一周多一点的时间, we will startle our digestive systems with the much-anticipated, 让人昏迷的感恩节大餐. Already images of a table set with a well-roasted turkey, 热土豆泥和焦糖肉汁, 南瓜饼, and a variety of other scrumptious dishes are intruding into our thoughts. 然而, each household has their own version of the Thanksgiving meal, 在很多情况下, it may not even include the most traditional aspect at all: turkey.
Like many other children of immigrant parents, I used to believe that it was not a Thanksgiving dinner unless there was at least one classic dish. 随着11月最后一个星期四的临近, my elementary school teachers would have a host of activities and decorations pertaining to Thanksgiving that made us excited for the holiday. Every picture book that was read presented only the most conventional meal with a turkey in the center, and the cafeteria would serve smaller portions of these foods for lunch. It was therefore no surprise that my family would sit on the kitchen floor to consume mashed potatoes for the first and only time in the year, as an attempt to honor the American tradition.
然而，火鸡是另一回事. 虽然我叔叔, after inviting the whole family for a Thanksgiving dinner, would have a rare roasted turkey in the middle of a large wooden dining table, I do not remember many enthusiastic responses to it. For a Korean audience that was used to marinated chicken or beef, or the occasional turkey slices in sandwiches, 干, 白肉条是一种外国美食. When I realized that my aunt and uncle were vegetarian and were only attempting to be good hosts, it became even clearer to me that we would no longer contribute to the decline of the turkey population.
而不是, I have come to appreciate the food that my family has always made even more, especially after being separated from them during the school year. There are a few staple dishes that my family has deemed "party food”–which appear at most major celebrations–brought out with variable side dishes, 这取决于具体的感恩节. 以下是我最喜欢的几个:
Japchae (glass noodles with stir-fried vegetables)
Often present at any celebration with Korean food, whether it be a birthday or a wedding, japchae consists of sweet potato starch noodles mixed with mushrooms, 菠菜, 胡萝卜, 还有灯笼椒, 还有酱油, 大蒜, 还有香油. The noodles are transparent before you add anything, which is why they are also called glass noodles. 天气热的时候， japchae can fill a room with a sesame and 大蒜 aroma, and it is chewy, slightly sweet, and savory. 一个警告, 然而, is that it does not have the same initial impact if leftovers are stored in the refrigerator. Compare it to any neglected Thanksgiving leftover that you reluctantly revisit. It can still be unexpectedly delicious when stir-fried with rice if the notion of double carbs does not bother you.
营养大米
正如它的名字所暗示的, nutrition rice is packed with all sorts of healthy (but still palatable) ingredients. 还有糯米和一些盐, 黑豆, 坚果, 向日葵的种子, 栗子, 松子, 红枣片, 银杏种子, 和葡萄干一起蒸. Each person has their own preferred mix and may add or remove different ingredients, 但结果是一样的:五彩缤纷, 热气腾腾的营养宝库. I personally like to upgrade this to another level by stuffing the rice (pre-cooked) and all these ingredients into a hollowed-out kabocha squash that is steamed with its cut-out top replaced. Not only does this add another depth of flavor and more nutrition, it is visually pleasing to have the deep orange squash juxtaposed against the rice when it is sliced open into eighths.
Sujeonggwa (姜肉桂甜品潘趣酒)
In one restaurant that my family used to frequent, they used to offer customers cups of cool sujeonggwa一种甜姜肉桂潘趣酒. You could see darkening gradients of the caramel color as you looked into the bottom of the cup. I greatly enjoy the strong spiciness of the drink from the ginger, as it helps end any meal with a refreshing feeling. 虽然你只需要姜就够了, 肉桂棒, 和糖, adding in pieces of dried persimmon and a sprinkle of 松子 to the finished drink is highly recommended.
This year has brought many changes, and the way we celebrate is likely to be modified as well. Whether we usually stick to the basics and set the turkey at the center of the table or put our own twist to the Thanksgiving meal, we can all perhaps deviate a little from our usual fare by being more health-conscious. 不可否认, we tend to allow ourselves to indulge in food as we relax among family and drowsily end our Thanksgiving meal. 然而, now is our chance to be more aware of our portion sizes, perhaps put a tad less butter in those mashed potatoes, 或者不要在我们的饮料中添加糖. 至于我, I think I will increase the ratio of vegetables to noodles in the japchae shared with my family, pack the nutrition rice with as many beneficial ingredients as possible, 吞下不加糖的 sujeonggwa.