People don’t really eat turkey in India or in Mozambique or in any of the countries my family has lived in for that matter. My family only discovered turkey when we came to the US and not with a great reception. We wondered, why would anyone eat turkey when you could eat chicken, which seems to taste better. When Thanksgiving rolled around, my mom Aisha tried to prepare turkey the American way a few times, but thanks to our family’s spice-loving taste buds, no one ever liked it because it was too bland.
So my mom thought up of a compromise – one that is symbolic of our assimilation to this country where we adopted the American culture but gave it our own twist – she made Indian-style spicy turkey. It’s roasted like a typical Thanksgiving turkey, but my mom’s spicy turkey is actually cut into pieces, marinated and then put in the oven. The result is a delicious, flavorful and tender turkey that goes well with both American fixings like mashed potatoes or Indian sides like rice. This was my mom’s way of saying – when in Rome…But she wasn’t prepared to give up her spices.
In the next Aisha’s Kitchen cooking class, I’ll be teaching how to make this special Thanksgiving turkey recipe that my mom created. Add spice and a brand new flavor to your Thanksgiving this year and join us! Below is more information on the class and how to register:
What: Aisha’s Kitchen Cooking Class: Indian-style Thanksgiving Turkey and Green Beans
When: November 19, 2014
Where: The Old Salt Marketplace on 5047 NE 42nd Avenue Portland, OR 97218
Tickets are $50. Register here.
Click here for more information.
Photo credit: Photo by Dimus (English Wikipedia, [1]) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Aisha's Kitchen 
I want a recipe here and now!
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