Worldly Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

We go out to eat at what we call “ethnic” restaurants all the time. I suppose that we wish to change up our diet a bit, or because we’ve developed a hankering for the tasty depth of a Vietnamese pho broth, say, or the chile-heat of Mexican fire.

So, on November 26 this year, why not flavor some of the conventional Turkey Day dinner dishes with some ethnic flair? I offer three recipe ideas to do just that.

Calabacitas is a traditional Mexican or Southwestern U.S. preparation of corn and soft-skinned squash, sometimes with beans. It’s a ringer for traditional American succotash, subbing pinto for lima beans and, of course, adding a zinger of chili heat.

I’d venture to say that, worldwide, you’d find taro or yucca (also called cassava or manioc) eaten as a mashed starch by many more folk than dine on potatoes. Having mashed taro or yucca root instead of mashed potatoes this year will put you in taste touch with most of the Southern Hemisphere. You’ll find the raw root at many Asian or Latin grocers, in its raw tuber state, or in the frozen vegetable section, chopped up.

And for another recipe, dare I tinker with the sacred marshmallow-topped yam or sweet potatoes? Yes, I do.

On a recent ethnic eating outing of my own, I ate some Indian-style sweet potatoes, napped in a masala (or what’s commonly called “a curry”), that just sent me. They were so delicious, so layered in flavor, so “sweet” sweet potato, that it was like the treat of eating dessert during the main meal.

I heartily encourage you to think of them as your own Thanksgiving Day dinner sweet potato turn.

Indian-style Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons peeled minced ginger
1/2 small serrano chili, seeded and minced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or equivalent in canned whole tomatoes)
4 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions
In a large pan or pot, heat the oil on a medium high flame. Add the cumin seed and cook until it sizzles nicely, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the heat slightly and add the garlic and ginger (or garlic-ginger paste; see note) and the serrano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the sliced onion and cook until the onion has softened and sweetened considerably, anywhere from 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the salt, turmeric powder and tomatoes, stirring. Let the mixture return to a simmer. Add the sweet potatoes, coating well with the spices and onions. Lower the heat to medium, or until the whole mixture is at a healthy simmer, and cover the pot, cooking until the sweet potato chunks are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.

To serve, add the lemon or lime juice and the chopped cilantro leaves, mixing them in well.

Cook’s note: Substitute 3 tablespoons “garlic-ginger paste,” available at Indian grocers, for the garlic and ginger listed.