Turkey With a Delhi Accent

Our first Thanksgiving in Los Angeles unfolded in saffron, ambition, and a turkey that had somehow picked up a Delhi accent.

It was just a couple of years after we got married.
Kunal had joined Sony Pictures.
I was still figuring out storytelling in Hollywood — holding onto the wild hope that narrative structure could somehow make sense of this immigrant adventure we had thrown ourselves into.

And in the most optimistic move known to new immigrants everywhere, we volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner for our film-school friends.

I don’t remember the finer details now. That’s what early beginnings do — they blur into warm, soft shapes, like old film stills.
It was chaotic, loud, over-seasoned, and absolutely perfect.

We didn’t merely adopt Thanksgiving. We rewrote it — in spice, in story, in our own accent — until the holiday finally understood us back.

THE INDIAN THANKSGIVING MENU

Inspired by the meal we made then, and the life we built after.

COURSE 1 — Just Us Two, Before Anyone Arrives

The quiet pre-chaos moment. A small ritual for two.

Bombay Chili Cheese Toast

The iconic Indian comfort: melty cheese, green chillies, cilantro, and butter sizzling on soft toast.

Wine (Generic): Dry Rosé
LXV: 2023 Reserve Cabernet Franc
Bright, herbal notes, and built for cheese + heat.

COURSE 2 — When Family Walks In

Conversation begins. Opinions appear. Chaat is served.

Sweet Potato Chaat
Roasted sweet potatoes tossed with chaat masala, lime, cilantro, and pomegranate.

Wine (Generic): Dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc
LXV: 2023 Secret
subtle fruit, silky tannins = magic with sweet potatoes.

COURSE 3 — The Indian Palate Cleanser

No sorbet. No mint sprig. Just brilliance.

Nimbu Paani Granita

Fresh lime juice, grated ginger, jaggery, and black salt — frozen and shaved.

COURSE 4 — The Main Event

This is where the turkey becomes an immigrant too.

Masala-Rubbed Turkey with Ginger-Garlic & Kashmiri Chilli
Your “Turkey With a Delhi Accent” — bold, aromatic, slightly smoky from ghee, deeply confused in the best way.

Wine (Generic): Syrah / Shiraz
LXV: 2023 Meso Syrah
Smoke + pepper + savory depth = built for masala.

COURSE 5 — The Supporting Cast

Saffron Mashed Potatoes
Silky, golden, unapologetically Indian.

Green Beans with Cumin & Red Chilli
Crunchy, earthy, quietly powerful.

Cranberry Chutney with Ginger & Mustard Seeds
Cranberry sauce after finding its identity.

For all your sides: always have a glass of a Dry Rose or LXV Blanc De Franc alongside the featured wine(s)

COURSE 6 — Dessert
Cardamom Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie that grew up in Mumbai.

Wine (Generic): Late Harvest Riesling or Sweet Muscat
LXV: 2024 Blanc de Sangiovese

May your Thanksgiving be full, fearless, and joyfully over-spiced — the way all unforgettable family stories begin.