Thali facts for kids
Thali (pronounced "TAH-lee") is a special way of serving food, mostly found in countries like India, Nepal, and other parts of Asia. The word "Thali" actually means "plate" in some languages. It can refer to the round platter itself, or to a whole meal served on that platter.
A Thali meal is a collection of different dishes, all served together on one plate. It's a popular way to enjoy a variety of tastes in one go. Thali is also used in some parts of South Asia for special ceremonies.
Contents
The History of Thali Meals
Did you know that Thali meals have a very long history? Experts have found evidence of similar cooking and eating habits from ancient times.
- Archaeologists found items like cooking ovens (called tandoors) and plates (like Thalis) at an old site called Kalibangan.
- This site belonged to the Indus Valley civilization, which existed thousands of years ago (around 3500 BCE to 2500 BCE). This shows that people have been using plates like Thalis for a very long time!
What is a Thali Meal?
A Thali meal is designed to give you a taste of many different flavors all at once. The idea is to have a balanced meal with six main tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy.
What's on a Thali Plate?
The dishes on a Thali can change depending on where you are in the world. They are usually served in small bowls called katori (pronounced "kah-TOH-ree"). These small bowls are placed around the edge of the main Thali plate. Sometimes, the plate itself has different sections for each dish.
- Main Dishes: You'll often find rice or roti (a type of flatbread like chapati) in the center of the Thali.
- Side Dishes: Around the main dish, you'll see small bowls with things like dal (lentil soup), different vegetable curries, and papad (a thin, crispy disc).
- Extras: Many Thalis also include dahi (yogurt), a little bit of chutney (a flavorful sauce), or pickle.
- Sweet Treat: To finish the meal, there's usually a small sweet dish.
Regional Thali Styles
The dishes in a Thali often depend on the region or country. For example, in South India and Southeast Asia, rice is usually the main food. In other places, different types of bread like puris or chapatis might be served first.
Some Thali meals are named after their region, like:
- Andhra bhojanam
- Nepalese Thali
- Rajasthani Thali
- Gujarati Thali
- Maharashtrian Thali
- Tamil unavu
- Thai unavu
Often, the bread and rice are not served at the same time. You might get the bread first, and then the rice is served later, sometimes in a separate bowl.
Thali Meals Becoming More Affordable
A study in India called Thalinomics looked at how much Thali meals cost. It found that between 2006 and 2020, the price of a vegetarian Thali became about 29% cheaper. Non-vegetarian Thalis also became more affordable, by about 18%. This means it became easier for people to buy these balanced meals.
See also
In Spanish: Thali para niños
