THANKSGIVING GETS SOME INDIAN MASALA MIX

The party season has begun, and the one event that families and friends look forward to the most this month is relishing a giant feast, sitting together across a table on Thanksgiving (today).

- Akshita Prakash

But long before Instagram tablescapes and Friendsgiving parties went viral, the festival began in 17th-century America as a harvest celebration — an annual moment of gratitude, good food and community.

Over time, this tradition has become a canvas for experimentation, with Indians giving it a desi tadka while also not stepping away from the classic dishes.

Sheena Padda (@platedbypadda), a California-based creator, has given a Thanksgiving twist to the classic sweet potato casserole. She created a chaat with different flavours — sweet, tangy, spicy and crunchy. “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 says.

Topping it with a maple cumin yoghurt, mint chutney, spiced pumpkin seeds and chaat masala gave it a desi kick.