet soothing atmosphere,
which contrasted with the grey and
damp day.
We were also treated to a display of
vocal performances from members
of the local community. Dressed
in traditional flower tang dynasty
clothing, this was an authentic singing
and dancing performance.
Throughout the day members of the
YAT provided support and information
regarding the day’s programme
as the performances continued
to attract members of the general
public, who were now interested in
finding out more about the festival
and the day’s events.
To finish off the show, a mix of Kung
Fu and Tai Chi was performed, which
absorbed the crowd’s attention,
seemingly
hypnotised
by
the
performers athleticism and control of
their swords.
Although Chinese New Year is
a cultural event rather than a
religious celebration, it’s importance
resonated within and beyond the
Chinese Community. As one onlooker
said, “I can see that Chinese New
Year is important to it’s community.
It’s fantastic that they’re willing to
share it with all of us. I feel really
included.”
CHINESE NEW YEAR
In 198 6 w h e n Va i s a k h i w a s f i rst
celebra t e d i n L e i c e s t e r , j u s t 1 0 00
people a t t e n d e d . N o w , m o re t h an
15,000 p e o p l e a t t e n d t h e f e s t i v a l of
Vaisakh i i n L e i c es t e r e v e r y y e a r .
Vaisakhi is the festival that celebrates the founding of the Sikh community
known as the Khalsa. As well as being known as Vaisakhi, the annual festival
is also known as Baisakhi, Vaishakhi, or Vasakhi.
Although Vaisakhi is a celebration of a religion, it is also an opportunity for
Sikhs to share this time with family and friends alike. Which also includes
members of the public, which are welcome to attend the public celebration
as the festival parades throughout parts of the city.
The importance of Vaisakhi
The festival is a celebration of an act by the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru
Gobind Singh, who created the Order of the Kalsa, The Kalsa are the first
group of Sikhs that undertook khande kee paahul or Sikh initiation in which
they dedicated their lives to serve humanity in the spirit of equality and
compassion. From this, men that undertake the Sikh initiation take on the
name Singh, meaning lion and women take on the name Kaur, meaning
Princess.
The festival in Leicester
The Vaisakhi parade has occurred in Leicester for the last 20 years but in
fact mirrors a much older tradition dating back 400 years ago, symbolising
the harvest festival in the Punjab.
In temple halls, people listen to readings from the Sikh scriptures also known
as the Guru Granth Sahib, sermons are preached and everyone joined in
prayers.
On the day, huge numbers of the Sikh community attend one of the most
important dates in their calendar. Thousands of people, predominantly
consisting of families and friends from the Sikh community, celebrate the
festivities by following decorated floats, wearing orange attire.
More than 15,000 people attended the festival of Vaisakhi in Leicester
in 2013. During this time many Sikhs visit a place of worship called
a Gurdwara. One such place was the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, in
Holy Bones, Leicester, where this year’s festivities were to start. This
particular temple was the first established Gurdwara in the city and
is linked to a community centre, museum and school; indicating the
importance a Gurdwara has with its local community.
VAISAKHI
Every year on the 14th April approximately 30 million Sikhs around the world
celebrate Vaisakhi including, the Sikh community in Leicester.
“
Vaisakhi: A young person’s account.
It was a fresh and sunny morning when we
arrived at the Gurdwara in Holy Bones at
9am to receive our high visibility jackets.
My role was to act as a steward between
the Nagar Kirtan and the crowds already
gathering along the footpaths. The Nagar
Kirtan is the name of the procession, which
brings the word of God to all of the Sikh
community. Some of the other Youth Action
Team volunteers formed a reporting group
and they were already getting photos and
looking for people to interview about this
already crowded and joyous festival.
I felt very welcomed even though I wasn’t
Sikh nor celebrated Vaisakhi and this made
me feel privilaged to be actively part of
such a holy event.
Before the procession set off on its journey
from the Gurdwara in Holy Bones to the
Gurdwarar in East Park Road we had to
get in to position so that all the stewards
were equally spaced. During this time I
was looking around to see the hundreds
of people, all dressed in vibrantly coloured
clothing and men wearing orange or
yellow bandanas, in respect for the Sri Guru
Granth Sahib, the holy book. Everyone had
to cover their head, including myself which
truly made me feel part of the event.
As I continued browsing, I noticed men
wearing orange outfits with swords. I later
found out these were five saffron robed Panj
Piare who lead the traditional Nagar Kirtan.
There were also barefooted men and boys
brushing the road to pave the way for the
holy scriptures. As I looked along the floats
there were women and young children
sitting on the back singing holy hymns to
an almost hypnotic and repeatative tune
that came from a drum being beaten by
a young boy in traditional clothing on the
back of a vehicle.
As we made our way through the City, a
variety of food and drinks were given out
to the public by Sikh men wearing turbans
and dressed in fantastic outfits, ranging
from somosas, spring rolls, tea, pakoras,
chickpeas and potatoes, as well as crisps
and chocolate. I made sure I got a little bit
of chocolate to keep my energy up as it
was a very long journey.
As the procession moved on, the crowds
begun to swell. There were thousands
of people following the Nagar Kirtan, it
almost seemed like the whole City had
come out to celebrate. With the ever
increasing volume of Bhangra music in
the background, now people formed
human chains as we continued along our
journey.
We neared towards East Park Road
Gurdwara where the Sri Guru Granth Sahib
will rest, the Nagar Kirtan will stop and my
role as a steward will come to an end for
this festival.
Although Vaisakhi is a religious event, I
did notice other ‘non-sikh’ participants
being part of the event, either walking
with the floats or as onlookers viewing with
amazement the shear numbers of people
celebrating this holy day. I guess Vaisakhi is
a day to show the Leicester community an
insight in to the Sikh religion and willingness
to share such a wonderful moment in the
Sikh calendar.
Whilst speaking with other volunteers, they
mentioned that “the atmosphere was so
energetic the festival seemed alive. The
food they gave out was both modern and
traditional and shows how Leicester and
the generations of British born Sikhs has
had an influence in the evolution of this
festival.”
Vaisakhi commemorates
1699, which is the year
Sikhism was born as a
collective faith.
VAISAKHI
Here are the five saffron robed Panj Piare
who lead the traditional Nagar Kirtan.
The community-organised carnival has
been held annually in Leicester since 1985.
It is the third-largest Caribbean carnival
in the UK, after the Leeds & Notting Hill
carnivals.
The roots of the Caribbean Carnival
The Caribbean Carnival in Leicester locates its origins in the initial celebration
of emancipation of slaves in the Caribbean islands. With this in mind, the
Caribbean Carnival in Leicester is held every year on the first Saturday of
August to reflect the first celebration of freedom from slavery. Therefore,
the Carnival celebration gives people of the Caribbean an opportunity to
express themselves, share this with the wider community and in many ways
take part in a form of remembrance, keeping their culture alive.
Celebrations in Leicester
Organised by the community of Leicester, the Caribbean Carnival has been
held annually since 1985 (with one exception in 2006). The event involves
a parade starting at Victoria Park and travels around the city of Leicester,
usually going through the suburb of Highfields, and finishing up back at
Victoria Park.
Complete with a live performance stage, carnival village and fun fair.
It is certainly an event to visit when it comes around. Thousands gather
every year during the summer with friends and family to enjoy the live
entertainment such as singing and dancing performances along with food
stalls and fun fair.
The ambience of the carnival
The music in Victoria Park can be heard from miles away and helps to create
the energetic atmosphere. Because of the numerous food stalls offering
a variety of the Caribbean foods that are loved by many, including the
likes of Jerk Chicken and Pilaf dishes the Caribbean Carnival has become
renowned for it’s food as well as it music.
CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
The city of Leicester has a rich cultural heritage, owing in part to the
Caribbean community settling here in 1948. This saw the arrival of what
is known as the windrush generation, in which the Caribbean community
brought with them not only their availability to fill vital post-war jobs but also
their cultural influences that were later to be celebrated in what we see as
the Carnival celebrations today.
The theme of the Caribbean carnival in 2013 was
‘colour my world’. As it is believed that colour affects
us all and is of vital importance in our lives.
As I woke up on the day of the
Caribbean Carnival it was dark
outside but for a moment my mind
wondered and I started to imagine
all the fantastic costumes we helped
to prepare weeks ago and how they
would brighten up the day. Over the
last few weeks I had been helping to
prepare the clothes for the procession
and I now had a full appreciation for
all the effort that goes on behind the
scenes, well before the day of the
Carnival.
Helping to setup I was excited to
meet some of the YAT along with
different members of the community.
One of the first things discussed was
our agreed roles that had been
assigned prior to the Carnival. Out of
the corner of my eye I saw stallholders
starting to arrive and it was our
responsibility as volunteers to direct
them to their allocated areas. Some
of these stalls were preparing some
of the Caribbean food that would
be available later to the public. It
was a little difficult for me as I was
unable to try any of the food as I was
fasting for Ramadan. However, I was
still excited that I could contribute.
Later I started to notice more and
more costumes, some of which my
own hard work and dedication had
gone into. It was amazing to see all
these different elements suddenly
start to come together and shaping
up to be a great and successful
procession.
Some of the responsibility the Youth
Action Team had was to attach
banners to fences, help to set up and
run an exhibition tent, stewarding
the procession through the streets of
Leicester as well as collecting money
for charity. During this time I noticed
how the day had started to brighten
up and the atmosphere had grown
with the influence of Caribbean
music. Finally, the festival had come
alive.
During the day, I became aware that
I had never been to a Caribbean
Carnival before and hadn’t known
what to expect. But, as soon as it
started there were crowds of people
lining the streets with the sound of
whistles and other loud instruments
which made it really exciting. My
next role was to steward alongside
the procession and as it passed
through the streets collecting money
for local charities. At the same time
steel pans and other Caribbean
music reverberated from the various
floats, dancers paraded the streets
to showcase their beautiful costumes
and the smell of jerk chicken and
other wonderful smells filled the air.
As the procession came to an end
and headed back to Victoria Park,
the rest of the day was filled with the
music and food of the Caribbean.
As I looked around I saw some of our
YAT volunteers speaking to members
of the public, answering their
questions and providing them with
much needed information. Whilst
other members of the YAT provided
assistance to the Carnival organisers
by ensuring that the store vendors
were only selling things they were
allowed to and were doing so within
the specific area they had been
given.
Walking around Victoria Park after
our volunteering was completed, I
was amazed with the event we had
become a part of and grateful for not
only the opportunity we had been
given but how we were supported
and accepted, something the
Caribbean Carnival in Leicester is all
about.
CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
Caribbean Carnival: Young Persons Account
“I think that Eid in Leicester brings people
from different cultures together.
For example, when I celebrate Eid, later
on in the day I invite my friend, who is
Sikh, to my house for something to eat.”
Halima Polli, 14 years old
Eid-ul-Adha (‘festival of Sacrifice’), also known as the Greater Eid, is the
second most important festival in the Muslim calendar.
The festival remembers the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son
when God ordered him to.
Whilst the celebration of Eid is widely known around the world, it is less well
known that Eid is two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims. The first Eid is
known as Eid al Fitre and is a celebration of the Islamic holy month of fasting
known as Ramadan. Whilst, the festival of Eid ul Adha, or the Greater Eid is
also known as the festival of sacrifice.
The story of Ibrahim’s sacrifice
Eid-ul-Adha celebrates the occasion when Allah appeared to Ibrahim in a
dream and asked him to sacrifice his son Isma’il as an act of obedience to
God.
The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his
son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him and gave him a
lamb to sacrifice instead.
Celebration in Leicester
As with Muslims in most parts of the world, Leicester’s Muslim community
remembers and celebrates the day of sacrifice by giving away different meat,
sharing it amongst family, friends and poorer communities. This represents the
sacrifice that the Prophet Ibrahim made.
Eid ul Adha usually starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for prayers,
dressed in their best clothes, and thanking Allah for all the blessings they
have received.
It is also a time when they visit family and friends as well as offering
presents.
At Eid it is obligatory to give a set amount of money to charity to be used to
help poor people buy new clothes and food so they too can celebrate.
EID-UL-ADHA
Every year, approximately 1.5 billion Muslims around the world celebrate Eid
including, 61,350 from the Muslim community that reside in Leicester.
Eid: A young person’s account.
I was at home on the day before Eid so I was
feeling excited. During this time, the house was
being prepared and was full of people getting
the place cleaned and ready to celebrate Eid.
Whilst the house was being prepared with the
final touches of decorations, my brothers left for
the mosque for the sunset prayer. As the hours
were nearing the beginning of Eid, the house
was becoming more alive with the excitement
of celebrations. The house seemed to be buzzing
with family members in the living room talking
about their clothes that they would be wearing
tomorrow as well as listening to the Qu’ran.
Suddenly, I noticed that a few hours had past
and the sounds of the bell was heard from the
local mosque. It was now officially Eid ul Adha.
The morning arrived and I could smell the food
starting to be prepared. The house was full of
women preparing for the day; all the men had
already gone to the Mosque for Eid prayers.
During this time, my mum started to choose the
clothes for my dad’s return home after being at
the Mosque. One of my favourite things about Eid
is getting to see what outfits everyone is wearing
or has bought so I enjoy seeing my Mum take
pride in preparing my Dad’s clothes. Along with
this, I was very excited to see everyone’s new
outfits too. I couldn’t wait to put my new Jubbah
on and to see the rest of my family.
As I walked down the stairs of my house, I could
smell hot sweet milk being boiled ready for
breakfast. I started to help my mum get the food
ready for breakfast and the rest of the meals
prepared for the day. As people started to meet
they embraced with a hug and wished each
other Eid Mubarak.
When my brothers and dad returned from their
morning prayers, everyone was exchanging hugs
and well wishes and the atmosphere was full of
love and happiness for this special day. At this
time, my mum entered the room with different
dishes, such as Biryani and yummy sweets, which
had been made earlier. After this, food was
placed onto the table. I realised I wasn’t ready,
so I quickly hurried upstairs to get dressed as I
couldn’t wait to enjoy the food that had already
been prepared. When I got back downstairs,
everybody was sat around the table, where all
my family could enjoy the food and company
that enables everybody to celebrate and enjoy
our special day with each other.
Afterwards, it was time for midday prayer. During
this time, women and men pray in separate
areas. Later, it was time for a rest; the house fell
silent with people relaxing and subsequently
sleeping after eating large amounts of food. An
hour or so later, when everybody had rested,
my family and me completed the final prayers
and then headed off by car to visit other family
and friends which had not already joined us in
the morning or afternoon. As we arrived, the
mood soon picked up again as the excitement
of seeing the rest of the family and friends
influenced the post lethargic state as a result of
the meal earlier. During the visit, it is customy to
present gifts to other relatives.
Once we arrived to see the rest of the family,
the room was filled with happy, excited faces
exchanging gifts with each other. The atmosphere
was filled with the rustling of wrapping paper
being torn and excited faces anticipating what
each other had received. After exchanging
gifts, the entire family sat down to eat another
meal together. At this point I was ready to eat
more food.
After eating, people decided what they wanted
to do, some of us decided to go to the cinema
and watch the latest film. Others decided to go
bowling. After going to the cinema, it was time
to return home and go to bed. It had been a
busy, exciting and long day and I was feeling
exhausted.
The following day was a school day and catching
up with all my other friends; but at least it meant
that I could, in some way, revisit such a great
day. Eid Mubarak everyone.
EID-UL-ADHA
Diwali, the festival of light, is celebrated by 900 million to 1 billion people around the
world within 5 different religions including Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.
Diwali means “row of lights” and is a five-day festival celebrating the victory of good
over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.
During this time, the celebration of Diwali is marked by decorating houses, shops
and public places, including the lighting of many small oil lamps known as diyas and
lighting of fireworks. This is to celebrate the search for inner light.
Diwali is celebrated over the period of five consecutive days at the end of the Hindu
month of Ashwayuja, usually occurring in the months of October and November.
The five days of Diwali
Day one: Is known as Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras, which means wealth and
thirteenth day. Therefore, indicating that this day falls on the thirteenth day of the first
half of the lunar month. Essentially, this is a day where Hindu’s do a lot of shopping.
Day two: Is known as Naraka Chaturdasi, which means ‘of a new era of Light and
Knowledge’. This is the day when firecrackers occur at dawn.
Day three: The actual day of Diwali is celebrated on the third day of the festival. This
occurs when the moon completely wanes resulting in the total darkness of the night
sky.
Day four: Is known as Varsha-pratipada or Padwa, which means the Beginning of
the New Year.
Day five: Is known as Bhayiduj (also Bhayyaduj, Bhaubeej or Bhayitika). On this day,
brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other.
A time for families and tradition
Diwali is a time for families and friends to get together, eating festive feasts, buying
new clothes and sharing gifts.
Traditional gifts given at this time include sweets, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi
idols, gold or silver coins, Puja Thali and Ram Darbar. While gifts are an important
part of Diwali celebrations, it is also important not to get carried away with material
goods, but instead to remember the underlying spiritual significance of Diwali; to
search for inner light.
Diwali in Leicester
Leicester holds one of the biggest Diwali festivals outside of India. People travel
from all over the UK and beyond to Leicester to celebrate this fantastic event.
The Diwali festival in Leicester is such an eye opener for anyone wishing to come
and experience a cultural festival in the City and where people embrace the
essence and spiritual message of Diwali; ‘Tamaso ma joytir gamaya’ - “lead me
from darkness to light.”
DIWALI
What is Diwali?
As I headed off for the Shree Mandir Temple
I realised how exciting and interesting
the experience of volunteering for Diwali
could be. After all, I had volunteered and
documented the previous festivals for our
Almanac and they turned out to be great
experiences. With that in mind, I started to
wonder how many people were going to
be there, whom I would speak to and see.
In many ways I had an image in my head,
about the bright colours encountered
during the festival, having previously heard
about the vibrantly colourful event.
Whilst I was walking to the temple, it was
typically a cold, wintery Sunday morning.
However, during my walk, I had time to
speculate how the morning would turn out.
Especially as I’d never been to a Temple,
let alone volunteered in one.
As I approached the temple I began to
notice various people arriving, wearing
bright coloured clothes. As I got nearer, I
observed people arriving in congregations
of families containing different generations,
from young to old, wearing clothes of vivid
colours, instantly drawing my attention. As
I timidly followed people into the temple
and into a hallway, I noticed a subtle smell
of incense permeate the corridor. Whilst
inside, I was politely informed to take my
shoes off before I entered the main hall of
the temple itself.
Entering the temple I noticed the different
messages written in Hindi and met different
people. In the temple there were colourful
shrines of Lakshmi and a crimson red carpet.
As I looked around some more I noticed
large golden statues of different Gods that
were surrounded by bright colours. Along
with this, I started to hear the sound of
people singing, accompanied by drums
and tambourines in the background. As
I witnessed this I became excited about
volunteering and learning how Hindu’s
celebrate Diwali.
My role during the festival included
preparing, decorating and tidying the
main room for the celebration. However,
as I looked around, I noticed that there
were people helping to clean and prepare
different parts of the room and others were
coming in and out of the kitchen. So it felt
like I was part of the community preparing
for the festival rather than a volunteer.
As I got nearer the kitchen I could smell
the food being cooked. An aroma of
freshly baked Somosa’s floated through
the room.
It felt that despite the temple being quiet
on the day with only a few attendees, I
was volunteering and it was important
that I helped prepare in any way that I
could. This included cleaning the temple
prior to its busiest day of the celebrations,
tomorrow evening of Diwali.
During the time that I volunteered, I noticed
some people from diverse backgrounds
visited the temple. So just before I finished,
I had time to interview people to find
out how this festival brings people of
Leicester together, the specific foods that
are eaten during this period and how the
recipes have changed over time. One
person said, “Families come together to
celebrate by eating food such as curries
and Indian sweets known as Mithai.” Diwali
celebrates the victory of good over evil
and light over darkness. Another person
who was interviewed said that the recipe
has indeed changed overtime, as there
are different ingredients available in the
UK compared to India. One man I spoke to
said Diwali could be celebrated by eating
chips!
Although my volunteering ended at
the temple, later I attended the Diwali
celebrations in the city. During this time,
the city came alive with traditional Indian
music, dancing and street performances,
which concluded with a public display
of Diwali celebrations including fireworks.
Whilst this was happening, Belgrave
Road was full of people from a variety
of backgrounds, coming together to be
part of a religious event that welcomed
others.
The temple was decorated with lights
and other colourful decorations so too
were the city’s cold streets which were
lit up by festive decorations. The day
culminated with the burning of a
Hindu symbol and beautiful fireworks
display truly depicting the festival of
lights.
Although Diwali is celebrated by
Hindus a variety of communities
participate in the festival. Leicester
hosts one of the biggest public
displays of Diwali outside India and
all are welcome.
DIWALI
Diwali: A young person’s account.
Merry Christmas
You probably know that Christmas is celebrated on December 25.
In many countries including the UK, families distribute gifts that Santa Claus left under
the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Many attend church services on Christmas Eve
and Christmas morning, and later gather for Christmas dinner with extended family.
Christmas is the observance of Jesus’ humble birth to a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem. The
holiday also celebrates the events surrounding his birth, such as an angel’s appearance
to shepherds, telling them to visit the newborn king.
The word Christmas (or Christ’s Mass) comes from the old English name ‘Cristes Maesse’.
The first recorded service occured in Rome in AD360, but it wasn’t until AD440 that the
Christian church fixed a celebration date of 25th December.
Although the Church doesn’t consider it the most important Christian holiday, Christmas
is certainly the most popular, at least in terms of cultural and social significance.
Traditions and customs in British history
Many of the Christmas customs began long before Jesus was born. They came from
earlier festivals which had nothing to do with the Christian church. A long time ago
people had mid-winter festivals when the days were short and the sunlight was at
its’ weakest. They believed that their ceremonies would give the sun back its power.
The Romans, for example, held the festival Saturnalia around 25th December. They
decorated their homes with evergreens to remind them of Saturn, their harvest God, to
return the following spring.
Some of these traditions and customs were adopted by early Christians as part of their
celebrations of Jesus’ birthday.
In Victorian times some new ideas such as Father Christmas, Christmas cards and
crackers were added to the celebrations.
Christmas in the City
Throughout the whole of the Christmas period Leicester city is decorated with lights
and trees and the Town Hall square is transformed into a winter wonderland, including
the traditional Christmas market. High street shops extend their opening hours so that
people can prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus by buying gifts for their children,
siblings, extended family and friends.
During the weeks prior to Christmas Day, we send cards, watch nativity plays and
pantomimes and go to carol services held by the Christian church.
CHRISTMAS
Red and green are the traditional
Christmas decoration colours, but why?
Green represents the continuance of
life through the winter and the Christian
belief in eternal life through Jesus.
Red symbolizes the blood that Jesus
shed at his crucifixion.
Christmas: A young person’s account.
It was difficult to pinpoint a particular festival
for Christmas that we could get involved
in and volunteer. However, Leicester had
a range of events that coincided with
Christmas in 2013 that we could volunteer
at such as the Winter Food Festival; the
Christmas Lights switch on and Light the
Night.
Arriving at the meeting point, the city
centre was busy for a Sunday. There were
workmen beginning to sort out the barriers
in the high street ready for the light switch
on. People were beginning to come into
the city centre for Christmas shopping.
As we arrived at the market, various stalls
were still being set up for the day ahead. All
around vendors talked to each other with
genuine kindness and bubbly Christmas
spirit. As I looked around the market, it
soon started to pick up with customers as
vendors started to cook food and smells
from Colombian, Spanish, Indian and other
stalls were filling the area.
I looked around the market to become
familiar with what was being sold so I could
promote the event to the general public.
I was then given an apron and taken to
the cheese and dairy stall. As any lover of
cheese would be, I was happy to take up
the offer to test the standard of food before
I set about promoting the products.
As I ventured beyond the market and
in to the city centre, almost immediately
I encountered my first member of the
public. Although, I felt a little nervous, I
started to talk about the samples and
promoted the festival. As more and more
people approached I began to feel more
confident and felt at ease as I walked
around the city centre. I could feel the sense
of communal spirit, which was amplified
when a band from the Winter Food Festival
helped me to distribute the third and final
batch of cheese samples with a musical
accompaniment which quickly got rid of
the contents of the entire tray.
The afternoon was spent taking photos of
food, whilst other YAT members conducted
interviews with festival-goers. Soon after,
we all set off to the Cultural Quarter for
the Light the Night event. The city centre
was packed with people from all different
backgrounds lining Humberstone Gate
eagerly anticipating the imminent light
switch on. The streets were filled with
Christmas decorations and wall-to-wall
with people. Music was blaring out adding
to the Christmas spirit.
A sixty foot interactive screen was the
central point of the square. I realised what
a great event it was proving to be; an ideal
activity for young children to participate in.
All around joyful toddlers were lifted up on
parent’s and relative’s shoulders, waving
their arms with incredible enthusiasm to
interact with the screen. The bottom of the
screen featured twenty little green orbs
dotted along it and with each interaction,
came brightly light fireworks. Fast-paced
music pumped out of the huge speakers
with the intensity of the volume being of
such strength that you could hear the
music blaring from the distance.
As I was stewarding the event I noticed
live camels strolled through the entrance
to the Cultural Quarter which boosted the
attraction to festival-goers to come and
watch the digital, interactive fireworks
display. We never had a dull moment
throughout the day and it was anything
but tedious and the Pyrotechnics display
was the icing on the cake.
CHRISTMAS
The tradition of giving gifts
is thought to be related to
the gifts that the wise men
(the Magi) brought to Jesus
as well as Jesus being the
gift to the world.
LEICESTIVAL
RECIPES
Served on their own or cooked over a several course
menu, these mouth-watering recipes can become
a cultural combination of culinary delights that will
satisfy the taste palettes of any community.
RECIPES
The following pages reflect on some of the foods
and recipes that were encountered and shared
within the festivals and that the Youth Action Team
felt were great recipes to have.
Han Dynasty Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients:
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2 tbsp sake or Chinese rice wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
500g (1 1/4 lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets - diced
1 to 2 tablespoons dried crushed chillies, or to taste
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp spoon dark brown soft sugar
4 spring onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (220g) tin water chestnuts
100g (4 oz) peanuts
Prep
30 mins
Cook
30 mins
Ready in
1hr
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Combine the sake or rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour dissolved in
water. Divide mixture in half.
2. In a glass dish or bowl, combine half of the sake mixture with the chicken pieces and
toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
3. In a medium frying pan, combine remaining sake mixture, chillies, vinegar and sugar.
Mix together and add spring onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. Heat sauce
slowly over medium heat until aromatic.
4. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and sauté in a large frying pan until juices
run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sautéed chicken and let simmer together
until sauce thickens.
Ingredients:
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1 fish (Seabass)
1 quarter of onion
50g Bamboo shoot (diced in cubes)
50g Carrots (diced in cubes)
50g Sweet corn kernels (tinned or frozen)
50g Frozen peas
50g Pine nuts kernels
2 tbsp Cooking wine
1 tbsp Minced ginger
2 tbsp Ketchup
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp White vinegar
1 tbsp Soy sauce
8 tbsp Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground black pepper
Sesame oil
80g Corn flour (to dust the fish)
Vegetable oil to fry the fish
Prep
20 mins
Cook
15 mins
Ready in
35 mins
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Remove the head of the fish and split the underside of its “chin” to flatten it. Set
aside for later use. (Alternatively, ask a fishmonger to do this).
2. Remove the spine by filleting the fish from head to tail, being careful not to cut the
tail. Slide the knife lengthwise beneath the backbone to detach it from the flesh,
and remove. The tail will stay attached with both sides of the fish’s body.
3. Remove the glossy underside of the stomach, which is a bit bitter. Score the flesh with
your knife, cross-hatching the meat side without cutting through the skin. The meat
should now be portioned into small square blocks. Season it with one teaspoon of
salt, half a teaspoon pepper and two tablespoon cooking wine
4. Pour the cornstarch onto a plate and dust the fish and head, removing any
excess.
5. Heat some oil in a pan or wok and fry the head until golden brown. Remove the
head and drain it on kitchen paper. Now add the fish, holding it by the tail for the
first few seconds to set the shape. Fry for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain it
on kitchen paper. Place the fish and the head on a serving plate.
6. For the sauce: Add the tomato paste to the wok and heat for a few seconds (this will
remove the tinny flavor and a bit of the acidity). Add tomato ketchup, soy sauce,
vinegar, sugar and water. Mix well and then add the vegetables and ginger. Stir
again and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Dissolve 3 tsp of cornstarch into 6 tsp of
cold water and mix this into the sauce to thicken. Turn down the heat, drizzle in some
sesame oil and pour the sauce over the fried fish. Finish off the dish with some pine
nuts, and it’s ready to serve!
CHINESE RECIPES
Mr Lee’s Juling He
Mrs Singh’s Pumpkin Halwa
Ingredients
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450g/1lb pumpkin, courgettes, bottle gourd or carrots
550ml/1 pint milk
1 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed
1 tbsp sultanas
2 tbsp clarified (or unsalted) butter
8 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp halved cashews, flaked almonds, and pistachio slivers,
lightly toasted
• 1 tsp rosewater or screw pine essence (optional, but do not be
tempted to add more)
• silver leaf, chirongi nuts and watermelon seeds (available in
Indian grocers), and red rose petals to garnish (optional)
Cook
30 mins
Ready in
1hr 30 mins
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Trim, peel and finely grate the vegetables.
2. Combine them with milk, cardamom and sultanas in a large non-stick frying
pan.
3. Heat gently and bring to a simmer, stirring occassionally.
4. Cook until the vegetables are tender and almost all the liquid has evaporated,
stirring frequently as the mixture thickens.
5. Add butter, sugar, nuts, and rosewater or screw pine essence if using, and stir
well.
6. Spread halwa out in a shallow pan to cool; garnish.
7. When cool, cut into squares and serve.
Ingredients
For the kulfi
• 350ml/12fl oz whole milk
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 125/4fl oz condensed milk
• 50g/2oz powdered milk
• 25g/1oz caster sugar
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 800g/2lb ripe yellow-skinned guavas, trimmed and halved
• 100ml/3fl oz water
Prep
30 mins
Ready in
30 mins
Serves
4 people
For the fruit salad
• 500g/1lb 4oz prepared fresh fruit - a combination of Alphonso
mango, pineapple, lychee, watermelon, persimmon and
starfruit works especially well
• 2 passion fruit, pulp and seeds scraped out
• 1 lime, juice and zest only
• caster sugar, to taste
Method
1. For the kulfi, place the milk, cream, condensed milk, powdered milk,
sugar and nutmeg into a non-stick pan and rapidly bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat
and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the guavas into a blender with the water and blend to
make a purée. Push the puree through a sieve with the back of a spoon
and discard the seeds. You should be left with 500ml/½ litre of purée.
3. Add the guava purée to the milk mixture and stir well.
4. Spoon the mixture into six individual kulfi moulds, jelly moulds or yoghurt
pots and freeze overnight.
5. Just before serving the kulfi, prepare the fruit salad. Place the prepared
fruit into a bowl with the passion fruit pulp and seeds, lime juice and zest
and sugar and stir to coat the fruit.
VAISAKHI RECIPES
Pav’s Guava kulfi with tropical fruit salad
Marcia’s Jamaican Beef Patties
Ingredients
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100g Plain flour
1g curry powder
20g margarine
20g Solid vegetable fat
30ml water
10g margarine
180g ground beef
1/2 small onion, finely diced
0.6g dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
45ml beef broth
20g dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Prep
50 mins
Cook
30 mins
Ready in
1hr 20 mins
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine flour, 1g
curry powder, and pinch of salt. Cut in 5g margarine and solid vegetable fat until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Shape
dough into a log, and cut into 10 equal sections. Roll each section into a six inch
circle (approximately 1/8 inch thick). Set aside.
2. Melt margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent.
Stir in ground beef. Season with 1 teaspoon curry powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt,
and pepper. Cook until beef is evenly brown, stirring constantly. Stir in beef broth
and bread crumbs. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
3. Spoon equal amounts of filling into each pastry circle. Fold over and press edges
together, making a half circle. Use a fork to press edges, and brush the top of
each patty with beaten egg.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Ingredients
• One 3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of
chicken breasts may be used if
preferred)
• 6 scotch bonnet peppers
(jalapenos may be used if scotch
bonnet peppers are unavailable)
• 2 tbsp. thyme
• 2 tbsp. ground allspice
• 8 Cloves garlic
• 3 Medium onions
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1-2 tsp Ground cinnamon
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1-2 tsp Nutmeg
1-2 tsp Ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Chopped tomatoes
Chicken stock cube
Prep
20 mins
Cook
1 hour
Ready in
1hr 20 mins
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped
too fine as they will be liquidised by the blender.
2. Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make
the jerk sauce.
3. Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces.
4. Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later.
5. Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes (or preferably on a BBQ), turn the meat
then bake for a further 30 minutes.
CARIBBEAN RECIPES
Julie’s Jerk Chicken
Abdi’s Lemon Rice
Ingredients
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2cups Rice
6 tbsp Oil
1/2tsp Black Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
3-4 green chillies
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 cup peanuts
Cook
20 mins
Ready in
20 mins
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Place the rice in plenty of boiling salted water and cook until soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter.
3. Add turmeric powder and peanuts, fry till brown.
4. Now add green chillies, curry leaves, salt and fry for 2 minutes.
5. Take it off from the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.
6. Now add this to the drained boiled rice and mix well.
Ingredients
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1¼ cups (250g) Granulated sugar
5¼ cups (750g) Plain flour
2 cups (454g) Unsalted butter (softened)
2 Eggs (Large)
1 Tbsp (15ml) Pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5ml) Salt
1 Tbsp (15ml) Lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp (15ml) Cocoa powder
sugar
Prep
25 mins
Cook
15 mins
Ready in
40 mins
Serves
10 - 15 biscuits
Method
1. Put the sugar and softened butter in the mixer and beat on high speed for 5
minutes. Scrape the sides once during those 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, and the lemon zest. Mix on
high speed for another 5 minutes.
3. Lower the speed and add the flour and cocoa powder. Mix on low for a
minute, then scrape the sides. Mix for another minute.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and lightly oil the baking sheets.
5. To shape the cookies, use Ateco or Wilton decorating tips. For example for
the cookies we use a closed star tip #849. For the chocolate accent, use a
smaller tip (e.g. the Wilton #1M). When pressing the cookies it is important to
note that you should press once only for each cookie. Use the cookie dough
as soon as you finish mixing it, otherwise it will tend to dry out a little making it
more difficult to press the dough through the decorating tips.
6. If you find it difficult to use the decorating tips, then use a cookie press.
However, the cookies will not be as pretty.
7. Bake the cookies at 375°F/190°C for 15 to 16 minutes. Store them in an
airtight jar after they cool down.
EID RECIPES
Hawa’s Buskud Biscuits
Kimi’s Chocolate Burfi
Ingredients
For white layer (vanilla layer)
1/2 cup Plain flour
1/4 cup minus 1 tsp Vanaspati/ ghee
1 cup Sugar
3 drops Vanilla essense
For Chocolate layer
1/2 cup Plain flour
1/4 cup minus 1 tsp Vanaspati/ ghee
1 cup Sugar
3/4 tbsp Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Prep
20 mins
Cook
20 mins
Ready in
40 mins
Serves
12 people
Method
1. Heat vanaspati/ ghee in a pan until hot. When you add a pinch of flour to
it, it should get fried immediately. Add the flour and fry briskly. May be for
a minute to get rid of raw smell. Switch off the flame. The flour should be
mixed well with the ghee. Grease a tray ready.
2. In another heavy bottomed pan, add sugar and 1/2 cup water. Boil until
one string consistency. Its very important to get one string consistency. So
double ensure that it has reached one string consistency. (If you check by
swiping the back of the ladle with your fore finger and check in between
thumb and forefinger, a string will from).
3. Now, switch off the flame and add the fried maida. Mix well to a smooth
paste. Add the vanilla essence. Keep stirring.
4. Continue until the mixture gets thick. Pour in a greased tray.
5. Level with a flat ladle. Let it be thin as we are going make it 2 layered.
6. Now follow the same process of heating ghee, add flour and mix well. Now
add cocoa powder to it. Mix well and keep aside.
7. Prepare sugar syrup for one string consistency same as step 2 and add the
coco mixture to it. Mix well off the heat.
8. When the mixture gets thick, pour it over the vanilla layer. Spread same as
before to a smooth level using a greased ladle. Let it set for atleast 1/2 hr
and then cut into cubes. Invert and tap gently over another tray to get the
pieces separately.
Ingredients
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200g/7¼oz basmati rice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 shallots, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh root ginger, grated
6 chicken breast fillets or 2
chicken breasts, thinly sliced
into strips
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground turmeric
• generous pinch freshly
grated nutmeg
• ¾ cup plain yoghurt
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 4 or 5 handfuls raisins
• ½ tbsp Garam masala
Prep
30 mins to 1 hr
Cook
30 mins to 1hr
Ready in
1 to 2hrs
Serves
4 people
Method
1. Wash the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear, then
leave to soak in tepid water with the salt for 30 minutes.
2. Drain the rice and place in a pan with enough cold water to come about
2cm/¾inch above the top of the rice.
3. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat to as low as possible,
cover and cook for about ten minutes, or until ‘holes’ begin to appear on
the top of the rice and all the water has been absorbed.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the shallots, onions, garlic and ginger and
fry for a couple of minutes, until golden-brown. Remove a tablespoonful
and set aside for garnishing.
5. Add the chicken and stir fry for four minutes.
6. Add the spices and stir for one minute, then stir in the yoghurt and simmer
for 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar, raisins, garam masala and part-cooked
rice. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and cover with a lid (this will
hold in all the steam).
7. Place over a very low heat and cook for ten minutes.
8. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for five minutes.
9. Serve large spoonfuls garnished with the reserved shallot and onion
mixture.
DIWALI RECIPES
Mrs Parsottam’s Chicken Biriyani
Mama Hagues Mince Pies
Ingredients
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350g/12oz high quality mincemeat, preferably homemade
200g/7oz plain flour, sifted
40g/1½oz golden caster sugar
75g/2¾oz ground almonds
125g/4½oz unsalted butter, diced
1 large free-range egg beaten
Milk, to glaze
Prep
1hr
Cook
20 mins
Ready in
1hr 20 mins
Serves
12 pies
Method
1. Lightly butter a 12-hole pie tin. Tip the mincemeat into a bowl and stir so
that the liquid is evenly distributed.
2. Place the flour; sugar, almonds and butter in a food processor and process
briefly until resembling breadcrumbs, then slowly add the egg through the
feeder tube. (Or rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand and stir in
the egg.)
3. Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in cling film and chill
for an hour or so. Thinly roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out
12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the
prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat.
4. Cut out another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the mincemeat.
Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then
brush lightly with milk. Chill for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the
oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
5. Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack
and serve warm.
Ingredients
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A little butter, for greasing
A little icing sugar, for dusting
For the pudding base
Zest of 1 orange
100g grated carrots
50g treacle
200g breadcrumbs
200g plain flour
250g vegetarian suet
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
200ml stout
250g light muscovado sugar
400g raisins, sultanas or
currants, or a mixture
Plus your choice of the following
• 100g mixed peel, dried apricots,
dates, stem ginger or glacé
cherries, all chopped (or 1 tbsp
per pud)
• 4 tsp mixed spice, ground cloves
or cinnamon (or ½ tsp per pud)
• 4 tbsp orange juice, Sherry or
brandy (or ½ tbsp per pud)
Prep
1hr
Cook
1hr 40 mins
Ready in
2hrs 40 mins
Serves
8 pies
Optional
• 100g almonds, pecans, walnuts,
chopped (or 1 tbsp per pud)
Method
1. Mix together all the base ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Grease 8
individual pudding basins or darioles with a little butter, then line the bases
with circles of baking parchment.
2. Stir your choice of dried fruits, spices and liquid, plus nuts if you are using,
into the base mixture. If you’re tailoring your puddings for each guest, then
weigh out 225g/8oz base mixture per pud, before adding the extras (see
brackets after ingredients for individual pud quantities).
3. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4 and boil the kettle. Fill each basin or
dariole with pud mixture. Grease a large sheet of foil, then stick a large
sheet of baking parchment on top. Cut it into 8 squares, large enough to
cover the puds with overhang, and make a small pleat in each. Cover the
puddings by scrunching foil round the edges to completely seal. stick a
name label, written in biro, on top of each pud to help identify them when
serving. sit the puds in a big roasting tin, pour hot water from the kettle into
the tin until nearly halfway up the puds, then cook for 1 hr. Cool, then store
in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark, for up to 2 weeks.
4. To serve, turn oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 5 after the Christmas dinner
has come out, and put the puds back into a roasting tin with hot water, as
above. Cook for 40 mins, then turn off oven and leave them there if you’re
still eating. Carefully turn out onto serving plates, running a knife round the
edge to help release, then dust with a little icing sugar and top with holly, if
you like.
CHRISTMAS RECIPES
Mama Hague’s Mini Christmas Puddings
We really had no idea what we were going to learn and how much
hard work it would take to make it all happen. And we had to learn
everything so quickly so that we could really make the most of each
festival.
At the beginning it was great to learn how to interview people from
Colin Hyde at the East Midlands Oral History Archive. He really helped
us think about how to make sure we got what we needed every time
we spoke to someone. Then John and Ian at the Leicester People’s
Photographic Gallery taught us about photography and I really think
this has helped us to make sure the exhibition and almanac look
amazing.
When we were trying to find out about the history of the festivals
most of just wanted to look at Wikipedia, but it was so much better to
ask the people who organised them. Getting their stories was much
more interesting and real.
Sometimes we were thrown in at the deep end, like at the Caribbean
Carnival where we had vital roles helping the organisers make sure
the festival ran smoothly. There was so much going on and so many
of us doing so many different important roles. That really taught us
how to organise ourselves, to keep motivated all day and how much
effort goes into putting on a festival. It was an amazing feeling to
know that without us it wouldn’t have worked so well.
A lot of us have really grown in confidence too. Although we were
quite loud as a group, we weren’t all very confident talking to other
people. But by the time we got to Christmas we were able to walk
around the city encouraging people to visit the Christmas Food
Market. We felt like we’d become the experts.
What has really helped us to recognise what we’ve learnt is putting
the exhibition and almanac together. Editing the hours and hours
of video, choosing the right photos from the hundreds that we took,
writing articles, picking the best recipes from those we were taught,
and looking back over the whole year has shown us how far we’ve
come.
YOUTH ACTION TEAM: OUR JOURNEY
When we started this project it seemed like such a simple idea. We
would go to a few festivals, ask people about how they started and
what food they eat at them, take a few photos, point a video camera
and then display it all at the end. No problem, no drama.
plete
Fathia
om
ng c
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n
i
a
Tr
selfie
hing
Reac
Darren our Project Manager
Plan
ning
Vaisakhi Parade
our
roles
Train
ing @
Whi
tem
oor
the
for
Plan
ning
Lake
s
for
a fes
tival
Tailoring the head dress
Amina
hi
aisak
g on V
n
i
t
r
o
p
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r
Lending a helping hand
work
Team
Han
e carnival
porting at th
or
hitemo
g @ W
Trainin
Getting the banners up
Dyna
Lakes
sty
Rest
aura
nt
Don’t forget to smile
Coll
ectin
g do
natio
ns
k
to coo
g
n
i
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r
Lea
ot
ect sh
f
r
e
p
the
Maan
Finding
break
king a
star
rs
With thanks to our Youth Action Team
This project wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment
and enthusiasm of our Youth Action Team. Starting from a discussion
led by our young people to actively going out and volunteering in
the fantastic festivals that make Leicester great.
You have all worked very hard to create this almanac and to share
your experiences with the world.
Thank you.
ng
Havi
h
g
a lau
Yasin Shabbaz
Esme Hill
Alina Khan
Neelam Okhai
Mariya Rauf
Nazeerah Hitar
Nazira Master
Mayanka Patel
Saima Hassam
Hashim Hussain
Zaiinab Bhamji
Ray Westley
Matt Turrell
Harkiran Purewal
Jameel Polli
Halima Polli
Halima Patel
Divian Patel
Kimi Parsottam
Minder Nath
Ishan Mulla
Katie Muggleton
Dan Kent
Navjit Kaur Heer
Simran Kaur
Karen Kaur
Anshta Kamanah
Zahra Jussab
Ishwary Joshi
Kailesh Ira
Fathia Ibrahim
Faisa Ibrahim
Brian Hillier
Asha Hasan
Chris Hack
John Gray
Abdul Choudhury
Humayra Bhim
Maan Bhamra
Amina Adnan
Shiqo Farah
Mohamed Dahir
Anas
Kieran Townlsey
Kacper Nowakowska
Kiran Ahmed
Zak Bhamji
Samira Garane
Sheeza Adam
Zainab Bera
Shivanghi Rani
Contributors
We would like to thank everyone involved in this project for
their support and commitment. In the beginning, the Year of
the Leicestival invited collaboration between young people
and practitioners alike, across a wide range of professional
fields, all of which strive to work alongside young people.
During this time, we have taken the opportunity to discuss
how best to shape the book you are now holding. Our ideas,
the way the book looks and its content have all derived
from such conversations throughout the year, in what has
been a busy, challenging and ultimately enjoyable piece
of work.
DeMontfort University Placement Students
Katie Taylor (3rd year Student on placement)
Donna Whitehead (3rd year Student on placement)
Jenny Griffiths (1st year Student on placement)
Shaurelle Towson (1st year Student on placement)
Volunteers
Matthew Best
Ketty Mambou
Partner Organisations
Colin Hyde (East Midlands Oral History Achive)
Ian Davies (Leicester People’s Photographic Gallery)
Festival Organisations
Maria Poon, Project Coordinator at the Chinese Community Centre
Dard, Vice President at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara
Juliette Brade, Coordinator at Leicester Caribbean Carnival Ltd
Mayur Sisodia, Centre Manager at the Shree Mandir Hindu Temple
Adam Piotrowski Food Enterprise Support Project Manager
Recipe contributors
Mr Lee (Kung Pao Chicken)
Han Dynasty Restaurant (Juling He)
Marcia Cambell (Jamaican Beef Patties)
Julie Byron (Jerk Chicken)
Mrs Parsottam (Chicken Biriyani)
Hawa Patel (Buskud Biscuits)
Kimi (Chocolate Burfi)
Abdikyfe Farah (Lemon Rice)
Mama Hague (Mince Pies)
Mama Hague (Mini Christmas Puddings)
And also
Focus Staff
Matt Lilley (Focus Director)
Joe Roughton (Focus Projects Manager)
Darren McWilliams (Leicestival Project Manager)
Experienced, written and
recorded through the
eyes of young volunteers
(aged 13 - 19yrs) from
Focus Charity’s Youth
Action
Team,
comes
a collection of stories,
photos and information,
recording the cutural
foods and festivals our
diverse city had to offer
over the course of 12
months in 2013.
Focus Charity
73 Church Gate
Leicester
LE1 3AN
Tel: 0116 251 0369
www.focus-charity.co.uk
Focus is a registered Charity No. 1068467
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