As an Indian, I share with my country folk a privilege unique to India - of revelling in multi course meals which go by the name of Thalis in restaurants. North, South, East or West, Indians love their Thali meals the best. Whether it is the sheer variety that has to be served or making the recipients feel they are getting more than their money’s worth, restaurant Thalis generally need a good appetite to be fully consumed. And as you will read here some tricks that will serve you well.
Once I ate at Jodhpur’s famous Gypsy restaurant well known for its food and of which the Thali is well known among patrons. This meal comes with 31 dishes and thus is a gargantuan or humongous one like many Thalis from around India. I did manage to eat this Thali fully (barring a garlic chutney which I avoided as I don’t consume garlic and a Bajra khichadi which they served after my meal) and was not glutted post the meal. Here is how I did it like I do at all elaborate Indian meals or the great Indian Thalis.
You have to first eat the sweet. So, I downed the besan laddu and the shrikand right away at the start. The shrikand was watery and thus easy to deal with unlike ones at Maharashtra and Guajarat which are sludge like fat. Eating sweets first helps as they are easily digested.
I then went through the snacks after taking the cucumber salad. They had bread pakoda and dhokla the former heavy and the latter light. Another tip. Resist all temptation to ask for seconds of fried food That is what does you in.
At the start, I had to also finish off the dal bhatti- crushed wheat flour balls previously roasted and served with dal - this is very heavy and you have to get it out of the way fast. I then dealt with the three types of rotis - a phulka, a bajra roti and a paratha. All smaller than normal and to be finished with the sabzis. Most part of my meal was done with the above. Not asking for seconds of rotis kept me in contention for finishing the meal entirely. At Thalis I also tend to motivate myself my taking off my plate the empty bowls to show myself how I have progressed.
I then asked for the Khichadi a gooey rice lentil paste with turmeric and thus easy in your stomach. I took two helpings of it the line dish I went in for twice. I mixed the kadi into the Khichadi and dispatched into my stomach all remaining sabzis, papads and pickle with it.
I kept drinking the cool chaas through the meal - it is a digestive and helps when eating dry food. When done I was mildly stuffed. The result of asking for two helpings of the Khichadi.
So here are the secrets to the polishing of any great Indian Thali. Eat the sweet first. Don’t take seconds particularly the fried stuff. Keep emptying your plate of food and empty bowls to motivate yourself how well you have done. Keep the heavy stuff for the middle of the meal. Do test out this method and share your gastronomic adventures with me.
Happy eating.
Burrp.
