Thali Menu - 1

Thali (Hindi: थाली) is an Indian meal made up of a selection of various dishes. Thali dishes vary from region to region in South, North East and west India and are usually served in small bowls, called katori, which are placed on a round tray, the actual thali; often a steel plat made with multiple compartments is used. Typical dishes include rice, dal, vegetables, roti, papad, yoghurt, small amounts of chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off.

Thalis are sometimes referred to by the regional characteristic of the dishes they contain. For example one may encounter Punjabi thali, Rajasthani thali, Gujarati thali and Maharashtrian thali. In many parts of India, the bread and the rice portions are not served together in the thali. Typically, the bread is offered first with rice being served afterwards, often in a separate bowl or dish. 

Nowadays I'm also working on menu/thali series for the blog. My kitchen starts smelling like dhaba when everything is getting cooked.

This Thali Menu -1  has Palak wali daal, Chatpate Aloo Matar, Veggie Raita, Plain Rice, Chapati, Lime Pickle and Green Chutney .

Enjoy...Until next time, Meri Rasoi

Recipe Links:

Chatpate Aloo Matar

Palak Wali Daal

Veggie Raita

Green Chutney

Palak Wali Daal

Ingredients:

Tuar Daal / Arhar Daal   - 1 cup
Spinach/Palak  - 1 cup finely chopped
Tomato                            - 2 large finely chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1 tspoon
Amchoor - 1 tspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 tspoon
Asafetida - 1 pinch
Ginger Paste - 1 tspoon
Garlic                              - 2 cloves finely chopped
Green Chilies - 2 slit/chopped
Salt                               - to taste
Fresh Coriander - 2 tblspoon chopped
Water                              - 3 cups
Oil/ghee                          - 1 tblspoon

Method :

Wash spinach leaves completely in cold running water. Then roughly shred/chop them.
Wash and pressure cook Arhar dal and Spinach with salt, turmeric, and amchoor with 3 cups of water. Pressure Cook it for 4 whistle.
Wash green chilies, deseed and cut them finely.
Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan.
Add in asafetida and cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds start to get golden, mix in the green chilies, chopped garlic and ginger paste.
After 2 minutes of cooking ginger garlic, add in the chopped tomatoes, mix well. Cook until tomatoes are soft, mushy and mixed completely.
Mix in the boiled daal and spinach.
Simmer for 2 minutes and serve hot with Rice and Chapati.
This Daal can be a part of your Thali for lunch and dinner menu.

Thali Menu - 3

Thali (Hindi: थाली) is an Indian meal made up of a selection of various dishes. Thali dishes vary from region to region in South, North East and west India and are usually served in small bowls, called katori, which are placed on a round tray, the actual thali; often a steel plat made with multiple compartments is used. Typical dishes include rice, dal, vegetables, roti, papad, yoghurt, small amounts of chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off.

Thalis are sometimes referred to by the regional characteristic of the dishes they contain. For example one may encounter Punjabi thali, Rajasthani thali, Gujarati thali and Maharashtrian thali. In many parts of India, the bread and the rice portions are not served together in the thali. Typically, the bread is offered first with rice being served afterwards, often in a separate bowl or dish. 

Nowadays I'm also working on menu/thali series for the blog. My kitchen is smelling like dhaba when everything is getting cooked.

This Thali Menu -3  has Lobia Makkhani, Achari Tindora (Kundru), Masala Dahi, Plain Rice, Ajwain Paratha and Fruits .

Enjoy...Until next time, Meri Rasoi

Recipe Links:

Lobia Makkhani

Achari Tindora/Kundru

Veggie Raita

Ajwai Paratha

Achari Tindora

Ingredients:

Tindora / Kundru                                                       - 500grms
Potatoes                                                                     - 2 diced in cubes
Onion                                                                         - 2 sliced
Garlic                                                                         - 10 cloves sliced
Cumin Seeds                                                              - 1 tspoon
Asafetida                                                                    - a pinch
Achari Masala                                                            - 4 tblspoon
Garam Masala                                                            - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                                                             - to taste
Lemon Juice                                                               - 1 tblspoon
Oil                                                                              - 1 tblspoon
Coriander leaves                                                         - 2 tblspoon finely chopped

Method:

Wash the tindora and cut the tip and tail ends.
Peel, cut and wash Potatoes.
In a microwave safe bowl, cook the potatoes and tindora separately for 5 minutes.
Slit each Tindora into two-four, lengthwise and slice them into thin long strips.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Once the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium flame.
Add cumin seeds and let them splutter and add hing fry for a few seconds till the aroma starts to come.
Do not wait anymore add the sliced onion and garlic.  Fry them until golden brown.
Add Salt, Achari Masala and Garam Masala, mix well.
Now add par boiled potatoes, cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, keep sauteing so that it doesn't burn.
Now add parboiled sliced tindora, mix very well.
Reduce to low flame, cover with a lid, let it cook, approx 10 minutes.
Keep checking in between, turning them gently so that they don’t burn.
The cooked tindora and potato will lose moisture and begin to have a shrunken appearance.
Now on high flame roast them for 2 minutes and add lemon juice.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve as a side dish on your thali.
This can be a part of your Lunch or Dinner menu.
Chapati and Daal are the best companion for Achari Tindora.
For Achari Masala, please click here.

Lobia / Chawli Makkhani

Ingredients:

Fresh Lobia/ Blackeye Beans                              - 2 cups (Chawli beans)
Onion                                                                   - 1 large finely chopped
Tomatoes                                                             - 2 medium finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste                                              - 1 tspoon
Green Chilli                                                         - 1 finely chopped
Oil                                                                        - 2 tblspoon
Black Cardamom                                                 - 1
Bay leaf/Tej Patta                                                - 1
Cloves/ Laung                                                      - 2-3
Black pepper/Kali Mirch                                     - 4-5
Whole Coriander                                                  - 5-10 seeds
Cinnamon Stick/Dalchini                                     - 1 inch small stick
Cumin Seeds                                                         - 1 tspoon
Asafetida                                                               - a pinch
Turmeric                                                                - 1/2 tspoon
Red chili powder                                                   - 1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder                                                  - 1/2 tspoon
Garam masala                                                        - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                                                         - to taste
Coriander leaves                                                    - 2 tblspoon to garnish
Cream/Butter                                                          - 2 - 1 tblspoon


Method:

Wash and Soak Lobia for 2 hours.
Pressure cook the Lobia with 1 cup of water for 7-8 whistles or till tender.
Take them out of the pressure cooker in a bowl and keep aside.
Heat oil in thick bottomed deep pan, add the cumin seeds, asafetida and green chilies.
Once they sputter, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppers,coriander seeds,cardamom and fry for a min.
Now add the chopped onion, fry till the onion turns pink.
Mix in the ginger-garlic paste and fry for two more mins so that the raw smell of garlic goes away.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a min.
Add the turmeric, salt, red chili powder, coriander and cook it until it's all mixed well and starts to leave the oil in the sides of pan.
Mix in the boiled Lobia and garam masala and mix well.
Allow it to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Take off the heat and add 2 tblspoon of heavy cream or 1 tblspoon of butter.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and cream.
Serve hot with rice or rotis. This dish can be part of your thali in dinner or lunch parties.