My Big Fat Pakistani Thanksgiving with extra juicy and spicy turkey! 

What does your Thanksgiving table look like? Thanksgiving table is usually seen with turkey, mash potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, pumpkin pie, etc. 

My Pakistani Thanksgiving table is filled with chicken Paulo, chana masala, curry, nihari, salad,  kheer, and tandoori turkey. Tandoori turkey is red filled with a flavor of garlic, red chili, lemony, and tangy; all in one bite.  

Tandoori Turkey!!! 

Tandoori Turkey is a flavor of moist turkey. Most people don’t like the taste of turkey because it’s bland and dry. I have been making tandoori turkey since 2007. For me, tandoori turkey combines my Pakistani and American identity in one dish. 

Recipe

Turkey size: 20-24 pounds 

Thaw Turkey (Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving)

Give it a good wash

Kitchen Equipment 

One large pot/tub to marinate the turkey

• 1 large deep baking tray 
• Large knife 
• 1 large fork 
• Gloves to marinate the turkey 

Pre-marination Rub (Monday/Tuesday before thanksgiving)

1 tbsp of salt (preferable kosher salt)

4 tbsp of brown sugar

2 glasses full of ice ( Enough to create an ice bed)

Mix the salt and brown sugar together 

Rub the mixture all over the turkey 

Place the ice in your tray or turkey bed 

Leave it on for at least 5 hours or overnight 

This is my secret trick to keep the turkey moist and soft from inside. 

Before Marinating

• Wash the turkey make sure all the rub is off 
• Let it dry 
• Use a large knife and cut the turkey all over (this allows the marination to be mixed well)

 Marination Ingredients 

• 4-5 tablespoon red chili powder 
• 2 teaspoons of salt 
• 2 tablespoons of garlic & ginger paste 
• 2 tablespoons of allspice powder (garam masala)
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric 
• ¾ cups of room temperature plain yogurt 
• 2 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 2 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup 
• 1 medium-size lemon squeezed or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice 
• ½ cup of vegetable oil 
• 1 teaspoon of red color (optional)

Marination Process 

• To marinate the big bird get a big pot or plastic tub (that you use for marination) 
• Make a mixture of the dry ingredients and place them in the pot
• Mix all the wet ingredients together 
• Place them in the pot and mix them very well until it’s all a one solution 
• Wear your marination gloves 
• Place your dry Turkey inside the pot (Make sure it’s fully dried)
• Use both hands and mix it very well until the entire turkey is covered with all the marination 
• Take a large fork and poke holes in the turkey 
• Mix it again (this will let the marination seep inside the entire turkey)
• close the pot and place the turkey inside the fridge for overnight 
• Take the turkey out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 mins 
• Preheat the oven to 450C
• Bake the Turkey 4 ½ -5 hours at 450C 

Tandoori Turkey is ready! Feast on!!

For me, celebrating thanksgiving with tandoori turkey is part of my Pakistani American identity. Like many immigrants, thanksgiving invited our families to celebrate the American holiday with family and friends along with incorporating our unique heritage through our taste buds. Our Thanksgiving table will always be a representation of our Pakistani American culture! 

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