Roast Turkey Pav

Roast Turkey Pav
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(136)
Comments
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This dish was inspired in equal measures by a cluttered refrigerator on the day after the Thanksgiving, and the pav bhaji of western India — a gloriously spiced mash of vegetables served with buttery, toasted buns. It works beautifully with roast turkey meat, cut into small pieces, though it's ideal for scraps of meat pulled off the turkey carcass after making stock, giving them a second life and infusing them with flavor. Serve the dish with garnishes of cilantro and red onion on the side, allowing people to determine their own ratios, or take control and garnish the whole pan yourself. Either way, don't skip buttering and toasting those rolls.

Featured in: Here Comes the Best Part of Thanksgiving: Leftovers

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • ½pound roast turkey meat, chopped finely, or pulled from carcass after making stock
  • Kosher salt
  • 1white onion, chopped
  • 2cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1½-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
  • 1serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1beefsteak tomato, chopped
  • cup frozen peas (optional)
  • ¼teaspoon turmeric
  • teaspoons garam masala
  • 1lime, cut into 4 wedges
  • To Assemble

    • 4potato rolls
    • 1tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
    • Handful of cilantro, chopped
    • ¼red onion, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

376 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 540 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add pulled turkey and let cook until it becomes light brown and crisp in places, stirring occasionally. Season lightly with salt, then scrape meat, and as much of the browned pieces at the bottom of the pan as you can, into a small bowl.

  2. Step 2

    In the same pan, without washing it, add the chopped onion and 1 tablespoon oil, and turn the heat down to medium, scraping up any remaining turkey meat and mixing it into the onions. Sauté until the onion is very soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, serrano chile and turmeric and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add turkey, tomatoes, peas and ⅓ cup water, and stir well. When almost all of the liquid has evaporated, and the peas, if using, are tender (about 8 minutes), add garam masala and a generous squeeze of lime juice. Mix well and loosen with a splash of water if the pan is starting to get dry. Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and more lime, if needed, then turn off the heat.

  3. Step 3

    Open the rolls and lightly butter them. In a separate pan, over medium heat, place the rolls cut-side down and let them sit untouched until they’re evenly golden brown; flip to lightly brown the other side. Transfer rolls to a plate. Garnish the turkey mixture with chopped cilantro and onion, and serve warm with toasted rolls and remaining lime on the side. (Alternately, transfer the turkey into a serving bowl and serve with onion, cilantro and lime in separate bowls on the side.)

Ratings

4 out of 5
136 user ratings
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Comments

Are potato rolls like Irish potato bread or Scottish potato scones?

Great inspiration! I cut the garam masala down to 1/2 teaspoon and added some pre-made Pav spice that I picked up at our local Indian grocery store. I also reheated leftover mashed potatoes with some chopped onion, turmeric, pinch of garam masala and layered the turkey on top. So good!

Really good use for leftover roast chicken/turkey! Added some leftover garlic mashed potatoes plus some crushed tomato, so it ended up being a more creamy consistency like pav bhaji!

LOVE!!!! Used about four roma tomatoes because i didn't have peas. And I grated the ginger because i have no knife skills whatsoever. Trust me, if i can do this and it comes out delicious, anyone can.

Since finding this recipe when first published, it’s all we make with our leftover turkey. My husband, my kids, forget the pot pie , they all want pav! The one thing I do differently is that instead of boiling off the water, I thicken it with some Xanthan gum. I like a bit of sauce with it. Other than that, the recipe is perfect as is.

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