The earliest thali was obviously made from leaves like banana leaves in southern India, called a paatra, derived from Sanskrit word patra meaning leaf.
Indians are serious about their food and much before dieticians brought the concept of balanced meals, India knew how to incorporate all kinds of items in their platter to make it scrumptious and satisfying. Thali culture has been ingrained in India’s dining traditions since primitive times. It just gets bigger and items changes depending on the geography culture and economics of the place.
History and culture behind the thali system
Unlike the continental or western buffet, Indians believe in being served all at once and a second helping if necessary. The Thali culture is the product of several age-old aspects of Indian life, the importance of nutritionally balanced meals, variety of flavours, portion control, and aversion to sharing food to limit the spread of communal diseases.
The word thali is derived from ‘thaal’, a circular tray. The earliest thali was obviously made from leaves like banana leaves in southern India, called a paatra, derived from Sanskrit word patra meaning leaf. Times changed and India shifted from brass, biodegradable containers to plastic, porcelain. For the current generation is no longer a container but as a set meal.
Important thalis of India
As Indian’s got curious about the roots of its dietary habits, making a shift from fast foods rejected by health experts, thalis made a comeback. Soon came vegetarian Jain thalis without garlic or onions in Gujarat, Madrasi thalis, North India thalis with paneer, chole, saag, daal makhana, and choice of bread and rice. Each state started having its own thali with regional varieties all in one platter.
Soon non-vegetarian thalis made a strong debut with Karaikudi-Chettinad recipes From Tamil Nadu. Delicacies from Mopla Muslim and Syrian Christians in Kerala also got its loyal clientele. East and West Bengal delicacies were popularized by thalis introduced by restaurants like ‘Oh Calcutta’ and ‘6 Ballygunj Place’.
Most regional thalis have the use of clarified butter or ghee which is considered to have medicinal properties and help in digesting food and building immunity before soaking in the rich aroma of the dishes. Desserts came late to India so a piece of jaggery or nuts is added to prevent over-eating.
The array to choose from is bewildering, sometimes all being offered at one place and the pocket pinch can be from twenty bucks to Rs 20,000 or even more.
Evolution of customized thalis from kiosks to fine dining
The roadside kiosks sell set thali of puri sabzi. A medium-priced eatery will give you paratha, jeera rice, paneer, dal, and condiments like anchar, raita. There are reasonable options like kadhi chawal, chole chawal, rajma chawal as well.
On the other hand, there are high-end places, five-star restaurants like the taj group that introduces Delux thali with a curated set of delicacies, some regional, some chef-special. The price can go upto Rs 7,500 and sometimes they soar upto Rs 15, 000 plus taxes and are served in silverware or gold platter cutlery.
What a thali offers apart from the food is it allows the diner to compose his own symphony of tastes and arrange course-wise sequence as per preference. The katoris gives a view of the culture and tradition of the place, the spices, and the condiments that are used there. Some items are hot and bland, others are at room temperature. Some are richly spiced.
As Thalis continue to evolve with chefs adding taste-bud tickling multi-sensorial delights, this trend is going to impact the preparation and presentation of foods making us take back to our roots.