Thali
The word “Thali” comes from Hindi and literally means “plate” or “platter.” In practice, a Thali usually includes rice or bread, a lentil dish (dal), one or two vegetable curries, yogurt, pickle, papad and a sweet dish. It is designed to give you a balanced taste of an entire cuisine in a single sitting. It’s the heart of Nepali cuisine, served at home, restaurants and on special occasions.
> 60min
Normal
Mildly Spicy
A Thali (which means “platter” in Hindi and local languages) is a complete meal served on a large, round metal platter containing several small bowls (katoris). They are very often offered in restaurants and are more substantial than the traditional dal baht.
It is composed of
- White rice (bhat),
- Flatbreads such as rotis, puris, naans or bathoras,
- Lentils (dal) served spiced in a bowl, with their cooking liquid. The lentils are black, red or yellow,
- One or more vegetable curries (tarkari), often richer and creamier, using cream or paneer, than the curries one might find with a dal bhat,
- Green vegetables, such as spinach or mustard greens,
- One or more pickles (achars),
- Possibly with a sauce (chutney),
- Papad,
- Possibly with lamb, mutton/goat, pork, buff, chicken or fish,
- Sliced cucumbers, radishes, onions and carrots,
- And finally curd or raita served in a small bowl.
Each restaurant prepares Thali according to their own tastes, using seasonal vegetables, and whether they want to serve it with meat or fish. Therefore, there isn’t one single, definitive recipe, but hundreds of different ones.
Create your own Thali with the different recipes you can find on our website.
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