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| Turkey biryani with cranberry raita |
It’s nice — once in a while, at least — to go against the tide. And that’s why, just when the world is going gaga over roast turkey with cranberry sauce, I am going to invoke some recipes that may not have come your way when you were thumbing through your dog-eared Christmas cookbook.
I don’t think you’ve ever tried out turkey with sarson ka saag — the mustard greens that make north Indians go all moony in the winter. Or ever thought of cooking turkey with pimentos and soy sauce? This Christmas, I would suggest that you take the road not taken. Two leading chefs of the city — Pradeep Rozario of K.K.’s Fusion and Sujan Mukherjee of Taj Bengal — are doing just that. They have broken the old turkey mould and come up with the most daring recipes. “People are tired of the same old dishes,” reasons chef Rozario.
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| Harissa-rubbed turkey breasts with apricot relish |
Of course, it helps that turkey meat lends itself to innovation. “It has a strong taste, which is why it goes well with strong flavours,” says chef Sujan.
Once you have decided to go your own way, you can do all kinds of things with the bird. Why, for instance, can’t we cook a butter turkey, a la butter chicken? The ingredients (butter, tomato purée, kasoori methi and cream) would be the same, but the turkey meat would add new flavours to an old dish. Likewise, instead of Chettinad chicken, how about Chettinad turkey? It may not alliterate as well, but it will be a dish that your guests will always remember.
The two chefs, who have been experimenting with food for long years, have tried out different kinds of cuisines and recipes with turkey meat. Chef Rozario does a turkey biryani — where the biryani is cooked on steam the way it is, but using turkey pieces instead of the traditional lamb or chicken. And, doffing his cap gently to tradition, he serves it with a raita flavoured with cranberry.
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| Shredded turkey with ponzu sauce |
Chef Mukherjee has dipped into another cuisine cauldron to give his turkey a new look and flavour. For Christmas this year, he has zeroed in on turkey breasts rubbed with harissa — the delicious West Asian chilly spice mix — served with apricot relish and roasted winter root vegetables. For this, he rubs a turkey breast with sea salt and the harissa marinade, and then roasts it (covered with aluminium foil) with baby potatoes, leek, celery, carrot and onion in a pre-heated oven at 180° Celsius for 20 minutes, and then for 15 minutes without the foil.
“A fruit-based sauce, roasted wild potatoes and other root vegetables go well with turkey,” he says. And clearly, harissa gives it the spiciness that the meat needs.
In the final analysis, there are no hard and fast rules about cooking turkey. Sure, if it gives us pleasure, we can go ahead with a traditional roast. But if you are the kind who’ll be happy to push the envelope with new tastes, this is just the time for it. After all, it’s the season to be jolly.
Breast of Turkey with Sarson Ka Saag (serves 4)
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Ingredients:
• 2 turkey breasts (1kg boneless) •1kg mustard leaves • 200g spinach • 6 green chillies • 4 chopped garlic cloves • 150g butter • 4 tbs olive oil • salt as required • ½ cup cream • 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese • 2 cups water
Method:
Wash the mustard leaves, spinach, and green chillies after discarding the stems, drain and keep aside. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil and 75g butter. Sauté the chopped garlic, mustard and spinach until soft. Put the mixture in a blender and make a paste. Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a pan. Add the turkey breast (cut into halves) and cook turning both the sides until brown in colour. Add the sautéed paste and simmer along with water and salt for 20 minutes. Finish off with cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with makki-ki-roti, phulka or steamed rice.
