DECEMBER 2015
NEPALESE CHRISTMAS
Turkey Bhutuwa serves 4-6
1 kilo turkey thigh cut into 1inch
pieces
1 sliced onion
1 green chilli split
lengthways stalks and
seeds removed
½ teaspoon whole cumin
4 green cardamom crushed
and husks removed
1 bay leaf
1 small cinnamon stick
pinch asafoetida
1 chopped tomato
oil for stir-frying
H a l l o we e n a nd b o n f i r e n i gh t
passed by as did the Nepalese
festival season but it still came as a
bit of a surprise to see workmen
wearing t-shirts while building the
Christmas market sheds, it felt
wrong we were still harvesting
pumpkins. Then a few days later,
just like swallows arriving in the
early summer the Christmas
market traders turned up, one or
two at first then more each day, not
long before the smell of hot dogs
and mulled wine f illed Abbey
Square.
Christmas in Nepal is a brilliant time
of year, no hot dogs or mulled wine
but every restaurant will be vying
for business, the winners being those
with the biggest log fires, gaudiest
decorations and seasonal menus of
wild boar, and venison. There will be
parties, lots of parties, one year we
managed four christmas dinners on
the day, though none of them were
roast. Roast turkey in a makeshift
oven on an open fire is to much like
hard work.
much easier are our
favourites turkey pakora, turkey
meatballs and bbq turkey all great
for sharing but if you want to eat
your turkey with rice and lets face it
most people in Nepal need to eat rice
once a day then it has to be bhutuwa.
Spice paste
2 inch finely grated fresh
ginger
2 finely grated garlic
cloves
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
To finish
1 chopped tomato
1 spring onion sliced into 1
inch pieces
METHOD
Grind all the spice Paste
ingredients together until
smooth and set aside.
Heat the oil until hot but not
smoking, add the green chilli
and whole cumin fry for a few
seconds until dark brown.
Add the onion, cardamom, bay
leaf, and cinnamon fry until
the onion starts to brown then
add the spice paste stirring for
about 1 minute until golden
brown.
Add the turkey frying until
browned add tomatoes and fry
until the tomatoes are
softened, reduce the heat and
cook until the turkey is tender
and the sauce has thickened,
you can add a little water if
needed to stop the sauce from
burning but don’t be nervous
of letting it caramelise.
Check for salt and season if
required, add the finishing
tomato and spring onion heat
through and serve.
Okay so the recipe isn’t strictly
bhutuwa but it’s close and really
good, it was one of those happy
accidents that just happen.
I had
made meatballs with the breast and
had some thigh left so not to waste
it I made a quick curry for lunch the
result was pretty good, it made loads
so I refried it with some fresh tomato
for supper the result was great.
Turkey curry (bhutuwa) no longer
the laughingstock of leftovers but
now stands tall on the December
specials menu in the restaurant.