growing up, thanksgiving was always a reason for my family to gather at my aunt’s house in scarborough.
she undertook the task of preparing thanksgiving lunch for the family every year - a buffet of thinly sliced roasted turkey divided into white and dark meat, glossy turkey drippings thickened with cornstarch (still my fav), lumpy mashed potatoes, steamed frozen peas and corn, cranberry jelly from a can, along with an array of chinese bbq and side dishes from congee queen. the meal was a true labour of love from someone who was born in china and cooked chinese the other 364 days of the year. I still have fond memories of thanksgiving at my yee ma’s.
it has been several years since we’ve been able to gather at her house, and I look forward to the next time we are able to.
as I continue to grow and form values of my own, I will take these memories and build my own version of what thanksgiving means to me, sharing these ideals with those I am closest to.
these ideals are:
sharing my culture through the food that I cook
bringing people together
continuing to learn about cultures and histories outside of my own
sharing stories through food to close the divide between groups of people
continuous gratitude for the opportunities that I’ve been given
this year, I am especially thankful for the migrant workers who are working endlessly through covid to keep us fed.
if you’ve got an hour to spare, join me and #getyourhandsdirty at justicia’s digital day of action on october 18th @ 10 AM EST, to stand in solidarity with migrant workers across the country. visit harvestingfreedom.org for more information.
since we can’t convene as usual, I’ve come up with a very asian-canadian thanksgiving feast that is ideal for gatherings of 4-6 people. it includes my favourite soul-hugging curry ever, along with 3 flavour-packed, unfussy sides that come together in a snap. I also recommend making a pot of rice to soak up every ounce of sauce throughout the meal :)
Menu -
Massaman Curry
who needs dry, uneven roasted turkey when you can have moist and luscious braised turkey instead? switch it up this year by making this massaman curry with chicken or turkey legs. if you’re not tied to poultry as your main, feel free to make this with grass-fed beef (pictured above). no matter what, you’ll find yourself with tender, melt-in-your-mouth results.
if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make the curry paste from scratch, but using store bought massaman or yellow curry paste will work just as well!
moving forward, I believe we’ll shift to buying smaller quantities of meat around thanksgiving ‘cause frankly, who needs a 25 lb. bird…ever?! how much turkey goes to waste every fall?
Smacked Cucumber Salad
this smacked cucumber salad adds a refreshing raw and crunchy component to the meal and requires very little work.
Charred Broccoli (Sichuan Green Bean Style)
this recipe combines my love of broccoli with the punchy flavours of sichuan green beans. the idea here is to roast the broccoli before tossing it in an umami bomb of garlic, ginger, chilis and fermented black bean paste. the broccoli only takes about 15 minutes to roast and the paste comes together effortlessly on the stove.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Nuoc Cham
throw these guys in to roast at the same time as your broc, but leave them in for an additional 5-10 minutes (for a total of 25-30 minutes). classic vietnamese nuoc cham (fish lime sauce) instantly brightens up the dish.
I wish you all a restful long weekend and hope you can find a new version of thanksgiving with values that are meaningful to you.
- jlo
all photos by jess kal photography