Turkeys with Asian twist

Turkeys with Asian twist

That partridge in the pear tree is not the most famous Christmas related bird.

The turkey wins this title, wings down.

How many ways can you cook a turkey? Many, it seems.

Over the years, many variations have surfaced.

Perhaps the only type of turkey I haven't tasted or heard about is a candied one.

But who knows? It could be the flavour of the year in 2015.

And it seems that the traditional way to present the turkey - oven-roasted, with stuffing and accompanying sides of vegetables - has enjoyed a resurgence lately.

This year, traditionally prepared and presented turkey dishes are plentiful.

The Slow Roast Turkey ($118, with Brussels sprouts and root vegetables) offered by Carlton City Hotel is one of the better ones.

What makes it stand apart is the variety of sauces you can pick to accompany your bird, such as Cumin, Cranberry and Kumquat Conserve, and Pineapple, Ginger and Wasabi Jam.

Call 6632-8921 to order.

It's also served at the hotel's buffet restaurant Plate.

But if you prefer something out of the ordinary, here are some choices:

One of the best turkeys I've tasted this year is unique.

The turkey at Goodwood Park Hotel is steam baked ($198).

It comes with chestnuts, ham and vegetables, and is served with yam rice.

For such a big bird - it serves up to a dozen - it is very tender.

Even the notoriously dry breast is juicy.

Although the gravy is tasty, you won't need much of it.

It's available at the hotel's deli till Dec 26.

Call 6730-1867 to place your order.

The Butcher's Dog (#B2-11/12 Great World City) has a Nonya/ Thai turkey called the Bedazzling Bibik Turkey ($89).

The turkey is brined and marinated for three days with a blend of fried spices - herbs, lemongrass, chillies, shallots, garlic, tamarind, blue ginger and lime leaves before it is oven-roasted.

The result? A spicy kick.

The Laksa Roast Turkey is a return flavour at Hotel Fort Canning.

While not as lemak as your bowl of laksa, the scent is enough to trigger the tastebuds.

The turkey should serve eight.

It's priced at $128 and orders have to be placed by Dec 20.

Call 6559-6760.

An Indian take on turkey comes from D'Bell (43 North Canal Road, tel: 6536- 4046) in the form of the Tandoori Turkey Roulade.

Here, the breast is stuffed with baby spinach and mushroom and it is marinated with masala yogurt.

It's part of the restaurant's Christmas four-course dinner set at $48 (with wine), served between Dec 15 and 30.

If you cannot handle a turkey, or have no desire to, go for the chicken.

It is a more manageable alternative if you're having only a few people over.

Mandarin Orchard Singapore's Roasted Sakura Chicken with Chestnut Stuffing ($108) is equally fancy, seasoned with truffle, spices and herbs, with a crispy brown skin.

To order, call 6831-6272 till Dec 31.


This article was first published on December 10, 2014.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.