Thalis are an indulgent treat. Thali is basically a meal served in individual plates, with all courses served together. This usually has a wide range of foods from chutneys,pickles, salads, yoghurt based raitas, bite size snacks,different types of Rotis or Breads, Green Vegetables,sprouts and lentils, rice,sweets and fritters etc. Some communities serve non vegetarian food as well.Thali is also a term used for set meals served at restaurants , which may be limited or unlimited.
The dishes served in this thali in clockwise direction starting at lobia / chawli (black eyed beans) at 12 O clock position, next lauki / doodhi ( bottle gourd), paneer ( cottage cheese), Shrikhand ( sweet cream cheese dessert), Poori ( fried flat bread), kheera/ kakdi raita ( cucumber and yoghurt salad), last and the most popular sookha aaloo( seasoned roasted potato ) . In the middle is rice served with dal ( cooked , mashed, seasoned lentil curry) with a generous serving of ghee ( clarified butter)
Thalis are served at most functions like marriages, festivals, religious ceremonies to celebrate rite of passage like baby showers,naming ceremonies, mundan, Thread ceremony , engagements etc . Though the sit down dinner is now replaced with the buffet, certain communities still have the formal sit down meals , which are literally 'sit-down' . Guests sit on long strips of carpetting, empty large dinner plates also known as Thalis are placed in front of the guests either on the floor or a raised patra/ paat ( very low wooden tables) and are served by the women of the house. The food is served in particular sequence starting with salt, lemon wedges,chutney, pickle, salad, yoghurt salad, dry vegetables, gravies, fritters or bite sized snacks, papad (poppadoms) pooris/ rotis, rice dish/ dishes, butter milk, dals and sweets.
A Thali is best enjoyed at leisure with family and friends. A lot of good natured leg pulling and name calling creates a perfect ambience to the Thali serving .
