How to cook a Thanksgiving meal with an Indian Inspired menu?

One of the biggest celebrations in the American calendar, where food plays a major role is the Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a US holiday that takes place on the fourth Thursday in November. This year, celebrate it with an awesome Indian inspired menu.

My First Thanksgiving Dinner

It’s been over a decade, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. All of us students from foreign countries were invited to the Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the University. It was a kind gesture by the administration to make us feel at home with the new land, culture, people & food. It was my first.

Just like every other new student, I was curious to learn what this much talked about Thanksgiving dinner was all about.The place was crowded with faculty, staff and students when we entered the venue.Greeting each other politely, we took our respective seats at the table.There was music, dance, laughter & cheer, all of which was fun and inviting.

It is difficult to recollect if someone served the food or we had to serve ourselves around the buffet table.One thing, I clearly remember though is the “pale looking something” on my plate.I leaned over to a friend who sat beside me and asked her what that was.She whispered ,”Mashed potato”.I looked at her puzzled.”Did they forget to add something? What do we eat it with?” Her stoic reply,”Just eat!” and I did.I was the “fresh off the boat Desi” then, she… was a year into it.

If you ever watched the show,”Everybody loves Raymond” I played Robert during our entire Thanksgiving dinner that evening. For those of you, who are not familiar with the American sitcom television series here is a clipping, of what I am talking about….

Food with no spices in it, was a totally new experience for me, having never tasted it before.I totally understand it would be vice-versa if the roles were reversed. One is more acquainted with what our taste buds are accustomed to.

A Thanksgiving meal with a twist

Touching all the bases of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, here is an Indian inspired menu, for those of us who love the Indian flavors.Being a part of the bigger celebration and giving thanks in our own way is what the feast is all about.So if you are looking for a refreshing change to shake things up a little and you also happen to love Indian food, here is a menu to suit your palate.

The Traditional Thanksgiving meal

A traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

My Indian Inspired Thanksgiving menu

In my Indian inspired Thanksgiving menu, I have tried to stick as close to the basic ingredients of a traditional Thanksgiving meal as possible, with a spicy touch to it .You will find that I have used potatoes, spinach, cranberries, carrots, bread, eggplant gravy, lamb and an Indian version of a pie in the menu. Instead of the traditional turkey, I have included chicken here (coz, for some unknown reason the size of the big bird makes me loose my appetite).

The appetizers

• Spinach Fritters
• Potato Bonda

The Starters

• Poori/Bhaji (The Indian version of mashed potato)
• Carrot Paniyaram
• Cranberry Thokku/Relish
• Carrot Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Bread, Stuffed Bun & Curries

• Palak Phulka/Spinach Flat Bread
• Banana Flat Bread
• Chicken stuffed Buns
• Bhaingan Bharta/Roasted Eggplant
• Bhagara Bhaingan/Tempered Eggplant curry

The Main Course

• Green Peas Pulao
• Chicken Ghee Roast (Skip the turkey, go for the chicken!)
• Kosha Mangsho/ Lamb curry
• Snap Beans Poriyal/ Stir Fry
• Carrot Poriyal/Stir Fry
• Brussel Sprouts Stew

Dessert

• Thekkare Adde/Baked Cucumber Cake
• Beetroot Halwa
• Nectarine Kesari/Sheera

Go on SPICE IT UP, babe !

Wow your guests, with the bold flavors of India and together “Give Thanks”!

NOTE : Please click on the menu item for the recipe link to open.

Links to my other posts on gratitude

• The attitude of gratitude
• What are you grateful for this month?
• What do our pets teach us about gratitude?
• Choose to be grateful
• Give thanks!
• How to be thankful, when life hurts?
• A Thanksgiving meal with an Indian inspired menu
• Turkey cupcakes for Thanksgiving
• How to make Pumpkin rolls/Buns?
• Be Thankful for the strength
• How to show gratitude
• Happy Thanksgiving!

Bottom Line

Hope you spice up your Thanksgiving meal this year with a Desi/Indian touch.There are so many choices for you to choose from our tried and tested recipes. We guarantee, you will be grateful for the menu, once you are done with our delightful spread!

We would love to get your feedback on the recipes you tried. Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

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