Chatpati Cranberry Chutney

For the last 2 years, I've been having a late Thanksgiving meal at my place. I call it Thanksgiving Indian Style. While I do make all the traditional dishes for my Thanksgiving meal, I add a little Indian twist to each one. This year, since I'm plant-based I'm modifying all of my usual recipes to make plant-based, low-fat versions. Because I will be entertaining omnivores and because sometimes it's difficult to make non-fat foods ahead of time (which I need to do given the number of dishes), I will be using some minimal amount of oil/fat in these dishes - for that, I'll probably use Earth Balance. 

Chatpati Cranberry Chutney

Cranberry Sauce is what made thanksgiving turkey palatable to me when I was still eating meat. My MIL never used to make Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving, until she found out that I liked it. This is also one of the items on my menu that can be made up to a week in advance. For my dinner, in order to add an Indian twist, I convert the traditional sauce into a Chutney.  According to Wikipedia, Chutney refers to a wide-ranging family of condiments from South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s), herb(s), vegetable(s) and/or fruit(s). They are typically grouped into either sweet or hot versions; both versions usually contain spices, including chili peppers, but differ by their main flavors. Chutney types and their preparations vary widely across Pakistan and India. The word itself is derived from the Sanskrit word which means "to lick" and most varieties are used as dipping sauces and condiments, so in some ways, they are the ethnic version of ketchup, mustard and ranch dipping sauce :) !!! A "Chatpati" Chutney is typically a sweet, sour and spicy concoction, that can be eaten with a variety of savory foods!  

Adapted from Plant-Powered Kitchen (Dreena Burton)'s Traditional Cranberry Sauce.

Ingredients:

1. 12 oz (~2.5 cups) fresh Cranberries
2. 1 cup Maple Syrup
3. 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
4. 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
5. 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
6. 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
7. 1/2 tsp All Spice
8. 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
9. 1 tsp Garam Masala

Directions (3-7 days in advance of Dinner):

In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have broken down and take on a darker deeper color. Once it has thickened, turn heat off, taste test, add more salt or spices, if needed (mine came out perfect with the above formula) and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve Chilled!! This was so easy to make and turned out so delish, I could eat it with a spoon :)

Quinoa Fruit Chaat

While in San Francisco a month ago, we ate a lovely Sunday Brunch at The Palace Hotel's Garden Court and one of the memorable items on the menu was this lovely Chilled Quinoa Berry salad. Ever since then I've been thinking about making something similar at home. I bought Quinoa a few weeks ago, and have had a hard time keeping berries in the house (... we have a teenager with a voracious appetite, who happens to inhale berries on sight!). So finally, I gave up trying to recreate what I had in SF. Instead, I used what fruits I had on hand and made Quinoa Fruit Chaat instead. 

Quinoa Fruit Chaat

Chaat (Hindi: चाट) is a Indian term describing all kinds of savory snacks. Often, these are sold at road-side shacks or stalls or carts in India. Of course, chaat is served in restaurants across the country and also prepared at home. The flavoring includes Chaat Masala, which is most often a mixture of Salt, Dried Raw Mango, Pomegranate Seeds, Cumin, Coriander, Black Pepper, Black Rock Salt, Mint leaves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Chilli Powder, Cloves, Cumin, Asafoetida etc. One can use either each of these ingredients individually, to taste, or simply buy a ready-to-use mix online. You cannot go wrong with MDH's Chunky Chaat Masala - it has been tried and tested by generations of Indians and it still works!!  

Preparing Quinoa: Most colanders will not hold Quinoa very well because the raw seeds are rather small. To rinse, use either a metal-mesh strainer, or a cheese cloth. Rinse the seeds in ample amounts of water. For every cup of Quinoa, bring 1.25 cups of water or vegetable broth to a rolling boil in a deep lidded saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, and then reduce further to low. Cover and cook for ~20-25 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, and let sit for another 5-7 minutes, before removing the lid and fluffing the contents. Quinoa seeds like to show you when they're ready to eat :) the grain swells up to almost twice its size, becomes translucent and the germ ring pops out, forming a spiral around the seed. For salads, you may want to cool the quinoa, before it is chilled. In order to do that, transfer the steamed quinoa from  the saucepan to a large plate, let it sit until it reaches room temperature and then transfer to a storage container. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes with previously cooked quinoa.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup  Quinoa, cooked & chilled 
2. 1 fresh Mango, sliced & diced
3. 1 fresh Pear, sliced and diced
4. 1 tbsp Craisins
5. 1 tbsp Raisins
6. 1 tbsp Roasted Almonds, slivered or sliced
7. 1-2 tsp Chunky Chaat Masala, to taste
8. Lemon/Lime Juice, to taste
9. Salt, to taste.

Directions: Simply toss everything together :) and enjoy!! One cool thing about this recipe, you can use any fruit you have on hand. Simply cut it into bite sized pieces and toss it in. 

My Assessment: While this recipe didn't recreate what I had in SF a few weeks ago, it worked its magic in its own way. I loved the nutty flavor and texture of quinoa, which was enhanced by the roasted almonds and the sweetness of the fruit was balanced well with the savory flavor of the Chaat Masala. 

Quick Note: Chunky Chaat Masala tastes heavenly on just sliced bananas.  Sprinkle some directly on sliced bananas, and add some lemon/lime juice on top. Yumm!!

Thanksgiving - Indian Ishtyle

At the first thanksgiving, the pilgrims gave thanks with the Indians. Being the dot, not feather, kind of Indian, I've added my own twist to each traditional dish, and each one has multiple options (I get bored easily!), which I may, or may not use each time. Here's the full meal. With preparations beginning up to 2 days in advance, it still takes me a whole morning, and into the early afternoon to make and serve the whole meal. This ain't no hurried up, quick and easy, Rugrat Chow - that's for sure!!

Turkey Do Pyaza - Decoration centrale!

Ingredients for the Rub: Use multiple of the below-mentioned recipe, depending upon the size of the bird. 

1. 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
2. 3 tbsp cooking oil (canola, olive, vegetable)
3. 2 tbsp lime juice
4. 1 tbsp cumin powder
5. 1 tbsp coriander powder
6. salt and pepper, to taste. 

Ingredients for the Stuffing of the Bird: This is one of my options. I use this version, or you can stuff bird with actual bread stuffing (see below), or not stuff at all and leave the cavities empty (note: cooking times are different for stuffed and unstuffed birds!).

1. 4 to 6 shallots, pealed and halved, if necessary.
2. 2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped. 
3. 1 to 2 tbsp of the rub above. 

Ingredients for the Gravy: A pretty standard gravy recipe. This is perhaps the only thing in this meal that is 100% traditional.

1. Turkey stock & drippings
2. 1/4 to 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or 1 Wyler's chicken bouillon cube)
4. salt and pepper (freshly ground), to taste

Directions:

Thaw turkey, remove neck and giblets for stock, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix the rub in a large bowl and rub evenly and thickly on all the cavities. Take a piece of plastic wrap & wrap it around your index finger. Use wrapped finger to separate skin from the bird (works like a charm!!). Massage the rub under the skin, evenly and thickly. Pull skin back to keep juices in. Toss the shallots and cilantro with about 1 or 2 tbsp of the rub. Leave the neck cavity empty. Stuff the big cavity, very loosely, with shallots and cilantro. 

Turkey in the NuWave!

Place turkey on the rack. Fold neck skin under the body. Tuck wing tips under each breast and clamp or tie drumsticks together using kitchen twine. Roast in a large roasting pan (450F, lower third of the oven). Approximate calculation is about 30min/lb of stuffed turkey. There are several websites that give roast turkey calculations for stuffed and unstuffed birds. It should be cooked until a thermometer inserted into the fleshy part of the thigh or breast registers 170F. Our option is to use a NuWave oven (a big hurrah for HSN!!!!) and it works great for bird up to 14 lbs. 

Once done, lift the bird by tilting slightly to allow any juices to drip into the pan. Then, lift the bird using turkey forks, or the rack, and transfer to a serving platter. Let the bird sit on a serving platter for 30-45 minutes before carving. This helps preserve the juices. Use the drippings and juices for the gravy.

Turkey Stock:

Boil giblets, neck and liver (usually removed from the big cavity) in 2 to 3 cups of water for about an hour or two and reduce to about 1/2 or 3/4 cup. Remove solids (I use the liver, diced finely, in my bread stuffing!). Mix this stock with juices from the roasting pan and use for preparing the gravy. 

Turkey Gravy:  

Strain the turkey stock/drippings if necessary. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to boil. Reduce to medium heat. Dissolve all-purpose flour in water. Gradually whisk into the heated stock, watching the whole time for chunks. Season and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy thickens. Voila!

Masaledaar Dabalroti - East-Indian Stuffing:

East Indian Stuffing

Ingredients:

1. 1 to 1.5 loaf of white bread (air dried overnight, and cut into 1 inch cubes)
2. 4-6 tbsp unsalted butter
3. 2 medium red onions - coarsely chopped (I usually cut and refrigerate these the previous evening!)
4. 1 big bunch of celery - rinsed, cleaned and chopped (same as onion, prep work on previous evening).
5. 1 lb mild Italian sausage (deskinned) - this is one of my options. If you use sausage, use half to a third of the quantity of butter. 
6. 1 tbsp parsley (dry), or about 1/4 cup fresh leaves, coarsely chopped.
7. 2 tbsp poultry seasoning (or 2 Wyler's chicken bouillon cubes)
8. 2 eggs, beaten
9. 1 tsp cinnamon powder
10. 2 tsp garam masala
11. 1 cup chicken broth
12. salt and pepper, to taste
13. 1/4 cup raisins, or pine nuts, or chopped walnuts/pecans (optional). I may or may not use nuts, depending upon who's attending. Allergies and other medical problems need to be accounted for ... !!

Directions:

In a large pan, or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add chopped onion and celery and cook until translucent. If using Italian sausage, cook separately, and transfer to the pan in which the stuffing will be prepared. Depending upon how greasy the sausage looks, adjust the amount of butter. Once onions and celery are cooked in with the sausage, add spices, stir. Add cubed bread, mix well. Add nuts or raisins (I generally skip the nuts and raisins if I'm using sausage). Moisten with chicken broth, add eggs, mix well. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350F for 30-45 min. Then bake uncovered for about 15 min for a crisp crust. 

Stuffing the Bird: 

If you're stuffing the bird with bread stuffing, bring the stuffing to room temperature. Loosely fill both cavities (remember it expands as it cooks!). Secure neck skin after stuffing with a metal or wooden skewer. Loosely fill body cavity and cover the opening with a slice of fresh bread to hold the stuffing in place as it cooks (or it will ooze out as it cooks!).  After the bird is cooked, check the temperature of the stuffing along with the bird. If the temperature of the stuffing is <165F, its best to transfer it to a casserole dish and cook for another 15-20 minutes, to prevent any chance of uncooked juices from the bird being consumed.   

Masala Aaloo - Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes!

Masala Aaloo

Ingredients:

1. 2 sacks of Russet red potatoes
2. 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
3. 1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
4. 1 tbsp McCormick's Steak Seasoning (my little cheat non-Indian ingredient!!)
5. 1 tbsp garam masala
6. 2 tbsp olive oil
7. salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Rinse and cut potatoes into halves, or quarters, depending upon the size (with skin). In a separate pan, heat oil until sizzling and add mustard seeds (warning, mustard seeds can pop when added to hot oil, so be careful). As the aroma is released from the mustard seeds (5-15 seconds in hot oil), add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Add potatoes and toss well. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast uncovered at 350F until done. 

Teekhee-Meethee Gajar - Spiced Candied Carrots!

Candied Carrots

Ingredients:

1. 2 or 3 packs of frozen, crinkle cut, carrots. 
2. 1/2 cup coconut milk
3. 1 to 2 tsp Cayenne pepper
4. 4 tbsp Brown Sugar
5. salt, to taste
6. Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish.
7. 2 tsp cooking oil

Directions:

In a deep pan, heat oil and add cayenne pepper. Once the aroma is released, add coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer. Add carrots, cook for a few minutes (do not wait for these to become fully tender, as they will become mushy in the oven). Transfer to a casserole dish, with just a little bit of the coconut milk (save the rest for later). Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Cover and set in oven at 350F until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add more of the saved coconut milk mixture. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving. 

Shakarkandi ki Sabzee - Candied Yams in Coconut Milk!

Candied Yams

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb north american yams (sweet potatoes!) 
2. 1 medium red onion, diced. 
3. 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
4. 2 tbsp cooking oil
5. 1 tsp cumin seeds
6. 2 whole green cardamoms.
7. 1 bay leaf
8. 4-6 whole black peppercorns
9. 1 inch cinnamon stick
10. 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
11. 1 tsp coriander powder
12. 1 tsp garam masala
13. 1 cup coconut milk
14. 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
15. salt, to taste
16. 4 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Directions:

Peel and dice yams into 1 inch cubes. In a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and stand for 10-15 min in the sink. Steam (boil) in ample water for about 10 min until barely soft. In a sauteing pan, heat oil and over medium heat, add cumin. Once the aroma is released, add onions and ginger/garlic paste and cook until the onions are a nice golden color. Add remaining spices. In a separate sauteing pan, heat oil and saute yams until golden brown as well. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Add coconut milk to the onion/spice mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce head and simmer for a few more minutes. Add yams, mix well (should be almost dry, but moist at this stage; do not wait for the yams to become fully tender, as they will become mushy in the oven). Transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle brown sugar liberally on top. Cover and set in oven at 350F until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving.

Fraans Bean Thoran - Kerela Green Beans!

Fraans Bean Thoran

Ingredients:

1. 2 or 3 packs of frozen green beans (cut into 1 inch lengths or whole beans). 
2. 1 shallot (optional)
3. 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil
4. 1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
5. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6. salt and pepper, to taste.
7. 1/4 to 1/3 cup grated fresh, or frozen, coconut.

Directions:

If using whole fresh beans, cut ends and remove threads. Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil and blanch beans (add to boiling water, boil for 3-5 min, drain, and drench in ice cold water). In a sauteing pan, heat oil until sizzling and add mustard seeds (warning, mustard seeds can pop when added to hot oil, so be careful). As the aroma is released from the mustard seeds (5-15 seconds in hot oil), add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add green beans and mix well. Add half the coconut at this stage. Mix well. Transfer to a casserole dish, cover and set in oven at 250F until ready to serve. Add the rest of the grated coconut just before serving, for that extra crunch. 

Cranberry Chutney!

Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients:

1. 1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce 
2. 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce 
3. 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
4. 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
5. 1/4 tsp black pepper
6. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.
7. 1/2 tsp all spice
8. 1/2 tbsp garam masala
9. 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
10. 1/2 orange (individual pieces peeled, and diced
11. 1-2 inch of orange rind (finely diced)
12. 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice
13. 1/2 cup raisins
14. 1 apple (diced) (optional)
15. 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Combine vinegar, ginger/garlic paste, sugar and all spices in a heavy sauce pot and simmer for 10-15 min, or until only about 4 tbsp remains (Warning: boiling apple cider vinegar makes the house stink! I usually prepare this at least 2 evenings in advance, as the chutney keeps well for at least a week). Add both cranberry sauces and salt. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Add fruits, nuts (if using) and lemon juice. Simmer slowly for about 15-20 minutes. Bring to room temperature, transfer to a tupperware container and store in the fridge.


The Final Serve:
Here's how I progress through this dinner. I get all the sides ready and in the oven, at about 220F while the turkey is getting done. The potatoes are tossed in the spices and sitting on cookie sheets, ready to pop in the oven. Once the turkey is done, and is resting, I get the oven up to 350F and let all the precooked sides get nice and hot. After about 10 minutes, I get the gravy going (may need a second person to keep that going) and start removing the other sides out of the oven and add final garnishing touches. In go the potatoes for about 15 min. If not done in 15 min, transfer the potatoes to a microwave safe casserole dish and nuke 'em for 3-5 min to get them nice and tender. Once the potatoes are out of the oven, increase the temperature to the desired temperature for store-bought dinner rolls. While the rolls are going, get the side salad (if serving one) and salad dressing out of the refrigerator. Set butter out for the rolls, and get a bread basket ready. While the rolls are in the oven, start carving the turkey (remember to get some of the dark meet sliced as well). We usually say a prayer in thanks ... and then enjoy the spread!! I served my dinner with a couple bottles of prechilled Gerwurtraminer (and my cousin brought a couple bottles of sparkling cider which worked great as well!).