Turkey or Eggplant: An Indian American Thanksgiving

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Diwali has just gone with numerous celebrations among the Indian American community. Thanksgiving follows right behind, making life full of one joyful festival after another, of meeting friends and eating good food.

Among Indian Americans, Thanksgiving seems to mean more to the first generation who were born and raised in India.

But for all Indian Americans, Thanksgiving is a festival of giving thanks for continuity of life, for finding opportunities to excel in one’s field of education and expertise, for opportunities to shine at work, for opportunities to provide for the family and for opportunities to raise good children.

FAMILY – Most Indian American families get together in large groups with siblings and their families, cousins and their families, parents, children, uncles and aunts and their families.

For Ankur Vaidya, Chairman of FIA, and his family, Thanksgiving is a time to get together with parents, brother and his family, he told News India Times.

Attorney Suhag Shukla, Chair of Hindu American Foundation, told News India Times Thanksgiving is a time to spend the weekend together with all her siblings. Usually held on the East Coast, it has her sister flying in from California, Shukla said.

For Nirmal Kaur, former Transportation Security Administration senior employee, Thanksgiving is a quiet family time with her son and his family upstate New York. “My son’s wife and their children who are born in the US, love to celebrate Thanksgiving traditionally,” Kaur told News India Times. The older family members and friends who have immigrated from India many years ago are a little laid back about the holiday, she said.

Padma Shri recipient Dr Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold, has been celebrating Thanksgiving for years with his entire family and close friends, he told News India Times. Everyone including brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts and their children, all get together at one of the family member’s home every Thanksgiving, Parikh said, adding, everyone travels there.

TRADITION – Each family has its own favorite tradition. The Vaidya family tradition consists of turning off cell phones and spending time with family and kids all weekend. Watching football together is also part of their tradition.

The Shukla Thanksgiving tradition is multi-fold. A major one involves punctuating the whole-day cooking with outdoor games like basketball. Participating in the New Jersey 5 kilometer Turkey Trot is another tradition of theirs.

A signature tradition is that of dressing up for dinner. “Because it is such a special time for the family,” Shukla said. She spoke of an erstwhile tradition when the children who were young then were asked to speak about what they were thankful.

Watching football together is a regular tradition, she said. Shopping Black Friday deals, now mainly online, is yet another tradition.

And, making Saturday a date night for adults is a new tradition introduced by the family a few years ago, Shukla said.

FOOD – Most Indian American Thanksgiving meals are vegetarian fusion dishes with some non vegetarian dishes included.

Vaidya Thanksgiving is an all vegetarian cookout. “But my son and I go to the nearby Deli and tuck in traditional turkey and mashed potatoes during the day,” Vaidya said.

Vaidya said three competitive chefs in the family usually showcase their culinary fusion skills. These new creations include a Gujarati dish Thotha. “It is crazy spicy,” Vaidya said, calling it ‘next-level hot’. The ‘egg maestro’ chef stuffs eggs with a variety of things, while Americanizing Usal Pav is the third chef’s specialty. Vaidya said.

Then there is the appetizer dip for scoop nachos, made of a mix of pomegranate, cheese, guacamole and mashed beans, Vaidya said.

The Shukla Thanksgiving meals are vegetarian. Cooking and eating goes on for the whole weekend, Shukla said, and the staples are Lasagna, eggplant parmesan, pumpkin pie, and other fusion dishes.

Thanksgiving dinner is traditional for Kaur and her family. “My daughter-in-law cooks Turkey at home, and also makes mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and other side dishes. “There are vegetarian dishes for those of us who do not eat meat,” she said.

At Parikh’s Thanksgiving, food is mixed. “We have vegetarian dishes for older members who are vegetarian,” Parikh said. Pasta is one of the staple vegetarian dishes at their Thanksgiving dinner, he said. Turkey and other non vegetarian dishes are included for the younger members, he said.

“Thanksgiving is one festival we enjoy without any limitations or restrictions,” Parikh said. “It is a great holiday which involves Americans of all color and creed,” he added.

Celebrating Thanksgiving has a special significance, according to Parikh. “We want to teach our children the importance of giving thanks to the US for giving us opportunities to get ahead and prosper, for giving us a chance to excel,” Parikh said.

Most of the younger generation who are born in the US have seen and heard of their parent’s struggle in the new land. But it does not drive home as they have a birthright to the same opportunities their struggling parents had to earn.

However, for all Indian Americans, Thanksgiving still remains a much loved holiday, of fusion dishes and thankfulness for family and friends, of being in a country they love.