Desi Thanksgiving? Creators reimagine the classic American feast
The holiday season has begun, and the one holiday that families and friends look forward to the most this month is relishing a giant feast, sitting together across a table. But long before Instagram tablescapes and Friendsgiving parties went viral, Thanksgiving began in 17th-century America as a harvest celebration — an annual moment of gratitude, good food and community.
Creators reimagine the classic American feast
Over time, Indian households have embraced global festivals in their own way, and Thanksgiving is no different. This tradition has now become a canvas for experimentation, with Indians giving the side dish and even main dish a desi tadka not just it in metro cities, but also taking the trend abroad.
Sheena Padda (@platedbypadda), a California-based creator, has taken her love for Indian street food and given a Thanksgiving twist to the classic sweet potato casserole, skipping the turkey this year. She has created a chaat with different layers of flavours — sweet, tangy, spicy and crunchy — all in one bite. “I swapped the crispy base for roasted sweet potato rounds, topped them with roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash for a cosy fall flavour,” she shared. Topping it all off with a maple cumin yoghurt and a drizzle of mint chutney, spiced pumpkin seeds and chaat masala for the perfect balance of Indian flavour to the table.
Dolphia Arnstein (@dolphia.n.arnstein), a Boston-based creator, takes the vegetarian route with her Indian-inspired stuffed Koginut Squash, replacing the traditional stuffed turkey. She begins by roasting the pumpkin simply, letting its natural sweetness shine. The filling, however, is where the dish truly turns heartfelt—an aromatic blend of black mustard, jeera, onions, garlic and ginger cooked down with dal and rice into a comforting, khichdi-like mash. Once spooned back into the tender squash and finished with fresh coriander, the dish becomes a celebration of home-style Indian flavours.
Meanwhile, Lavisha Bhatt (@lav.and.spice), based in Washington, D.C., takes the much-loved Thanksgiving potato side in a fun direction by turning tater tots into a chaat. “I’ve never been a traditional turkey-and-mashed-potatoes girl — I love dishes that feel alive, playful, and full of bold flavours. Chaat has always been one of my favourite things to eat because it’s such a beautiful mix of textures and flavours — sweet, tangy, spicy, crunchy, creamy, all in one bite. But making it the traditional way can take forever since you usually have to boil, peel, and chop potatoes. Using tater tots was my little lightbulb moment. They come out golden, crispy, and so fun, and they make the whole dish feel effortless,” she says.
Once her tots were ready, she loaded them up with yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutneys, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, sev, and pomegranate. “It becomes this gorgeous, cheerful, shareable plate that feels festive without being complicated. It’s the kind of dish that instantly brightens the table,” she adds.
On the other hand, in India, Pune-based creator Vasanti Bhadkamkar-Balan (@signatureconcoctions) takes inspiration from cornbread — a staple on Thanksgiving menus — and gives it a Gujarati makeover. “This year, I wanted to bring a little Thanksgiving spirit into my kitchen, so I infused the classic dhokla batter with jalapeños, green onions, and sharp cheddar. The result is a golden, fluffy Jalapeño Cheddar Dhokla with the airy, tangy texture of khaman combined with rich pockets of cheddar and a gentle jalapeño kick, making it a standout addition to any festive spread,” she shared.
What are the chefs saying?
As these creators reshape the traditional American feast, chefs back home are seeing this cross-cultural cooking as a natural evolution of how India embraces global food trends.
Chef Vicky Ratnani notes that even though the festival revolves around turkey, it can be easily substituted with other ingredients like tandoori sweet potato or a cranberry chaat. He recalls the desi Thanksgiving he had previously, which included many such dishes. “I had done a hummus with pumpkin, tiny black raisins, and khakhra crisps, apple and fennel kachumber, masala spiced corn on the cob. For a vegetarian twist, I opted for a maple and chilli tandoori steak made with paneer. You can do a whole lot of experimentation with Indian ingredients, even if you wish to include turkey, like a Hyderabadi-style turkey tikka biryani,” he opines.
For desserts, he says, gajar ka halwa cheesecake, kheer with pumpkin and toasted pecans and chocolate with pecan turnover pie, like a gujiya, work really well.
Adding to the vegetarian vibe, author-chef Anahita Dhondy recalls a recipe that she worked on with the US Embassy, where she roasted a gobhi and served it with cranberry sauce. “This kept the classics alive, along with an added Indian twist. You can always incorporate these twists and also include a variety of Anglo-Indian classics on the table, such as cutlets and puddings, which could be chai-flavoured and spiced with cardamom, like a masala chai crème caramel,” she adds.
Echoing the statement, chef Manish Mehrotra recalls creating a whole desi menu for Thanksgiving in New York once. He had played with sage paneer, chilli tomato glaze, tandoori cauliflower, cranberry kulcha, bacon kulcha, and more. “Indian cooks have always excelled at global dishes without losing their essence. And I think if people can come together for good food, chat, and memories, it works. The framework is familiar, but the flavours are open to experimentation,” he adds.
