Indian Thali \u2013 who does not love eating that riot of flavors and tastes.<\/p>
If you are an Indian, you probably know the different Indian Thalis found across the geography of India. If you are a visitor, you need to know that there is no single Indian Thali. Each region of India has its own version of Thali.<\/p>\n
Some of the items like Rice or Pickle are found in almost all Indian Thalis. However, there is something unique about each Thali, some preparation that makes it belong to a particular region in India. I am going to share the unique aspect of each Indian Thali in this post.<\/p>\n
Being a vegetarian, I am going to restrict this to Vegetarian Thalis of India, for that is all I know.<\/p>\n
Well, Thali is actually the large circular plate raised around the circumference on which food is served. It is usually made of metal. Steel is the most commonly used material these days, followed by brass. Copper Thalis can be seen at places as can be experimental clay ones. The Gods, kings and the wealthy used to have the Thalis made of Gold and Silver. Maybe they still use.<\/p>\n
Food is served on a plate and in small bowls called Katoris. It is like putting the sample of the whole menu at one place, in one go.<\/p>\n
Indian Thali is supposed to have the 6 tastes<\/strong> that Ayurveda prescribes. The six tastes being:<\/p>\n
A perfect Indian Thali is the one that balances these six tastes. It is not just the tastes, but the colors are also balanced. The Thali, when served, is as colorful as India is as a country. You will see reds, greens, browns, yellow & white colors in the dishes. The aromas from various dishes mish-mash and create their own riot. In short, a Thali appeals to all your five senses.<\/p>\n
There is a play of grains based on what is easily available locally. This makes Indian Thali perfect local cuisine to try. Rice, Raita and Salad is usually a part of all Indian Thalis.<\/p>\n
In the western world, food is served course by course. To me, this is like someone else deciding what I should eat and in what order. When the meal is served, I choose to eat in whatever order, though the purist would always suggest an order.<\/p>\n
A Lassi or Chhaas goes perfectly with Indian Thali. Take your pick based on the weather.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s take a tour around India with the Indian Thali.<\/p>\n
Call me biased, but Rajasthani Thali is my favorite Indian Thali. It comes with the flavors of the desert that are dry and rich at the same time. Richness comes from oodles of desi ghee used. Some unique dishes to try in a Rajasthani Thali are:<\/p>\n
Vegetarian and Bengali sound bit of an oxymoron. However, to my delight, they do have a lot of options for vegetarians. There is no dearth of flavors or options for vegetarians. Bengalis like to add a bit of sweet in their food, so everything, except maybe rice has a tinge of sweetness in it.<\/p>\n
What makes a Bengali Thali is:<\/p>\n
Yes, it is not impossible to get a vegetarian Thali in Goa. It is not easy but you do get it at many places. Remove all the non-vegetarian food from a Goan Thali and you are left with rice, salad & sol kadi.<\/p>\n
Now add shallowly fried, semolina soaked Phodi made with local vegetables<\/strong> including banana, roots, and breadfruit. That is the crispy element on the menu, found only in Goa.<\/p>\n
Add a seasonal vegetable in coconut curry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Daali Toye<\/strong> \u2013 a watery and rather bland version of the usual Daal.<\/p>\n
Add Tambri Bhaji or Patal Bhaji<\/strong> usually made with red leaves<\/p>\n
That is your Goan Vegetarian meal.<\/p>\n
Just like Indian meals, there are various variants of a Gujarati Thali. Kathiawadi Thali is particularly famous. Like Bengali Thali, Gujarati one is also quite sweet. It is incidental that the east and west of India has a similar fetish for sweet. However, in Gujarat, you find a generous flavor of garlic. Many dishes will have a pre-fix Lehsunia, which means ample garlic.<\/p>\n
What I am going to share here is my version of a Punjabi Thali, the one I love and miss. Best time to have this meal is in winters while soaking in the warm sun. This has limited menu options, but as they say in Punjab \u2013 Sawa Lakh se Ek ladaun or my one dish is worth thali full of yours. So, this Punjabi Thali has:<\/p>\n
Simple thali but the taste would linger on your tongue for a long time to come.<\/p>\n
This is an unusual, not so well-known Thali from the heart of India. I had it in Mandu<\/a>, which was once the capital of Malwa. It is also a relatively simple meal, but it demands some time and patience from you to develop a liking for it. Honestly, I did not like its key ingredients Paaniya<\/strong> and Daal Bafna<\/strong> in the first go. Slowly, the taste began to get friendlier with my tongue.<\/p>\n
The Andhra cuisine in my mind stands as the spiciest cuisine of India. A layer of red from the red hot Guntur Chilles<\/strong> always floats on its dishes, especially the sambhar and rasam. A pile of shining white rice comes with bright curries. The things that make an Andhra Thali are<\/p>\n
If you are not used to spices like me, take a big bowl of curd to balance the spice level.<\/p>\n
A vegetarian Kashmiri Thali has to be custom made on order in most of Kashmir. During my Gulmarg visit, I had the opportunity to explore a vegetarian one. The unique elements include:<\/p>\n
This is a Thali that I remember from my Infosys days. This used to be served on a Banana leaf. It also meant you sometimes had to wait in the queue to have it, but it was worth it.<\/p>\n
It is a rather simple meal of freshly made Jowar Rotis<\/strong> and Baingan Subzi<\/strong>. This was the meal. Rice and Sambhar were given but more to complete the meal. A glass of spiced Chhaas<\/strong> went perfectly with the Jowar Roti meal. Pickles, salads and fried papads were served in multiple rounds. A cooked grains vegetable would be there, but it was mostly ignored.<\/p>\n
I again had this in Bijapur<\/a> and in Dharwad<\/a> at local Khanavallis. The Jowar roti is dry and it goes perfectly with the rich Baingan subzi.<\/p>\n
Not too many options, but a tasty wholesome meal.<\/p>\n
Maharashtra again is a big state. Different variants of Maharashtrian Thali are available in different parts of the state. In a generic thali, apart from Daal, Rice, Roti and seasonal vegetables, you can expect the following<\/p>\n
Ladakh is another region where vegetarian food is not easy to find, but not impossible. In these parts of the world, a vegetarian Thukpa<\/strong> is the staple food for me. It is a noodle soup with few vegetables thrown in, along with lots of garlic. Garlic helps you deal with the mountain sickness at high altitudes. Do read our post on Vegetarian Food in Ladakh.<\/a><\/p>\n
Others things that add up a vegetarian Ladakhi Thali are:<\/p>\n
Sit down and wait for a banana leaf to be laid in front of you, that you must wash before you eat. A series of servings will follow, starting with salt, sweet, pickle and Papad. Wait for all the servings to be served and admire the whole menu in front of you on a bright green background.<\/p>\n
My favorite part, of course, is the crisp fried papads<\/strong> and bhajjis<\/strong> which are like pakodas or fritters.<\/p>\n
Tangy Sambhar with drumsticks<\/strong> is the highlight of this meal. Enjoy it with rice.<\/p>\n
Lucknow is usually known for its street food and Kebabs. The vegetarian in me loved the street food of Lucknow. I love the Bedmi Puri meal. It has stuffed Puris along with Chana, Raita, seasonal vegetable & Chutney. Add a glass of Lassi and you have one of the most satisfying meals.<\/p>\n
The food in Nepal is not very different from India. Daal and rice are a staple there too. Seasonal local vegetables are cooked and eaten with the staple.<\/p>\n
I have eaten across Ashrams in India, be in Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham in Kanchipuram or an Ashram in Ayodhya<\/a> or at Kumbh Mela<\/a> Bhandaras or at local temples in Goa<\/a>. No matter which ashram you eat at, the food is more than just food. There is a spirituality in food. It is served with devotion as a prasad or blessing from God, and that\u2019s what makes it special.<\/p>\n
Ashram food is served on a leaf, mostly banana leaf in south India. The food is made without using any Tamasic elements like onion or garlic. The food is simple yet sumptuous, it satisfies you instantly. The cuisine is usually local, made using local seasonal vegetables. Eat it with gratitude.<\/p>\n
I think if you want to taste the basic cuisine of different meals from India, you must try some at an Ashram.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Indian Thali \u2013 who does not love eating that riot of flavors and tastes. If you are an Indian, you probably know the different Indian Thalis found across the geography of India. If you are a visitor, you need to know that there is no single Indian Thali. Each region of India has its own […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28668,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,305,100],"tags":[70,306,263],"class_list":["post-28536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india","category-travel-lists","category-travel-stories","tag-food","tag-travel-listicles","tag-vegetarian-food"],"yoast_head":"\n