Chef notes
Thanksgiving in the Naik household looks very different from any other household — you won't find a turkey and you likely won't even find any meat. I am vegan and I grew up vegetarian, so my family is primarily vegetarian. We use this time to make dishes that have the essence of Thanksgiving but with a spicy Indian flavor (because who doesn't like some spice in their life?). And that is how this cranberry sauce was born — a little sweet, a little tang from the tamarind and a little spice from dried red chilies.
Technique tip: Don't have fresh cranberries? Frozen work just fine! Just make sure to thaw them before cooking. Additionally, leftover cranberry sauce can be turned into a Cranberry Gin Spritz!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup raw cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons jaggery
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)
- 3/4 cup orange juice or pomegranate juice
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole dried red chilies
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Preparation
1.Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until combined. Sauce will begin to slowly bubble and after 5 to 8 minutes; cranberries should begin to burst. Continue stirring until sugar is melted, and after another 2 to 4 minutes, remove from heat, cover and cool.
2.Once cooled, give it a small taste and adjust for salt, if necessary. Flavor should be tangy, sweet and slightly spicy. Remove cinnamon stick, cloves and chilies.
3.Pour into a bowl, cover tightly and cool for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours.
