Is anyone having a Thanksgiving gathering and preparing the meal? I will be hosting this year’s Thanksgiving gathering this year, and am trying to come up with a list of side dishes? Am wondering if anyone has any suggestions? I have a fantastic turkey recipe courtesy of Alton Brown from Food Network… brined turkey that comes out moist and flavorful. It was a hit with my in-laws when I made it last year. Any ideas for some unique side dishes that could go well with the light flavor of turkey would be appreciated. Thanks!
Re: Thanksgiving Meal
Check some of the other thread for ideas, lots of yummy ones. How about a green bean casserole, baked veggies. Maybe aloo bukhara chutney. Hmm. Do u want desi or american? u can always make pilao, dehi balay...typical stuff
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i'm making a lasagne/manicotti. mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry ginger sauce on the side, stuffing, gelawati kebabs, salad, olive bread. for dessert i'm making truffles (SGC posted a recipe in this forum) and persimmon dessert.
syani, can you pls share ur turkey recipe? i'll be making it for the first time, so i wanna be sure i'm not missing any imp :)
p.s. belated congratulations!! we must catch up some time.. will pm u :)
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iam making same thung namkeen ,,like lasagne,,,turkey,bake aloo,,lots of lots of stir fry veg,salad,cranberry sauce,corn bread,and on side ill make some biryani(u know apnay desi ppl,,):)acha hai na sat mai thoree biryani ,,well i use shan tandorri and tikka masala for turkey,,,ajj he lay ayee hoon,marinade ker kai rakh doongee,,aur koee seggetion ho tou ap dayy saktay hain,,
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i love turkey
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the kraft site has good recipes.
note: ignore the haraam meat.
Re: Thanksgiving Meal
Hi Namkeen, thank you! Yes, we definitely must catch up. Here is the recipe from Alton Brown. The only thing I did more was to add 1 tbsp cumin powder to the brine. Don't worry, it doesn't add a curry flavor. I followed this recipe, and everyone LOVED it. The turkey was super moist and very flavorful. You can't go wrong. Just be sure to buy a fresh, already defrosted turkey tomorrow if you don't already have a defrosted one, otherwise it won't work. Good luck!
Roasted Turkey
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.
Re: Thanksgiving Meal
thanks syani! recipe sounds wonderful! i like the idea of the aromatics.
hey, this sure sounds like a dumb question, but what does it mean by “insert probe thermometer and return to oven”? can u leave the thermometer IN the bird the whole time it’s in the oven cooking?? or are u sposed to poke it between intervals and chk the temp? the therm i bought today is similar to this:
http://www.shopthevikingstore.net/photos/11396-1.jpg
MNY, i’ve seen ur postings in Life4 before, masha’Allah u seem a great cook. pics zaroor post kerna!
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SHUKRIA ,,ZARROR..mai nay kal he marinade ker dee turkey lets see,
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we usually have turkey, cranberry sauce, and the usuals, but its accompanied by sweet potato mashed potato's, not just regular mashed potato's. SO good!!!
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I have a thermometer that you just leave in the bird while it cooks but some of them you use just to check. Sounds like you have the turkey all set! Are you going to stuff it? Stuffing is great!
Heres the things I'll be making as side dishes
cauliflower with cheese sauce
baby onions in white sauce
mashed potatoes
mashed turnip
green bean casserole
gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, crescent rolls
let me know if you want any of these recipes
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cauliflower with cheese sauce. sounds yummy. let's have the recipe, mama!
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SHUKRIA ,,ZARROR..mai nay kal he marinade ker dee turkey lets see,
I hope you are marinating it without the stuffing...
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Everyone's thanksgiving menu's sound delicous! I'm going to keep my list simple and easy-to-prepare, for the most part. Unfortunately no one from our relatives' side likes the usual thanksgiving sides, so I had to scrunch to find alternatives that would be easy to prepare. As such, my menu is:
1) Roasted Turkey
2)Grilled shrimp skewers
3)Khichuri (steamed rice & lentil blend, because as Married NY said, we are desi after all, hehehe)
4)Stir-fried green beans w/ ginger & garlic
5)Stir-fried asparagus & portobella mushrooms
6) Simple salad
Mamof3, I am really interested in your mashed turnip recipe. I've never heard of it. Would love to try it out sometime, if you would please share. Thank you very much!
Namkeen, for the kind of thermometer you're going to use, I think it should be OK to leave it in the turkey while it's in the oven as long as your oven does not go beyond 350 degrees, otherwise the thermometer will get ruined. Do check online and see what the manufacturer's warranty says about it. I know with the electrical ones, they can be left inside.
According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, "A whole turkey (and turkey parts) is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures."
Also keep in mind, a turkey will rise another 10 degrees while you let it rest for 15 minutes or so. I know many desi's definitely do not like their meat looking pink, so just be sure all sides are evenly cooked (maybe turn the pan once every hour) and do marinate & brine thoroughly. :)
Re: Thanksgiving Meal
Cauliflower with cheese sauce:
Make sauce first:
3 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Bar of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Melt butter in saucepan. Slowly wisk in flour till creamy. Then slowly add milk, it will thicken quickly, you need to stir and stir as you add. Once milk is all in, slowly add the cheese. Keep stirring till cheese is melted and sauce is thick. Dont let the mixture come to a boil and DONT stop stirring - sauce will get lumpy.
Steam cauliflower (or broccoli) to desired doneness. Pour cheese sauce over and serve.
Mashed turnips:
Peel and cut turnips into small (2-3 inch) chunks. Put in large pot, cover with water and add 1-2 tsp sugar. Boil turnips till very soft. Drain them (note: add some of the water to the gravy pan!) Once drained, return to pot, add a stick of butter and mash them with a masher till all (or most) of the lumps are gone. This I think is a really gori kind of thing, we make a little volcano of mashed potato and put a little volcano of mashed turnip next to it then fill the "volcano hole" with gravy....mix them together and OMG YUM!!!
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drooling
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2morrows thanksgiving and im gonna go to my cuzins house
u know
and the best part is getting ready and taking pitures
but i got a zit under my nose and above my lip
its sooooooooooooooooo
emberessing
and its impossible for it to go away
over night
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thanks mama! will try them sometime soon, hopefully before next year's thanksgiving meal :)
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Syani..3)Khichuri (steamed rice & lentil blend, because as Married NY said, we are desi after all, hehehe.............lols haan na..
Lusi..I hope you are marinating it without the stuffing...,,,,,bb desi hoon per itna mujhy bhee maloum hai kai stuffing kai saat merinade nahee kertay,,waisey good joke;;;:)
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lol yeah i know you are mashAllah say very experienced person. :)