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The warm mewa pulao is perfect to beat the winter chill. There are pulaos and pulaos. To begin with, there are the non-vegetarian pulaos that can be prepared with mutton or chicken or even fish and prawn. Then there are the vegetarian delicacies that go by many names - zeera, peas or navaratan (that translates as a mixed seasonal vegetable pilaf.) The most exotic and expensive, of course, is the gucchhi pulao prepared with aromatic dried morels from the Vale of Kashmir.

There are practitioners of the culinary craft who try to palm off vegetarian pulao as biryani substituting kathal for flesh, fowl or fish. To be honest, one has long been pining for something different.

Pulao yes, but the staple fare that has jaded the palate, certainly no. Spare us, the makhana-shakhana, khumbh and kabuli channa and please let us not confuse the tahri or khichdi with the pulao. There are also sweet pulaos like zarda and muzaffars, incorporating saffron and fruits. We were delighted when recently our good friend treated us to mewa pulao.Our other Kashmiri friends dispute that this is an authentic recipe but we are not complaining. The stuff is refreshingly different and tastes good. The warm pulao is perfect for this cold and chilli weather. Dried fruits and nuts, as everyone knows are tonic restoratives, just what the doctor prescribes for the shishir ritu. Ingredients:Basmati rice (soak in water for 30 minutes): 400 gm                           Raisins: 50 gm Cashew nuts: 50 gm                                                                              Almonds: 50 gm Sultanas: 50 gm                                                                                     Green cardamom: 4-6 Green cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp                                                         Lemon juice: 2 tbsp Ginger piece (juliennes): ½ inch                                                          Onions (fried & golden brown): 2 tsp Ghee/clarified butter:  2 tbsp                                                                Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp Garlic (paste, strain): ½ tsp                                                                  Ginger (paste, strain): ½ tsp Kewra jal: one tsp                                                                                A few strands of saffron Salt to taste Potli Masala:
Black cardamom: 4-5
Cloves: 3-4
Cinnamon sticks (1 inch long):  two
Bay leaves: twoMethod:1.     To make the Potli put both the ingredients in a mortar and pound with a pestle to break the spices, fold in a piece of muslin and secure with enough string for it to hang over the rim of the pan. 2.     Lightly fry the mewa in hot ghee.3.     Remove and drain.4.     Boil water in pan, add rice and cook till done nine tenths. 5.     Heat ghee in a pan.6.     Add onions and stir over medium heat until translucent, then add the garlic and ginger paste, stir until the moisture evaporates. 7.     Now add the fried mewa along with the liquor, bring to a boil, remove, add the half of lemon juice and cardamom powder. 8.     Stir and adjust the seasoning.9.     Now boil six cups of water in a pan, add green cardamom and salt, stir, add rice, bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, add the remaining lemon juice and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until nine-tenths cooked.10. Drain, and keep aside.11. Add the ginger juliennes, green chillies, coriander and saffron soaked in Kewra jal on the rice. 12. Spread the fried onions evenly, place a moist cloth on top, cover with lid and seal with dough. Now cook until steam starts seeping out of the dough. Remove and keep aside.13. Serve hot.

In most of the countries of the Commonwealth, the day after Christmas is observed as THE BOXING DAY. A public holiday in most of the counties, it originated as day of giving gifts to employees and poor people.  The public holiday is recognised in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations. It has sporting traditions; especially fox hunting and the famous Boxing Day round in the English Premier League, and is the day when stores launch the most significant sales period in the retail cycle.

 In Great Britain there are two interesting traditions of Boxing Day and Christmas Crackers. Boxing Day takes its name from the ancient practice of opening boxes that contained money given to those who had given their service during the year. It was also the day when alms boxes, placed in churches on Christmas Day, were opened. The money was then given to the priest or used to help the poor and needy. Another name for Boxing Day used to be Offering Day. The earliest boxes of all were not box shaped, as you might imagine, nor were they made of wood. They were, in fact, earthenware containers with a slit in the top (rather like piggy banks.) These earthenware ‘boxes’ were used by the Romans for collecting money to help pay for the festivities at the winter Saturnalia celebrations

During the seventeenth century it became the custom for apprentices to ask their master’s customers for money at Christmas time. They collected this money in earthenware containers, which could be opened only by being smashed, and on Boxing Day the apprentices would eagerly have a ‘smashing time’, hence the expression, seeing how much they had collected.

A later tradition, and the one which has survived to this day, was the distribution of Christmas ‘boxes’, gifts of money to people who had provided services throughout the year – the postman, the lamp-lighter, parish beadles, parish watchmen, dustmen and turn-cocks – which happened on the day after Christmas Day.Boxing Day officially began in England in the middle of the 19 century under the rule of Queen Victoria. However, many adults and children do not know the true meaning of Boxing Day and its reasons for celebrating. It was a day to thank the community for all their effort throughout the years. The maids, drivers and other service workers were thanked with gifts of food, money, clothing, and other goods. It is important to teach students how they can contribute to society and to understand not all families are able to provide for their families all of the time.As well, the discussion on the origin and history of Boxing Day can open dialogue about less fortunate individuals in the community and how the students can make a difference. Students may do a viable proposal on how their class or a group of students can provide a service or gift to other families or students in the community who are less fortunate.Lastly, Americans do not celebrate Boxing Day but the slaves were given their goods on December 26th for the Masters to show their appreciation. Most slaves were given a few days off to celebrate the holiday season with their families. This is a great discussion on how the season 

of Christmas brought all class levels together and for a quick moment. Students could write a report on how they would feel celebrating Christmas with their Masters and why Masters even bothered to share the holiday season with their slaves.

Allow the dialogue on Boxing Day open other discussions on students feeling singled out or less fortunate than other students in the school or community

A Christmas box is, in English tradition, a clay box used in artisan shops. Apprentices, masters, visitors, customers, and others would put donations of money into the box, like a piggy bank and then, after Christmas, the box would be shattered and all the contents shared among the workers of the shop. Thus, masters and customers could donate bonuses to the workers without anything direct, and the employees could average their wages. The habit of breaking the Christmas box lent its name to Boxing Day. The term “Christmas box” now refers generally to a gift or pay bonus given to workers.India vice-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni obliquely admitted that his team will be going into the Boxing Day (Dec 26) Test match against Australia rather ill-prepared if they are looking to end the hosts’ 14-Test winning streak.