Lifestyle /
Thanksgiving: The South Asian Way
Add A South Asian Touch To The Festival Of Giving
Americans are marking the annual Thanksgiving holiday today with family gatherings, bountiful meals, festive parades and bargain shopping. Why not give your thanksgiving a South Asian touch? You need not roast an entire head of a cauliflower to call it a South Asian Thanksgiving, but you can personalize and customize it by adding more colourful decorations and touches to your dining room and dinner.
Turkey Biryani
You need not buy an entire turkey to enjoy this meal. Its ideal for a small gathering and brings lots of flavour to your table.
This recipe can be used as both the main meal for Thanksgiving or as leftovers the next day.
Ingredients:
2 Turkey Legs
¼ cup plain yogurt
Salt to taste
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
Masala mix
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon chili powder
2 cups best-quality basmati rice
6 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter or vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced in 1/8 inch half-moons
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups turkey or chicken broth
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods
1 2-inch stick cinnamon
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Directions:
1) Roast and season turkey legs with salt and roast for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove skin and bones and then chop the meat into roughly 1-in pieces. If you are using leftover turkey, simply chop it up.
2) In a bowl, combine yogurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala, turmeric, and chilli powder and salt. Add marinade to the turkey meat and let it marinade for at least thirty minutes. You can keep it in the fridge for longer to make the turkey more juicy and delectable.
3) Wash and rinse the rice with cold water.
4) Melt ghee in a Dutch oven and fry onions until they are caramelized. While reserving some of the onions for later, return half of them back into the pan. Add the turkey mixture and let it fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, add tomato paste and stir to combine. Finally, add 1 cup of broth and bring it to a simmer. Finally add 3 cups of broth and then add peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.
5) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Add the drained rice to the mixture. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Top the rice with reserved onions. Cover with a tight lid and let it cook for 20 minutes. Remove and let it rest for ten minutes.
6) Serve with a side of cucumber raita.
Thanksgiving Wreath
Collect your mom’s crotchet and create an Indian style wreath for Thanksgiving.
You can make your own wreath representing the fall colours reflecting the colours of the trees including orange, green, and red.
Table Runner
You can add an Indian touch to the table runner on the dining table.
With the colours reflecting scenery in an Indian forest.
Nowadays you can get table runners reflecting all different types of Indian handicraft and designs with the gorgeous red and gold colours, which will only accentuate your Thanksgiving dinner.
Bronze Lattice Candle Votive
Use Candles to fill in as centrepieces, this will make your Thanksgiving guests wowed with its elegant simplicity and will fill a long table. Present your candles in the most extraordinary and elegant way by placing them in this beautiful Bronze Lattice Candle Votive.
The intricate floral design, set in the rich bronze finish, gives this votive an ethnic touch.
By using a collection of candles, they can be transformed into a festive centerpiece fit for any weather, especially to honour the festival of Thanksgiving. You can use tablescape to impress your guests.
Features image: extranews
Other images courtesy of the retailers
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