In little more than a week, we will startle our digestive systems with the much-anticipated, food-coma-inducing Thanksgiving meal. Already images of a table set with a well-roasted turkey, warm mashed potatoes and caramel gravy, pumpkin pie, and a variety of other scrumptious dishes are intruding into our thoughts. However, each household has their own version of the Thanksgiving meal, and in many cases, 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. As the last Thursday of November approached, 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.
However, turkey was another matter. Although my uncle, 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, the dry, white strips of meat were a foreign delicacy. 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.
Instead, 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, depending on the particular Thanksgiving. Here are some of my favorites:
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, spinach, carrots, and bell peppers, along with soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. The noodles are transparent before you add anything, which is why they are also called glass noodles. When it is hot, japchae can fill a room with a sesame and garlic aroma, and it is chewy, slightly sweet, and savory. One warning, however, 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.
Nutrition Rice
Just as its name suggests, nutrition rice is packed with all sorts of healthy (but still palatable) ingredients. Along with glutinous rice and some salt, black beans, nuts, sunflower seeds, chestnuts, pine nuts, slices of jujube, ginkgo seeds, and raisins are steamed together. Each person has their own preferred mix and may add or remove different ingredients, but the result is the same: a colorful, steaming treasure trove of nutrition. 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 (ginger cinnamon dessert punch)
In one restaurant that my family used to frequent, they used to offer customers cups of cool sujeonggwa, a sweet ginger cinnamon punch. 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. Although all you need are ginger, cinnamon sticks, and sugar, adding in pieces of dried persimmon and a sprinkle of pine nuts 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. Admittedly, we tend to allow ourselves to indulge in food as we relax among family and drowsily end our Thanksgiving meal. However, now is our chance to be more aware of our portion sizes, perhaps put a tad less butter in those mashed potatoes, or skip the added sugar in our drinks. As for me, 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, and gulp down unsweetened sujeonggwa.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.