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Recipes for Thanksgiving from the Thai Kitchen

Thanksgiving Alternatives to Turkey and Mashed Potatoes!

By , About.com Guide

These beautiful fall recipes from the Thai kitchen add interest, beauty, and international flavor to your holiday table. Add one of two of them into your regular Thanksgiving Day menu, or create a an entire dinner from this list. You'll be thankful you did! Happy Thanksgiving!

1. APPETIZER: Thai Corn Fritters (vegan/gluten-free)

Thai Corn FrittersD.Schmidt

This scrumptious recipe for corn fritters is a delicious fall treat, and it's also vegetarian plus gluten free! The corn fritter batter takes only minutes to stir together, then just drop spoonfuls into hot oil and fry for a few minutes. An easy appetizer or finger food for your Thanksgiving party. For a dip, I like them with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, which now seems to be available in most grocery stores - look for it in the Asian section. Enjoy!

2. SOUP: Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup (vegan version included)

Thai Pumpkin SoupCopyright Darlene A. Schmidt, 11/23/09

In Thailand, pumpkin and coconut milk are commonly paired up to make a variety of both savory and sweet entrees. In this recipe, the two come together beautifully in a lightly-curried soup that tastes as delicious as those you may have tried at your favorite Thai restaurant. A variety of protein sources can be used with this soup, including tofu, deep-fried tofu, shrimp, or chickpeas (for a purely vegetarian/vegan recipe, see link below).

3. SALAD: Classic Thai Green Mango Salad (includes vegan instructions)

Green Mango SaladD.Schmidt

This Thai salad will blow your guests away with its tastebud-awakening flavors and mix of textures. And as a bonus, it's very healthy, low in calories and fat. Featuring green mango, which is easy to get during the fall, this salad is so scrumptious, it'll be sure to win rave reviews from all your culinary fans!

4. Easy Thai Cucumber Salad

Easy Thai Cucumber SaladCopyright Darlene A. Schmidt
I tend to serve this salad when people come over, and they nearly always ask for the recipe before they leave. It's a very simple, but scrumptious salad you'll want to make again and again.

5. SIDE DISH: Baked Sweet Potato & Yams, Thai-style

Baked Sweet Potatos & YamsD.Schmidt
In Thailand and other Southeast-Asian countries, in addition to regular sweet potato, yams are popular. Although usually deep-fried, for this recipe I decided to try baking them, which means they're healthier plus simpler to make for most North American cooks. Asian purple yams can be found at most Asian markets in the fall, but if you can't get them, regular yams are just as delicious. Carrots are good mixed in too!

6. Thai Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Curry

Thai Pumpkin CurryCopyright Darlene A. Schmidt
This Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Curry is beautiful to serve and so delicious. Makes for a flavorful side dish, but is also a meal unto itself. Chickpeas can be added as a additional protein source, making this a perfect main course for vegetarians/vegans (it was tested both with and without the chickpeas - delicious either way!).

7. MAIN COURSE: Roasted Lemongrass Chicken

Thai Roasted Lemongrass ChickenD.Schmidt
Roast chicken with a Thai twist! This roast chicken recipe is fragrant and moist, and imbued with the flavors of lemon and lime. Learn how to roast a chicken the Thai way (either half a chicken, or a whole chicken). It is delicious as is, or serve it together with my sweet lime sauce for a delectable Thai treat your family and friends (including the kids!) will absolutely love. Makes a great centerpiece for Thanksgiving Day.

8. MAIN COURSE: Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry with Citrus Notes (Vegan/Gluten-free)

Pumpkin CurryCopyright Darlene A. Schmidt
This vegetarian curry offers an array of bright colors - orange, yellow, and red - infused with citrus accents. You'll love the delicious taste of this curry, as well as its healthy combination of vegetables. This is one of my most popular curry recipes, and it happens to be vegan as well as gluten-free.

9. MAIN COURSE: Easy Roasted Lemon Quarter-Chicken Pieces

Lemon ChickenD.Schmidt
This Thai Lemon Chicken recipe turns out beautifully golden, tender, and full of flavor. Both lemon and lemongrass are used to create this dish. Quarter chicken pieces make perfect indiviual portions which are great to serve company.

10. INSTEAD OF POTATOES: Easy Thai Coconut Rice

Delicious Coconut Rice!D.Schmidt
Coconut rice makes a terrific accompaniment to most Thai dishes, as well as other world cuisines. Quick and easy, this coconut rice is perfect for a dinner party, as it will stay warm until you're ready to enjoy it.

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