Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving Leftovers Cooked South Asian-Style

They are quick, call for minimal prep, and are ready in record time

JORDANA WEISS

One of the most wellknown Thanksgiving traditions is actually something that happens in the days after the holiday: the eating of leftovers. After spending all day (and usually several of the days leading up to Thanksgiving) cooking, the last thing anyone wants to do in the days after the holiday is step foot in the kitchen! Some of our best Thanksgiving meals have given us delicious leftovers for days.

However, as much as we love the rich and hearty flavors of Thanksgiving, there are only so many times you can eat turkey, mashed

potatoes, and gravy without completely losing your appreciation for these delicious flavors.

The key to a great post-Thanksgiving meal is one that uses what you have while incorporating some new flavors to keep you interested. It also shouldn’t take too much work. As we said, the last thing any of us want is to spend another day standing over the stove when we could be curled up on the couch. To help you out, we’ve come up with some recipe ideas that use Thanksgiving leftovers, along with popular South Asian ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Plus, they’re quick, with minimal prep and even less fuss.

TURKEY KEBABS

One of the realities of serving turkey is that most people make way more than they actually need. This always leaves us with plenty of turkey leftovers. One of our favorite ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey are turkey kebabs.

They’re super easy to make. First, go through your turkey leftovers, and them into chunks. Then, mix them with a quick marinade made from yogurt, oregano, and garam masala. Leave it covered in the marinade for 15 minutes, then you can either bake or fry your kebabs until they’re just heated through. Remember, the meat is already cooked, so try not to leave it on the heat for too long.

BATATA WADA

This popular Mumbai street food can easily be made at home and is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. All you need to do is season your already mashed potatoes with green chili, garlic, ginger, and spices, then form them into balls. The flavorful batata wada are then dredged in batter and fried. Serve them solo with chutney, or wrap them in pav or bread for a decadent sandwich.

TURKEY KATHI ROLLS

Once you have a pot with oil ready to fry, you might as well whip up a batch of these turkey kathi rolls as well!

These kathi rolls use leftover turkey as the filling, which is mixed with a combination of curry powder, onion, ginger, garlic, and amchoor, if you have it. Once the filling has been stirred together, it’s tucked into flour tortillas and rolled into a deliciously compact package. Use toothpicks to secure the roll, then fry 3 to 4 at a time until they’re golden brown and crisp.

TURKEY CURRY WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This brilliant dish from Meera Sodha uses two popular Thanksgiving leftovers – turkey and Brussels sprouts – and combines them into a rich curry. You can use fresh sprouts if you have them (made sure to shred them first) or cut your leftovers into quarters and use those instead.

This can be served over rice or even mashed potatoes if you still have some around.

TURKEY STOCK

While it isn’t a dish that can be eaten solo, we’re strong advocates for making use of every part of the turkey including the skin, meat, and bones to make a flavorful turkey stock. This is a great thing to prepare in the days after Thanksgiving, or you can freeze the whole turkey carcass and defrost it when you’re ready to use it. Then, all you need is a huge pot of water and some aromatics, including carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.