STORY

Wand Photographs

BY KEANE STRAUB

ith a wonderful mix of international cuisine and traditional favourites making up today’s Alberta food scene, the days of just meat and potatoes on the table for family gatherings are slowly becoming a thing of the past.

This month our Alberta chefs change the game with a few surprises fit for feasting. Liven up the table with a special side dish or salad and turn the leftovers into something quick and convenient. Let’s give thanks to the multicultural mosaic that is this province!

At Brar Fine Indian Cuisine in Calgary, you’ll find owner and chef Parm Brar’s creativity, and a modern touch, in each dish. “My cooking is influenced by traditional Indian flavours, Punjabi family recipes, and the joy of creating meals that bring people together,” says Chef Parm.

“The dishes balance tradition, comfort, and flavour,” he adds, naming favourites like Tandoori Jackfruit, Fish Pakora, Lamb Shank Nihari, and Daal. Paneer dishes are also plentiful and satisfy both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

“At Thanksgiving, you can include one or two spiced vegetarian dishes to complement heavier classics and add colour and variety to the table.” This recipe for Brar’s Paneer Pepper Masala blends coconut flavours with aromatic spices, making the dish unique, comforting, and easy to recreate at home.

“Use fresh curry leaves, coconut milk, and coarsely ground black pepper for authentic flavour, and gently simmer the paneer so it remains soft and creamy. This is a perfect, tasty Thanksgiving twist!”

Brar Paneer Pepper Masala

Serves 4

This dish of soft paneer is cooked with coconut milk, bell peppers, curry leaves, and black pepper, and is really delicious!

3 Tbs (45 mL) coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

8–10 curry leaves

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2–3 green chilies, slit lengthwise (optional)

1 Tbs (15 mL) ginger-garlic paste

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

To taste salt

2 bell peppers (capsicum), diced

400 g paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cut into cubes

1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (coarse ground)

½ cup (125 mL) thick coconut milk

1 tsp garam masala

Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

2. Add curry leaves, onions, green chilies, and sauté until onions turn golden brown.

3. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Cook until tomatoes soften.

5. Add diced bell peppers and sauté for 2–3 minutes so they remain slightly crunchy.

6. Add paneer cubes and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently to coat evenly.

7. Pour in coconut milk, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

8. Sprinkle garam masala, stir and remove from heat.

9. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with plain paratha, naan, roti or steamed rice. The creamy coconut base, black pepper and bell peppers make it a comforting and colourful dish for holiday gatherings.

In Mauritius, a tiny island off the coast of Madagascar, the cuisine is a mosaic of cultural influences from Africa, Asia, and Europe. And the only place you’ll find Mauritian cuisine in Western Canada is at Edmonton’s Café Bel Air.

As the restaurant’s founder Avinash Soochit puts it, “Mauritian food is bold in flavours originating from our Africa and Asian heritage and yet elegant in presentation to reflect our European Influence.”

The menu can attest, boasting a variety of thali, or platters, like lamb or chicken curry, roti, fried rice, baguette sandwiches with fillings ranging from keema to Creole shrimp, and even an afternoon tea service. “Our tea platter is not your typical British afternoon tea,” explains Avinash. “Rather, it represents all the culinary influences on our island.” When it comes to Thanksgiving, and cooking in general, he has but one tip. “My family opened Café Bel Air with no experience in the food industry. But we have a passion for sharing the unique eats from our paradise island. Keep it simple. That’s how we run our family business.”

And nothing could be simpler, or more fitting for a Thanksgiving table, than Sweet Potato and Carrot Salad with Honey Cumin Dressing.

Sweet potato and Carrot Salad with Honey Cumin Dressing

Serves 2-3

1 medium sweet potato

2 carrots, cut into thick diagonal slices

3 medium tomatoes

8-10 iceberg lettuce leaves, chopped ½ cup chickpeas, drained

For the dressing

1 Tbs (15 mL) honey

6 Tbs (90 mL) plain yogurt

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

For the garnish

1 Tbs walnut, halved

1 Tbs sultanas or raisins

1 small red onion, cut into rings

1. Peel the sweet potato and roughly dice. Boil until soft but not mushy, cover and set aside.

2. Boil the carrots for just a few minutes making sure they remain crunchy. Add the carrots to the sweet potatoes.

3. Drain all the water from the sweet potatoes and carrots and place them together in a bowl.

4. Slice the tops off the tomatoes, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the flesh.

5. Line a serving bowl with the lettuce leaves. Mix the sweet potato, carrots, chickpeas and the tomatoes together and place in the bowl.

6. In a separate bowl, blend together all the ingredients for the dressing and beat using a fork or a small whisk.

7. Garnish the salad with the walnuts, sultanas and the onion rings. Pour the dressing over the salad or serve it in a separate bowl.

Satyapal Rawat states that his background, filled with family traditions from India, combined with his culinary journey of multicultural cuisines are what help him create new flavours that feel both familiar and exciting. “What motivates me most is the joy and happiness my cooking brings to guests, and the recognition that comes with creating something memorable.”

As kitchen manager of the Carriage House Hotel and Conference Centre in Calgary, Satyapal says he’s always striving to improve and make each dish better than the last. But there’s at least one thing that doesn’t need improvement. “One of my favourites is our Caesar Salad. It truly has one of the best dressings I’ve experienced in my 20-plus years in the kitchen.”

His other favourite is the Turkey Roulade, which he describes as a wonderful alternative to a whole roast turkey dinner. But if you are inclined to do the big dinner, there’s always the question of leftovers. Here’s where his recipe for Stuffed Potato Cakes comes in. “This is simple, affordable, and fun to make. They can be prepared in advance, which is convenient for busy families, and kids especially love these.”

Be choosy when picking potatoes, and use starchy ones like Yukon Gold or Russet

Filling

150 g cooked turkey, chopped ½ yellow onion, chopped ¼ carrot, chopped

50 g cabbage, chopped

50 g dried cranberries for the best texture. Want a crisper bite? He suggests coating them in breadcrumbs before frying. “This recipe is very flexible,” Satyapal adds. “Swap in any leftover cooked meat you have on hand. They can be made ahead of time and frozen, too. Just thaw and reheat when needed.”

Stuffed Potato Cakes

Serves 4

Mashed Potato Dough

2 cups mashed potatoes (cooled)

¾ cup flour

1 egg

½ tsp salt

Black pepper, to taste

½ tsp chopped sage Oil, for frying

Pinch of paprika

50 g cheese (your choice)

1. Make the dough: Combine mashed potatoes, flour, egg, salt, pepper, and sage. Mix until smooth. Roll into 85 g balls (add more flour if too wet).

2. Prepare the filling: Sauté turkey, vegetables, cranberries, and paprika. Remove from heat, then let cool. Stir in cheese.

3. Assemble cakes: Flatten each potato ball, place filling inside, and seal edges. Gently press into a patty. (Optional: coat in breadcrumbs for extra crunch.)

4. Heat oil to 350° F. Shallow fry cakes until golden brown on both sides.

5. Serve with with cranberry mayonnaise or turkey gravy for dipping.

The key to success at Calgary’s SOT is using seasonal and local ingredients. “Adding Korean flavours to what’s grown here and in season is what we’re all about,” says owner and chef Alex Sang Ho Kwon.

With dishes like Black Cod, Oven Roasted Duck Breast, and more traditional dishes like Bibimbap and Tteok-Boki, it might be a challenge to choose a favourite. For Chef Alex, it’s a toss-up between Beef Bulgogi and Braised Short Ribs. “With properly made rice,” he adds, “They are both the best examples of Korean flavours.”

“Beef bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean traditional dishes. It’s often served for Korean holidays. It’s also the best seller at SOT, and we’re proud of the quality of the dish.”

So, if you’re thinking of going cold turkey with turkey, or you want to try something a little different, take Chef Alex’s recipe for Beef Bulgogi for a spin. It can be sauteed or grilled, too, which means you can take the heat out of the kitchen – and save the oven for the pumpkin pie.

“Be sure to let things caramelize as you cook,” he adds. “It will elevate the flavour of the dish.”

Beef Bulgogi

Serves 4

1 kg beef chuck eye roll, thinly sliced

½ cup + 2 Tbs (150 mL) soy sauce

1 onion

10 cloves of garlic

30 g ginger

1 Asian pear

100 g sugar

1. For the marinade, add all the ingredients apart from the beef, to a blender and blend until very smooth.

2. Mix beef and bulgogi marinade well and rest it in the cooler for at least four hours or overnight.

3. Beef bulgogi can be grilled or sautéed, and thinly sliced onions or carrots can be added.

1/3 cup + 4 tsp (100 mL) honey

Pinch black pepper has travelled from sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.