It is that time of year when having a ‘full plate’ is a good thing. A full plate called ‘kuswar’, that is. Popular among the Goan, Mangalorean and East Indian communities, this platter is laden with sweets and savouries popularly eaten during Christmas.

With more than 20 varieties of items sometimes, the ‘kuswar’ can be a gastronomic adventure – offering crisp, chewy, cakey and fudgy textures as well as nutty, sweet, sour, fruity and salty flavours. There are also a number of techniques involved – stovetop-cooking, deep frying, baking and preserving. While some families bond over preparing these treats, the practice of homemade kuswar is quite rare now.