No Thanksgiving feast is complete without the glorious main dish that we all look forward to: turkey. Luckily, turkeys are very accessible in Irvine, offered at stores like Costco or Ralphs. We bought a 14-pound turkey from Ralphs for around $20. Feeding at least 14 people, it is an affordable investment for your stomach. 

While there are numerous ways you can spice up your turkey, like with tangy buffalo spices or aromatic lemon herbs, we took an Indian take on the traditional recipe by making it with a Tandoori spice blend. Even if you’re not comfortable with Indian flavors, the peppery and savory flavors will make you an instant fan. 

What you need:

One turkey, preferably between 12-15 pounds

2 cups whole milk yogurt

2 Shan’s Tandoori Masala Packets

2 tablespoons garlic paste

2 tablespoons ginger paste, the last 3 items can be found at any local Indian store such as Namaste Plaza at 13230 Jamboree Rd, Irvine CA

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Melt 12 tablespoons of butter and mix with 12 tablespoons of lemon juice. 
3. Scoop the whole milk yogurt into the marinade and continue stirring.  
4. Add the packs of Shan’s Tandoori Masala and the garlic and ginger paste. 
5. Using gloves or a spoon, spread the mixture over the turkey. Make sure that you get all areas of the turkey. Commonly missed locations are under the legs, under the wings and near the neck. 
6. Place the turkey into the oven for one and a half hours covered in aluminum foil. If your turkey comes with a pop-up thermometer, make sure you can still see the thermometer inside the turkey from the outside of the oven. 
7. Take the foil off of the turkey, baste the turkey (take the sauce at the bottom of the turkey and spoon it over the turkey for increased flavor) and place it back into the oven for another one and a half hours or until it reaches a desired temperature, anything above 165 F.

After the turkey is done cooking, there may be gravy left at the bottom of the cooking dish. You can add this to mashed potatoes or the turkey to spice up these Thanksgiving staples. The gravy went especially well with the white meat of the turkey, which is usually blander and a bit dry. 

As the smell of roasting turkey fills the house, you may notice your sibling suddenly becoming nice or your mom suddenly taking an interest in your cooking; that’s the spirit of Thanksgiving we want to deliver to your family and friends, one recipe at a time. Whether you are making turkey, pies or side dishes, we have a recipe for you.