Sericaia

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Sericaia
Sericaia with characteristic cracks
Alternative namesSiricaia
Sericá
Sericá
TypeConventual sweet
Pudding
Blancmange
Custard
CourseDessert
Place of originPortugal
Region or stateElvas, Alentejo
Main ingredientsMilk, wheat flour, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest
Ingredients generally usedReine Claude Plums (stewed, as an accompaniment)
Similar dishesManjar branco, Soufflé

Sericaia is a Portuguese pudding similar to a soufflé, from Elvas, Alentejo.[1] It is often accompanied with stewed Reine Claude plums grown in the region.[2][3][4]

History

Sericaia is believed to have been influenced by Malay-Indo serikaya (and srikaya), a result of the Portuguese exploration and colonization of Portuguese Malacca in the early 1500s.[5] Serikaya, in manuscripts written in the 1600s define it as a coconut custard.[6][7][a][b]

Constantino de Bragança, governor of Goa, Portuguese India is said to have brought the seri kaya recipe back to Portugal in the 1500s where it was re-interpreted by the nuns in the convents and monasteries of Alentejo.[9] Specifically in Elvas, at the convents of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Santa Clara.[4] Cinnamon, another key ingredient in sericaia, was also brought back from Asia in 16th century.[10]

Another interpretation suggests that it was the other way around―the Portuguese sericaia influenced the creation of seri kaya, dairy milk was substituted with widely available coconut milk and bread replaced pastry.[11]

Preparation

Milk is first boiled with pieces of lemon skin and a cinnamon stick. Traditionally, flour is added to the milk similar to blancmange. In contemporary recipes, it is added to the egg yolks that is previously beaten with sugar.

The warm milk is then slowly incorporated into the egg yolk mixture and reheated until slightly thickened. The egg whites are separately beaten until stiff and folded into the custard.[12]

The batter is spooned into earthenware dishes and generously dusted with ground cinnamon to bake. Cracks that appear on the crust is characteristic of the dish.[13]

It is common to serve the dessert with stewed plums and syrup, honey, or other fruit preserve.[14][15]

  • Sericaia served with plum and syrup
    Sericaia served with plum and syrup

See also

References

  1. ^ In contemporary Malaysian cuisine, it is a confection or jam made of coconut milk, eggs, sugar and flavored with pandan leaves.[6]
  2. ^ Srikaya is also the Malaysian definition for Annona squamosa, or "custard apple", a fruit tree from the Americas introduced to Southeast Asia by the Spaniards or Portuguese.[8]
  1. ^ Anderson, Jean (6 November 2013). "Heavenly Sweets". Saveur. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ^ Fernandes, Daniel. "Sericaia". Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses (in Portuguese). Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  3. ^ St. Louis, Regis (28 March 2017). "The Alentejo: dining in Portugal's land of tradition". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b Bastos, Jorge (2 January 2022). "What to eat in Alentejo? 18 typical dishes in Alentejo". Portugal Things. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  5. ^ Ching, Lee Sook (1 March 2014). Malaysian Home Cooking: A Treasury of Authentic Malaysian Recipes. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. p. 128. ISBN 978-981-4561-72-3.
  6. ^ a b Tavares, Inês. "Sericaia: Exploring the Authenticity of a Portuguese Dessert". www.lisbon.vip. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  7. ^ Abdurachman, Paramita Rahayu (1 January 2008). Bunga Angin Portugis Di Nusantara: Jejak-Jejak Kebudayaan Portugis Di Indonesia. Yayasan Obor Indonesia. p. 171. ISBN 978-979-799-235-4. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  8. ^ Crawfurd, John (1820). History of the Indian Archipelago: Containing an Account of the Manners, Arts, Languages, Religions, Institutions, and Commerce of Its Inhabitants. A. Constable and Company. p. 431. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  9. ^ "The best Portuguese desserts (and where to try them in Lisbon)". Taste of Lisboa Food Tours. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  10. ^ Tavares, Inês. "Areias: A Portuguese Delight for the Sweet Tooth". www.lisbon.vip. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  11. ^ Silva, Melissa De (1 October 2023). Others Is Not A Race. Monsoon Books. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-915310-23-1. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Recipe for Sericaia - Traditional Portuguese Dessert". Eu Amo Portugal. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  13. ^ Rodrigues, Dominique (6 October 2019). "15 famous traditional portuguese desserts you need to taste". Villa Feria. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  14. ^ Modesto, Maria de Lourdes. "Traditional Portuguese Recipes: Sericaia (typical Alentejo cake)". www.visitportugal.com. Tourism and Hotel Business School of Lisbon. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  15. ^ Ribatejo, Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e (26 October 2018). Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants. Caminho das Palavras. p. 81. ISBN 978-989-8784-72-8. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
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