The complete Gujarati thali — dal, shaak, rotli, bhat, papad, pickle, chaas and mithais served together — the most balanced and varied single-platter meal in Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
Dal: toor dal with tamarind and jaggery (khatti-mithi dal)
Shaak 1: Sev tameta nu shaak
Shaak 2: Any seasonal vegetable
Rotli: thin whole wheat rotli
Bhat: plain steamed basmati
Kadhis: thin yogurt soup
Papad: deep fried
Chundo/pickle: sweet mango chundo
Chaas: spiced buttermilk
Mithai: shrikhand or mohanthal
Farsan: fafda or gathiya
(See individual recipes for each preparation)
Method
The Gujarati thali is assembled rather than cooked as one preparation.
Each component is prepared separately and plated together:
A round steel thali is placed with small katoris (bowls) arranged around it.
The centre of the thali has rice (bhat) and several small portions of different shaaks (vegetable preparations).
Katoris contain dal, kadhi and chaas.
A small portion of mithai is placed on the thali.
Farsan (fried snack) is placed on the side.
Papad, pickle and chundo complete the arrangement.
Round thin rotlis are placed folded on the thali.
All courses are served simultaneously — the Gujarati thali tradition is to eat all elements together in different combinations at each bite.