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 chiles.
Technique tip: This sauce can be made weeks in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. 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 (or dark brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)
- 3/4 cup orange juice or pomegranate juice
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole dried red chiles
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Preparation
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 chiles.
3.Pour into a bowl, cover tightly and cool for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours.