THE YEAR OF THELEICESTIVAL

Almanac 2013

50 Volunteers

12 recipes

6 festivals

1 year

FOREWORDLeicester 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 McWilliamsLeicestival Project Manager

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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.

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LEICESTIVALFESTIVALS

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.

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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.

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: 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.”

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In 1986 when Vaisakhi was f i rst celebrated in Leicester , just 1000 people attended. Now, more than 15,000 people attend the fest ival of Vaisakhi in Leicester every year.

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Every year on the 14th April approximately 30 million Sikhs around the world celebrate Vaisakhi including, the Sikh community in Leicester.

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.

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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.”

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Vaisakhi commemorates 1699, which is the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.

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.

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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 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.

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 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.

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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: 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

Every year, approximately 1.5 billion Muslims around the world celebrate Eid

including, 61,350 from the Muslim community that reside in Leicester.

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.

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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.

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What is Diwali?

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.”

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Diwali: A young person’s account.

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.

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.

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SRed 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.

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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.

LEICESTIVALRECIPES

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.

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.

REC

IPES

Han Dynasty Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp sake or Chinese rice wine2 tbsp soy sauce2 tbsp sesame oil2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tablespoons water500g (1 1/4 lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets - diced1 to 2 tablespoons dried crushed chillies, or to taste1 tsp rice vinegar2 tsp spoon dark brown soft sugar4 spring onions, chopped6 cloves garlic, chopped1 (220g) tin water chestnuts100g (4 oz) peanuts

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Method

Combine the sake or rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour dissolved in

water. Divide mixture in half.

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.

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.

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.

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Prep30 mins

Cook30 mins

Ready in1hr

Serves4 people

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ESMr Lee’s Juling HeIngredients:

1 fish (Seabass)1 quarter of onion50g Bamboo shoot (diced in cubes) 50g Carrots (diced in cubes) 50g Sweet corn kernels (tinned or frozen)50g Frozen peas50g Pine nuts kernels 2 tbsp Cooking wine 1 tbsp Minced ginger 2 tbsp Ketchup 1 tbsp Sugar 2 tbsp White vinegar1 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

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Method

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).

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.

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

Pour the cornstarch onto a plate and dust the fish and head, removing any

excess.

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.

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!

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Prep20 mins

Cook15 mins

Ready in35 mins

Serves4 people

Mrs Singh’s Pumpkin Halwa

Ingredients

450g/1lb pumpkin, courgettes, bottle gourd or carrots550ml/1 pint milk1 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed1 tbsp sultanas2 tbsp clarified (or unsalted) butter8 tbsp sugar3 tbsp halved cashews, flaked almonds, and pistachio slivers, lightly toasted1 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)

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Method

Trim, peel and finely grate the vegetables.

Combine them with milk, cardamom and sultanas in a large non-stick frying

pan.

Heat gently and bring to a simmer, stirring occassionally.

Cook until the vegetables are tender and almost all the liquid has evaporated,

stirring frequently as the mixture thickens.

Add butter, sugar, nuts, and rosewater or screw pine essence if using, and stir

well.

Spread halwa out in a shallow pan to cool; garnish.

When cool, cut into squares and serve.

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Cook30 mins

Ready in1hr 30 mins

Serves4 people

Pav’s Guava kulfi with tropical fruit saladIngredients

For the kulfi350ml/12fl oz whole milk150ml/5fl oz double cream125/4fl oz condensed milk50g/2oz powdered milk25g/1oz caster sugar½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg800g/2lb ripe yellow-skinned guavas, trimmed and halved100ml/3fl oz water

For the fruit salad500g/1lb 4oz prepared fresh fruit - a combination of Alphonso mango, pineapple, lychee, watermelon, persimmon and starfruit works especially well2 passion fruit, pulp and seeds scraped out1 lime, juice and zest onlycaster sugar, to taste

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Method

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.

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.

Add the guava purée to the milk mixture and stir well.

Spoon the mixture into six individual kulfi moulds, jelly moulds or yoghurt

pots and freeze overnight.

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.

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Prep30 mins

Ready in30 mins

Serves4 people

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Method

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.

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.

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.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Marcia’s Jamaican Beef Patties

Ingredients

100g Plain flour1g curry powder20g margarine20g Solid vegetable fat30ml water 10g margarine180g ground beef1/2 small onion, finely diced0.6g dried thyme1/2 tsp salt3/4 tsp pepper45ml beef broth20g dry bread crumbs1 egg, beaten

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Prep50 mins

Cook30 mins

Ready in1hr 20 mins

Serves4 people

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Prep20 mins

Cook1 hour

Ready in1hr 20 mins

Serves4 people

Method

Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped

too fine as they will be liquidised by the blender.

Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make

the jerk sauce.

Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces.

Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later.

Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes (or preferably on a BBQ), turn the meat

then bake for a further 30 minutes.

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Julie’s Jerk ChickenIngredients

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. thyme2 tbsp. ground allspice8 Cloves garlic3 Medium onions2 tbsp. sugar2 tbsp. salt2 tsp. ground black pepper1-2 tsp Ground cinnamon

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1-2 tsp Nutmeg1-2 tsp Ginger1/2 cup soy sauce4 Chopped tomatoesChicken stock cube

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Abdi’s Lemon Rice

Ingredients

2cups Rice6 tbsp Oil1/2tsp Black Mustard seedsFew curry leaves3-4 green chilliesSalt to taste1/4 tsp. turmeric powder1/4 cup peanuts

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Method

Place the rice in plenty of boiling salted water and cook until soft.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter.

Add turmeric powder and peanuts, fry till brown.

Now add green chillies, curry leaves, salt and fry for 2 minutes.

Take it off from the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.

Now add this to the drained boiled rice and mix well.

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Cook20 mins

Ready in20 mins

Serves4 people

EID

REC

IPESHawa’s Buskud Biscuits

Ingredients

1¼ cups (250g) Granulated sugar5¼ cups (750g) Plain flour2 cups (454g) Unsalted butter (softened)2 Eggs (Large)1 Tbsp (15ml) Pure vanilla extract1 tsp (5ml) Salt1 Tbsp (15ml) Lemon juiceZest of 1 lemon1 Tbsp (15ml) Cocoa powdersugar

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Method

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.

Add the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, and the lemon zest. Mix on

high speed for another 5 minutes.

Lower the speed and add the flour and cocoa powder. Mix on low for a

minute, then scrape the sides. Mix for another minute.

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and lightly oil the baking sheets.

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.

If you find it difficult to use the decorating tips, then use a cookie press.

However, the cookies will not be as pretty.

Bake the cookies at 375°F/190°C for 15 to 16 minutes. Store them in an

airtight jar after they cool down.

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Prep25 mins

Cook15 mins

Ready in40 mins

Serves10 - 15 biscuits

Kimi’s Chocolate Burfi

Ingredients

For white layer (vanilla layer)

1/2 cup Plain flour1/4 cup minus 1 tsp Vanaspati/ ghee1 cup Sugar3 drops Vanilla essense

For Chocolate layer1/2 cup Plain flour1/4 cup minus 1 tsp Vanaspati/ ghee1 cup Sugar3/4 tbsp Cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Method

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.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).Now, switch off the flame and add the fried maida. Mix well to a smooth paste. Add the vanilla essence. Keep stirring.Continue until the mixture gets thick. Pour in a greased tray.Level with a flat ladle. Let it be thin as we are going make it 2 layered.Now follow the same process of heating ghee, add flour and mix well. Now add cocoa powder to it. Mix well and keep aside.Prepare sugar syrup for one string consistency same as step 2 and add the coco mixture to it. Mix well off the heat.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.

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Prep20 mins

Cook20 mins

Ready in40 mins

Serves12 people

Ingredients

200g/7¼oz basmati rice1 tsp salt2 tbsp vegetable oil8 shallots, chopped2 medium onions, chopped4 garlic cloves, finely chopped2 tsp fresh root ginger, grated6 chicken breast fillets or 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced into strips1 tsp chilli powder1 tsp ground cumin2 tsp ground coriander½ tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp ground turmeric

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Method

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.

Drain the rice and place in a pan with enough cold water to come about

2cm/¾inch above the top of the rice.

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.

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.

Add the chicken and stir fry for four minutes.

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).

Place over a very low heat and cook for ten minutes.

Remove from the heat and leave to rest for five minutes.

Serve large spoonfuls garnished with the reserved shallot and onion

mixture.

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Mrs Parsottam’s Chicken BiriyaniPrep

30 mins to 1 hr

Cook30 mins to 1hr

Ready in1 to 2hrs

Serves4 people

generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg¾ cup plain yoghurt2 tsp caster sugar4 or 5 handfuls raisins½ tbsp Garam masala

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Ingredients

350g/12oz high quality mincemeat, preferably homemade200g/7oz plain flour, sifted40g/1½oz golden caster sugar75g/2¾oz ground almonds125g/4½oz unsalted butter, diced1 large free-range egg beatenMilk, to glaze

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Method

Lightly butter a 12-hole pie tin. Tip the mincemeat into a bowl and stir so

that the liquid is evenly distributed.

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.)

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.

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.

Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack

and serve warm.

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Mama Hagues Mince Pies

Prep1hr

Cook20 mins

Ready in1hr 20 mins

Serves12 pies

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Ingredients

A little butter, for greasingA little icing sugar, for dustingFor the pudding baseZest of 1 orange100g grated carrots50g treacle200g breadcrumbs200g plain flour250g vegetarian suet2 large eggs, lightly beaten200ml stout250g light muscovado sugar400g raisins, sultanas or currants, or a mixture

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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)

Optional

100g almonds, pecans, walnuts, chopped (or 1 tbsp per pud)

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Prep1hr

Cook1hr 40 mins

Ready in2hrs 40 mins

Serves8 pies

Method

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.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).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.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.

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Mama Hague’s Mini Christmas Puddings

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EYWhen 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.

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.

Fathia

Having a laugh

Darren our Project Manager

Training @ Whitemoor Lakes

Amina reporting on Vai

sakhi

Vaisakhi ParadePlanning our roles

Reporting at the carnival

Han Dynasty Restaurant

Learning to cook

Maan @ the Caribbean Carnival

Getting the banners up

Finding the perfect

shot

Lending a helping hand

Say cheese

Planning for a festival

Collecting donationsDon’t forget to smile

Taking a break

Tailoring the head dress

Training @ Whitemoor Lakes

Cheeky selfie

Reaching for t

he stars

Training complete

Teamwork

Having a laugh

Planning for a festival

Collecting donations

Taking a break

Reaching for t

he stars

With thanks to our Youth Action Team

Yasin ShabbazEsme HillAlina KhanNeelam OkhaiMariya RaufNazeerah HitarNazira MasterMayanka PatelSaima HassamHashim HussainZaiinab BhamjiRay WestleyMatt TurrellHarkiran PurewalJameel PolliHalima PolliHalima PatelDivian PatelKimi ParsottamMinder NathIshan MullaKatie MuggletonDan KentNavjit Kaur HeerSimran Kaur

Karen KaurAnshta KamanahZahra JussabIshwary JoshiKailesh IraFathia IbrahimFaisa IbrahimBrian HillierAsha HasanChris HackJohn GrayAbdul ChoudhuryHumayra BhimMaan BhamraAmina AdnanShiqo FarahMohamed DahirAnasKieran TownlseyKacper NowakowskaKiran AhmedZak BhamjiSamira GaraneSheeza AdamZainab BeraShivanghi Rani

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.

ContributorsWe 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 StudentsKatie 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)

VolunteersMatthew BestKetty Mambou

Partner OrganisationsColin Hyde (East Midlands Oral History Achive)Ian Davies (Leicester People’s Photographic Gallery)

Festival OrganisationsMaria Poon, Project Coordinator at the Chinese Community CentreDard, Vice President at the Guru Nanak GurdwaraJuliette Brade, Coordinator at Leicester Caribbean Carnival LtdMayur Sisodia, Centre Manager at the Shree Mandir Hindu TempleAdam Piotrowski Food Enterprise Support Project Manager

Recipe contributorsMr 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)

Focus Charity73 Church Gate

LeicesterLE1 3AN

Tel: 0116 251 0369www.focus-charity.co.uk

Focus is a registered Charity No. 1068467

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.

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