Flippin’ the Bird

Posted on by

seattle.jpgI am quite sure many of you macacas have had some version of this experience, recounted by Mukta Tripathi of the Napa Valley Register:

During my first fall in the United States, someone asked me what Indians do for Thanksgiving.

Faced with this sort of inquiry, there are three basic approaches you can take.

1) A thorough, sensitive explanation that Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday unfamiliar to desis-from-desiland or any foreigners for that matter, augmented if you care to, by a description of meals consumed at holidays of the desi tradition of your choice, and if you need to, by a patient clarification that you are not one of those other Indians, you know, like that nice lady Pocahontas;

2) A petulant riposte that you are, by birth or longstanding residence, as American as the questioner, and how dare they suggest you would mark Thanksgiving any differently than they;

3) Simply invite the questioner to sit down with you and get your eat on.

My personal preference goes to option 3, as does Tripathi’s, who contributes in that spirit a menu of desified Thanksgiving delights:

I have put together a list of dishes using some traditional American Thanksgiving ingredients: green beans, pumpkin, turnips, potatoes and even cranberries. The sweet and sour pumpkin dish and the turnip, tomato and pea curry can be served with rice pilaf or rolled in a flour tortilla or flatbread as a wrap. I can guarantee that your vegetarian friends will be happy with these alternatives to turkey, and even the non-vegetarians may be inspired by these recipes.

They include Sweet and Sour Pumpkin with Indian Five Spices, Turnip Tomato and Peas Curry, Rice Pilaf; and Ginger and Cranberry Chutney with Five Spices.

You will have noticed that one key item is missing: the turkey. That’s fine if you’re vegetarian — you get to avoid the chore of preparing this fundamentally boring bird in a way that’s fit to eat — but if you or your guests are not, and unless you splurge for a partridge or goose, you need to deal with the problem. That’s where restaurateurs like Qudrat Syed of Chicago come in. He’ll desify your gobbler for a fee:

For $75, Syed took Motamen’s store-bought bird and gave him back a tandoori turkey with biryani, a vegetable-laden rice dish, and Motamen got to keep his own kitchen clean. “It was really different and really good,” said Motamen, who plans to do it again this year.

Another alternative is to outsource not just the cooking but also the cleaning and decor by taking your little tribe of macacas to a restaurant. In Washington, for example:

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in India, but Rasika (633 D St. NW; 202/637-1222) and the Bombay Club (815 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202/659-3727) are adding tandoori turkey to their a la carte menus on Nov. 23 for $15.50 and $14.95.

Or on Long Island:

The Curry Club, an Indian restaurant in East Setauket (751-4845), is contributing the turkey chandni ($9.95), or boneless chunks of fresh turkey breast marinated overnight in sour cream, black pepper and other fresh-ground spices, cooked with red onions, tomatoes, chopped garlic and ginger, and turkey vindalu ($9.95), a dish for spice lovers who crave hot curry. It is cooked with potatoes, tamarind and vinegar as well as spices.

Still, call me –gasp– American, but I just don’t like the idea of feasting at a commercial establishment. Fortunately there are some home solutions to be thankful for. The Seattle Times visits Stuti and Anu Garg of Woodinville, Wash.:

So when she arrived in this country from Mumbai (Bombay) with her parents in 1989 to study, she took a natural liking to Thanksgiving, a holiday that centers so heavily on food, family and togetherness.

“It’s a time to share our food and our memories,” said Garg, 35. She stood in her kitchen amid the scent of simmering Raajma Royale, a kidney bean, onion and tomato dish similar to American-style chili that she likes to bring to potlucks. On her counters sit tins holding curry leaves, turmeric, cumin. Bags of lentils in different colors line her pantry. In her nearly two decades in the United States, it’s become increasingly easier to find her ingredients just about everywhere, she said.

The website Sub Rosa, which Abhi linked to last year, suggests:

Pumpkin pie leads the way to India – nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and baked pumpkin. If you know your Indian food, you instantly recognize these as staples in the Indian kitchen and key ingredients in your mom’s favorite pumpkin pie.

So you jack that up with crystalized ginger and a cardamon whipped cream and you are sailing straight towards Kerala, a province at the tip of India. Cumin rub on the bird; stuffing with dried fruits and cinnamon; Horseradish mashed potatoes; Cranberry chutneys gone to Bombay and back all help turn your American standards into East Indian delicacies.

Finally Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff brings us full circle. Apparently faced with having to feed a posse of Western, fake-meat and seitan-lovin’ vegetarians, she flips the script altogether and concocts a meal that mixes the flavaz of Desiland with those of them other Injuns. This results in dishes like her Savory Pueblo Pie with Spcies of India:

For the main Thanksgiving entrée, many of my vegetarian friends struggle to make a mock turkey with soy or seitan (wheat gluten protein) or end up buying the frozen “unturkey.” Many of these products are healthy and tasty, but being a lifelong vegetarian, I do not have a need for fake meat, so I usually make a main dish that is substantial, such as a casserole. This year, I decided to make a main entrée that is a fusion between Native American food and Indian spicy cuisine. This pie does not need any crust. Instead, cooked polenta and cornmeal are layered on a filling that is fuss-free and nutritious.

If you’re still hungry, here’s Abhi’s 2004 Thanksgiving post, Abhi’s 2005 post, and some gratuitous Tofurky pr0n from Manish. I’ll see you around the virtual dinner table. Feel free to bring a few bottles of pinot noir, it helps the turkey go down right. Gobble Gobble Y’All!

99 thoughts on “Flippin’ the Bird”

  2. Anyone want to meet me at a Chinese restaurant tomorrow?

    Only if its the Wok-22 with plastic icicle lights and fake Santa already up in the window. Wahoo for coming from a family of desi doctors who are all on call because the American doctors actually celebrate this holiday and don’t want to be at the hospital.

    Not that I’m bitter or anything, the Friday after always helps my TG blues.

  3. @ # 26

    Jane of All trades:

    May I please have the complete recipe? You sound like some one who knows what she is doing 🙂

    thanks

  4. Siddhartha’s website hasn’t been working for at least a month now. Maybe Mr Kobayashi’s atheism finally got to our Ill Hindu?

    “I’ll be back.” There’ve been some temporary techical/financial difficulties plus I’ve had a lot going on. Actually, if there’s anyone out there who could help me with a quick and easy redesign, please give me a holler. I can give you clear specs, even complete wireframes, I just need some design help. I might be able to pay a small/symbolic fee.

  5. JOAT, How much are you charging at the door for an invitation for your awesome-sounding (and probably, awesome tasting) turkey? 😉

    Unfortunately I am not making it this year. I really didnt have any takers. Next time I make it you are welcome to come eat it for free, no charge 🙂

    Jane of All trades: May I please have the complete recipe? You sound like some one who knows what she is doing 🙂

    Cliff give me 10, I’ll repost with the combined recipes (Martha & Me) in a proper format 🙂

  7. shruti sez:

    If you want more substance in the base (which will make the dish less dry), add chopped tomatoes, coriander and cumin to the onion as you’re browning it.

    Also, if you want to get rid of the sliminess completely, and add a bit of freshness to the thingy, don’t add the chopped tomatoes like above, but added fresh chopped tomatoes, and yoghurt after the sanji is done. Kinda like an okra sabji-raita. Yummy.

  8. Speaking of kaddu, there’s a memorable bit in a Bharati Mukherjee story (I think “The Lady from Lucknow”), where someone is hosting a university exchange student from Pakistan for Thanksgiving dinner. The student makes a comment like, “The idea of pumpkin as sweet is repulsive. We are eating it as vegetable only.” I always think of this story when eating pumpkin pie now.

  9. We did the whole sh’bang: turkey, stuffing, giblet gravy (yes, from boiled vertebrae and drippings), mashed potatoes, yams/sweet potatoes, buttered corn, buttered peas, buttered rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Oh, and a separate dish of stuffing for my vegetarian father. Until called to dinner, he’d stay upstairs to avoid the sacrilegious smell of meat.

    This was all special, only for the holiday and a few weeks of leftovers. We didn’t see a reason to make it like the food we ate the rest of the year.

    Though now that I think about it, there were some poppy seeds in the yams.

  10. And, from mallu-land, mathanga erissery.

    what a bad ass name Venu!!!

    MATHHANGAAA!! Main tujhe bhoon daloonga which… I suppose translates to … Pumpkin! I will roast you.

    maTTHANGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! there tukray thukray kar doonga. which… translates to … Pumpkin!! I will cut you up.

    I think I’m going to be known henceforth as MATHANGAA!!! Say it and quake!! ( shake and gel in a flat baking dish)

  11. I think I’m going to be known henceforth as MATHANGAA!!! Say it and quake!! ( shake and gel in a flat baking dish)

    😀

    Minor correction before you adopt the name, hairy_d. I think it would be more correctly transliterated as “Mathangya”. In my opinion it sounds even more bad-ass that way.

  12. JOAT,

    Thanks………still waiting on the recipe (stomping feet restlessly like Homer Simpson) 🙂

  14. Thanks,

    It is pretty straight forward. I will let you know tomorrow how it turned up. If good then- I am the champion else be in the dog house 🙂

    Cliff

  15. It is pretty straight forward.

    It really is a simple recipe. If you’ve cooked a turkey before you will be fine. The problem is never with the actual recipe which can be simple to complex but usually people can’t figure out the cooking time and temperature thing and that is where most of the screwups happen. Take pictures 🙂

  16. The Seattle Times visits Stuti and Anu Garg of Woodinville, Wash.:

    Is that THE Stuti Garg of Namix and Anu Garg of A.word.a.day (and a unicyclist)? An awesome couple (although I don’t know them personally).

  17. Kumro aar Peyaj Kolir Chhechki (Pumpkin & Scallion Stir Fry)

    Pumpkin: Cut into desired size. No bigger than 1square inch
    Scallion: Separate the white part and slice lengthwise. Chop the green parts to size. Oil Kancha Lonka, slit ends. Kalonji Salt Sugar: Ghee/Butter optional Non stick skillet

    Heat oil to almost smoking. Add Kancha & Kalonji. It should sputter. Add the sliced white scallion and stir once. Add the Pumpkin pieces and stir Add the salt and sugar. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
    Add the scallion greens and stir. Cook another 5 minutes. Add Ghee/Butter. Check taste. Add salt and sugar if needed.

  19. Add Ghee/Butter. Check taste. Add salt and sugar if needed

    Pritha.. is there an alternative to ghee/butter. Do you think olive oi would work? it doesnt work for some dishes that need a certain aroma so i thought i’d ask.

    what is kalonji btw? and

    Thus spake the mathannngYAAA!!

  20. ‘Do they put Benzoic acid in everything’ my aunt wanted to know. “No its must be what wild animals smell like when cooked.” Someone said the turkey was fermenting. Even the dogs wouldn’t eat it… We had everyone gnawing on the bones. Last week my uncle promised to make it the same way at his house this year but I’m not sure he wont put rosewater in it.

    very funny and very talented writing. you sure you dont have a blog rasudha? 🙂

  21. JoaT,

    Unfortunately I am not making it this year. I really didnt have any takers.

    Well, that’s a shame, seeing as you appear to be one of SM’s Gangsters of Gastronomy (Manju being the other one, due to his sushi expertise). Maybe it’s a factor of how you “sell” your menu. As follows:

    The dish consists of a veritable supermodel of a turkey, tantalisingly massaged with Indian red chilli pepper & mint all over its glistening brown body. Note the tattoo of cloves, revealing that this bird is not afraid to throw caution to the winds and be as unconventional as possible for the Thanksgiving season, tradition and respectability be damned. Drool over the lemon, thyme, basil, mint, bay leave and kadipatta stuffing which awaits those finally permitted entrance to the Garden of Eden…..Fantasize over the chopped carrots and celery coquettishly reclining on the pan as though it were a silk-draped four-poster bed in a courtesan’s royal quarters, a lavish boudoir of spicy garam masala and chilli powder aching to explode passionately upon the quivering lips of the waiting connoisseur…..Lose your senses in the allure of the California Chardonnay wine drizzled over the pan, by now an unbridled symphony of frenzied piquant delight…..Gasp in scandalised surprise at the threeway of brown sugar, cinnamon and – once again – that lascivious harlot red chilli shamelessly fondling the luxuriant surface of the turkey, nuzzling the skin without discretion or restraint yet simultaneously beckoning you to join in the banquet of oral debauchery.

    And then Angelina Jolie strides into the kitchen wearing a chef’s hat and starts doing suggestive things to the turkey with an extremely long carving knife.

    You see ? If you want to sell a dish, that’s how you do it. Amateurs 🙂

  23. AlMfD, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in Britain. As far as I know, it’s solely an American holiday.

  24. How do they celebrate Thanksgiving in England?

    They give thanks that the War of 1812 never became anything more than the War of 1812.

    Which reminds me of this dialogue:

    J. Russell Finch: You want me to tell you something? As far as I’m concerned the whole British race is practically finished. If it hadn’t been for lend-lease. If we hadn’t have kept your whole country afloat by giving you billions that you never even said “Thank you” for, the whole phony outfit would be sunk right under the Atlantic years ago. [Hawthorne screeches to a stop] J. Russell Finch: What are you stopping for? J. Algernon Hawthorne: Get out of this machine. J. Russell Finch: Get out? You can’t… J. Algernon Hawthorne: It’s my machine, I will do as I bloody well please. Out! J. Russell Finch: I’m awfully sorry. I’ve been very edgy today and if I said anything about England, I apologize. J. Algernon Hawthorne: Glad to hear you say so.

    ….

    J. Algernon Hawthorne: I must say that if I had the grievous misfortune to be a citizen of this benighted country, I should be the most hesitant of offering any criticism whatever of any other. J. Russell Finch: Wait a minute, are you knocking this country? Are you saying something against America? J. Algernon Hawthorne: Against it? I should be positively astounded to hear anything that could be said FOR it. Why the whole bloody place is the most unspeakable matriarchy in the whole history of civilization! Look at yourself! The way your wife and her strumpet of a mother push you through the hoop! As far as I can see, American men have been totally emasculated- they’re like slaves! They die like flies from coronary thrombosis while their women sit under hairdryers eating chocolates & arranging for every 2nd Tuesday to be some sort of Mother’s Day! And this infantile preoccupation with bosoms. In all time in this Godforsaken country, the one thing that has appalled me most of all this this prepostrous preoccupation with bosoms. Don’t you realize they have become the dominant theme in American culture: in literature, advertising and all fields of entertainment and everything. I’ll wager you anything you like that if American women stopped wearing brassieres, your whole national economy would collapse overnight.

  25. “A thorough, sensitive explanation that Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday…”

    Hey! What about us Canadians. It’s not celebrating the slaughter of the indigenous people and their culture, but we have Thanksgiving nonetheless.

  26. hairy_D on November 23, 2006 07:06 AM · Direct link Add Ghee/Butter. Check taste. Add salt and sugar if needed Pritha.. is there an alternative to ghee/butter. Do you think olive oi would work? it doesnt work for some dishes that need a certain aroma so i thought i’d ask. what is kalonji btw? and Thus spake the mathannngYAAA!!

    hairy_D:

    the ghee/butter is for aroma and flavor–you can do without, no worries. Kalongi menas nigella seeds–interestingly enough there is great debate about kalongi as the word means kala jeera, which it isn’t. It’s not related to the cumin family. Nigella seeds are often used in Mediterranean cookery (sprinkled on breads, etc.) and in Bengal, we use it for breads, fried pastries and chheckis (quickly sauteed veg. dishes) including a tasty one made with potatoes meant to be eaten with lucchi.

    Good Luck!

  27. DJ Drrrty Poonjabi on November 23, 2006 06:33 AM · Direct link I’ve had enough of this “desified” Thanksgiving nonsense, I want something “Americanized” and ready to kick some ass! I’ve got three words for all of those vegetarians out there: BACON. COATED. TURDUCKEN! Mmmm…now that’s some real ‘Merican cuisine I can be thankful for.

    DJDP:

    I’ll be making Sauteed Brussel Sprouts with Shallots, Bacon, Capers and Roasted fingerling Potatoes because of you.

    Oink.

  28. AlMfD, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in Britain. As far as I know, it’s solely an American holiday.

    Jai: I was kidding with you. I am well aware of the fact that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in the UK. I was playing on this comment:

    During my first fall in the United States, someone asked me what Indians do for Thanksgiving.

    Btw, Thanksgiving is also celebrated by the Canadians on the second Monday in October.

  29. You see ? If you want to sell a dish, thatÂ’s how you do it. Amateurs 🙂

    OMG Jai I have never been so turned on by a turkey! From now on anytime I have to send out invitations to events/parties you will be my first consultant. That was brilliant. All the more reason for you to write a blog man. Pickled Politics isn’t doing enough for you.

  30. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I can take credit for being the one to bring/force this holiday into our home, sometime back in 1st grade or something…my mom tried to fool me that year by making chicken instead of turkey, but I was on to her. After that year, we switched over to my mama ji (mom’s brother’s) house and that’s been the tradition ever since. It’s always a traditional American meal, turkey and all, with no desi influence whatsoever…but it’s been great reading how some of you desify your holiday. Enjoy! And JOAT…sounds like a super recipe. Jai, that was hilarious.

  31. JoaT & Amitabh,

    Thanks for your responses 😉 You’ve gotta love how I can turn a description of pretty much any situation into fake-erotica and (even better) somehow always find a way to work Angelina Jolie into the scenario !

    I guess I was inspired by the more pretentions high-end menus that are around. Also, Tom Parker-Bowles (Camilla’s son/Prince Charles’ stepson) is a renowned foodie in the UK (he has his own book too) and he writes absolutely brilliant articles in some British newspapers which are really entertaining — sort of along the same lines as above (not as lascivious, obviously, but very funny and imaginative). I was basically inspired by his writing style too — it always puts a grin on my face.

    My own blog ? Interesting idea…..Not sure if the world is ready for that yet, though 🙂

    Nigella seeds are often used in Mediterranean cookery

    Since someone has mentioned the name “Nigella”, here’s a completely gratuitous link to famous British chef (and daughter of a previous politician) and all-round hottie Nigella Lawson. The article includes a link to her own website too. She occasionally has her own show on British television — I think it’s also been syndicated in the US — and I remember she was on Letterman or Jay Leno a couple of years ago where the host got a little too excited by her and ended up saying “My wife’s gonna kill me !”.

    People have described Nigella’s presenting style as “Gastro-porn”, which ties in nicely with this thread and of course my post #73.

    AlMfD,

    Btw, Thanksgiving is also celebrated by the Canadians on the second Monday in October.

    That’s really interesting, I had no idea about that. I thought only the US celebrated it.

  33. Nigella Lawson…yummy!

    Hey stupid question, what does Wegetarian mean? Nothing came up on google.

  34. Hey stupid question, what does Wegetarian mean? Nothing came up on google.

    It’s just a joke. Many South Asians can‘t pronounce “V.” It comes across sounding like a “W” instead.

  35. …Many South Asians can can’t pronounce “V.” It comes across sounding like a “W” instead.

  36. I remember she was on Letterman or Jay Leno a couple of years ago where the host got a little too excited by her and ended up saying “My wife’s gonna kill me !”.

    Jai, do Dave and Jay have a big audience in the UK? How about Conan?

  37. Thanks SM Intern! So sorry your heartless bosses make you work on a holiday. I kinda figured it was a pronunciation joke, but i’m so behind the curve with my knowledge of restrictive eating – vegans, fishtarians, eggetarians that I thought I had missed the latest wave. my ignorance is culinary bliss.

  38. JOAT,

    The turkey turned out to be kick ass !! I honestly think it could have used another 30 minutes of cooking. Everybody loved it. I deviated from the recipe a little bit, though. Details later with pictures….

    Cliff

  41. It’s just a joke. Many South Asians can’t pronounce “V.” It comes across sounding like a “W” instead.

    South Asians will switch the v and w in their pronounciation.

    Instead of “whatever” a desi with an accent will say “vatewer”.

    I don’t know mayne, it’s just how we do.

  42. Nigella Lawson…yummy!

    Yeah, she’s pretty famous for it here in the UK. Her presenting style is all dark flashing eyes, posh English voiceover, closeups of her licking her fingers etc etc.

    Amitabh,

    Jai, do Dave and Jay have a big audience in the UK? How about Conan?

    Letterman was huge in the UK during the 90s when his show was broadcast on one of the main terrestrial British television channels. It’s now on a more obscure satellite/cable channel so I guess the viewership isn’t as large, but he’s generally pretty well-known. Jay Leno and Conan’s shows are both broadcast on the CNBC channel, so are familiar to those with access to satellite TV. However, these days, Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show is extremely popular in Britain.

    Nigella-wise, here’s her first (notorious) appearance on the Letterman show, when ol’ Dave became more than a little flustered by her. It’s really funny. Some more examples of her TV appearances are on the right-hand-side of the screen.

  44. AlMfD,

    What about the Colbert Report?

    Not to anywhere near the same extent, as far as I know. Jon Stewart’s the big mang on campus around here.

    PS — I just supplied lashings and lashings of Nigella, and you picked up on my remark about The Daily Show instead ?! Not so much with the “Debauchery” in reality, eh — all talk and no patloons.

    kidding

  45. Jai, Nigella is HOT! Her picture in the wikipedia entry doesn’t do her justice. I got flustered myself watching her on the youtube clip.

  47. Amitabh, I told you she’s gorgeous ! You have to check out the other Youtube clips, along with some of the links at the bottom of the Wikipedia page I originally linked to, including her own website. Here’s a sample picfrom her homepage’s gallery.

    Note her date of birth. Unbelievable, isn’t it — she really is that hot in real life.

  48. Hey JOAT,

    I am still recovering from the thanksgiving and the long weekend hangover. As I mentioned, the turkey turned out awesome. Did not follow your recipe verbatim, made my own improvisations, but used the general guideline that you provided.

    -Brined the turkey overnight with pepper corns, bayleaf, cinnamon and cloves. Curry leaves could be added but I thought it might be a conflicting flavor with bayleaf. -Used Olive oil instead of butter. -I had a 14lb bird. did 400F for the first hour and 350F for the next 3 hours. I figured my oven was a little on the larger side for a small bird. -Did use up 3/4 bottle of chardonnay, which helped an awesome gravy. Spiced up the gravy with crushed pepper corns, mint leaves and additional garlic. – Used the Carrots and celery on which the turkey rested as a side dish. I had most of it as nobody really cared much for it. – Used lime, mint, curry leaves in the pouch inside which really added to the flavor of the meat. – Massaged the rub ( marinade) into the meat for a good 30 minutes. – Used a aluminum foil to cover the breast while cooking, but the cheese cloth is a better idea. – for the final glaze ( applied 15 minutes before taking out of oven), I used brown sugar, chilli powder, lime juice and a little salt. Gave it a nice light golden hue.

    This is my first venture at cooking the turkey ever. My wife made Cranberry chutney, Stuffing, Green beans casserole, and Sweet potato pie. We invited a few friends to share this “experiment” and they were pleasantly surprised. Ofcourse, we liquored them up thoroughly before the meal…..naah,just kidding!!!. I enjoyed my annual indulgence in high end Scotch, though. My 4 year old “minicaca” dropped the digital camera and broke it a few days back, I had to use the good ole’ “phillum” camera to take the pictures, so please gimme a few days before I can post the pictures on Flickr. Did take some “still” photos on our Sony “miniDVDcam”, but the pictures are not the best quality. I need to invest in a good digital camera….

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    Cliff.

  49. Cliff I’m so excited and really happy things turned out well. It’s a simple recipe and leaves a lot of room for personal interpretation according to personal taste. Glad you made the best of it. Can’t wait to see the pictures.