Being an expat means sharing in the culture of your new country, and discovering traditions and celebrations that you otherwise perhaps wouldn’t know about. Whether you’re in Mexico for your first Day of the Dead, Scotland for Burns Night or South Korea for the Boryeong Mud Festival, expat life can open your eyes to a whole new kind of tradition.
That being said, sometimes it’s nice to keep some of the traditions of your home country alive.Particularly if you’ve moved abroad with children, it can help you to teach them about the culture you came from and maintain an extra link to their country of origin.
With Thanksgiving nearly upon us, we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting Thanksgiving recipes from around the world. Take a look, and add your own ideas in the comments below.
© Siba Mtongana
We all know that Thanksgiving is a time for stuffing yourself right up to the brim. Overindulging in turkey, roasted yams and topping it all off with a guilt-reducing side of vegetables is part of the fun – even if you feel like you’re about to explode for the rest of the day.
But what’s Thanksgiving without a little dessert? Siba Mtongana recommends this South African twist on a sorbet. And it’s an ice cream, which means it’s not too filling but still tasty. Combining rooibos tea, mini meringues and various fruits, the sorbet is a delicious mixture of naughty and nice.
Read the full recipe here.
© Caitlin Galer-Unti
If you or someone you know is vegetarian, working out a Thanksgiving dinner can be a challenging task, especially if you’re used to just stuffing a turkey and leaving it in the oven for a few hours.
There are plenty of fake meats out there that are suitable for a vegetarian or vegan palate, but why not switch it up entirely and bake a butternut squash instead? This one comes complete with cashew cheese, walnuts and cranberries, and is a delicious alternative to dry, chewy meats. Plus, it’s just been featured in the New York Times!
Read the full recipe here.
© Aarti Sequeira
If you want to make your Thanksgiving meal a bit lighter, and also give it a bit of a spicy twist without going overboard, try these lightly spiced parsnip chips. Using chilli powder, black pepper and garam masala to add flavour, Aarti brings together a traditional American side dish with an Indian influence. Plus, it’s easy to prepare and tastes just as good as leftovers the next day. But beware: it’s unlikely they’ll last that long!
Read the full recipe here.
If you want to go with the traditional turkey roast dinner, but you’re still keen to make it a little different this year, try chopping it up into sections and then simmering them first in broth, then in Thai red curry sauce. It’s about as straightforward as roasting a turkey normally would be, but with added flavour. Plus, the inclusion of a cinnamon stick means your kitchen will smell amazing while it’s cooking.
Read the full recipe here.
© FoodAndWine.com
In this Cuban-American dish inspired by his mother Gloria’s traditional stuffing, Douglas recommends using corn kernels, chorizo and cornbread that has been chopped into squares to make a truly filling and absolutely delicious Latino meal. Having inspired the Nuevo Latino food movement in the late 1990s, Douglas is an authority on mixing cuisines, and this dish only serves to underline his magic touch.
Read the full recipe here.
© Tigana Rossi
Looking for a side dish that’ll taste good, be vegetarian and vegan-friendly, and not be too filling? Look no further. Tigana’s twist on the classic stuffed pepper includes a tofu scramble with a range of herbs and spices. They’re quick and easy to make, and the tofu scramble can easily be reheated – or remade, if you’ve eaten it all the night before – for breakfast the following day.
Read the full recipe here.
© Sasha Martin
Another dish that’s friendly to most palettes – unless you’re allergic to peanuts – this Zimbabwean take on the usual mash is a combination of sweet, salty and creamy. Your guests will marvel at your ability to work magic with this simple and straightforward recipe; and they never need to know that you didn’t come up with it all by yourself!
Read the full recipe – plus a few bonus ones – here.
© Roxana Yawgel
Ah, pumpkin. What is it about fall that brings this particular gourd out in droves? From Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes to pies and tarts on Pinterest, it seems like you can’t go anywhere in Thanksgiving season without bumping into a pumpkin recipe.
So really, it’s only fair that we include one here. Roxana’s cannoli are made with ricotta, pumpkin puree and a spice mix to create a spicy-sweet goodness that will bring an Italian flavour to any Thanksgiving table.
Read the full recipe here.
© Hadia Z K
If you’re living in the Middle East, or just want to create something a little different this Thanksgiving, Hadia’s recipe is a good thing to try. Using a liberal application of seven spice, a spice mix native to Lebanon and Syria, the turkey is roasted in the oven and then stuffed with totbeea – a Lebanese rice that is cooked with ground meat.
Served with jasmine rice, raisins and a sprinkling of almonds, this turkey dish will catch the attention of all your guests.
Read the full recipe here.
© Paul Lowe Einlyng
Well, what would Thanksgiving be without the drinks? This Scandinavian version of mulled wine is a perfect winter warmer and should definitely be featuring on any international dinner table now that the weather is a bit colder.
Combining red wine, port, brandy and various spices, glögg is just what you need to warm up your guests and make everyone feel nice and cozy. Plus, simmering it on the stove for a while will make your kitchen smell delicious.
Read the full recipe here.
What’s your favourite international twist on a Thanksgiving recipe? Let us know in the comments!