What Is Thali? An Inside Look at This Indian Dietary Tradition

When you travel across most parts of India, you’ll notice local eateries offering a thali — a large platter showcasing the region’s signature dishes.

But thali is far more than a dining-out option.

Although it doesn’t reflect every individual’s daily meals in India, thali is woven into festivals, special occasions, and routine dining.

I’ll guide you through the concept of thali, explain its place in Indian culinary practices, highlight some regional forms, and finish with a practical plan for assembling your own thali, including a Kerala-style recipe from South India.

The essentials of thali

Interestingly, thali simply means plate in Hindi.

A typical thali is served with small round bowls called katoris, though there are also thalis designed with built-in sections for different items, resembling a bento box.

In “The Story of Our Food,” K. T. Achaya notes that in prehistoric India, meals were eaten on disposable plates made of leaves — for example, large banana leaves, stitched dried banyan leaves, or palas tree leaves. Even the katoris were once fashioned from foliage.

Banana leaves remain common in South India, particularly in temples and wedding banquets, while palas leaves are more widespread in North and Central regions.

As for what a thali contains, it’s typically a full meal made up of 10 or more items, varying by region.

Regional variations

Thalis vary widely depending on where you are.

The Gujarati thali, from the western state of Gujarat, is among the most ornate. It features numerous fried snacks, different types of flatbreads, a selection of vegetable dishes cooked in ghee, and sweets.

Thalis aren’t always vegetarian, either.

In coastal areas of India, you’ll encounter fish and seafood thalis. Kolhapur, in Maharashtra, is renowned for fiery mutton thalis and aromatic broths.

No matter the style, the meal is generally wholesome, though the complexity and number of dishes can differ widely.

Interwoven with custom

Beyond everyday use, thali is steeped in custom and ritual.

At Udupi Shri Krishna Matha, a thirteenth-century temple in Udupi in South India, the prasad — the food offered to the deity — is presented as a full meal.

People sit cross-legged in rows, plates placed before them, while attendants ladle rice, sambar (a lentil stew), dry vegetable items, and chutney onto the same plate from large buckets.

The meal concludes with payasam, a sweet pudding made with rice and coconut milk.

This represents one of the simpler thali forms in India; the spread becomes more elaborate for celebratory events — notably weddings, where this style of serving and eating is customary.

Yet thali isn’t reserved only for celebrations. It also plays a role in funeral rites in Uttar Pradesh in North India.

There, a ritual thali is offered to Brahmin priests on the 13th day of mourning and typically includes potato curry, dried pumpkin, raita, poori (deep-fried bread), pickles, and papadum, followed by kheer, a sweet rice pudding made with milk.

A balanced plate

From a nutrition perspective, an Indian thali is a balanced meal that provides carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Dairy, important in Indian cooking, appears as ghee, curds, or buttermilk.

“The pairing of a grain, a lentil, some vegetables, a sour chutney, raita or pickle, a tadka (tempering), plus the use of ghee and spices, makes the Indian thali wholesome,” says food and nutrition consultant Sangeeta Khanna.

“While the grain-and-lentil mix is thought to supply complete proteins needed for survival, health, and immunity, the inclusion of all six tastes in Indian meals makes them particularly nourishing,” she adds.

The idea of six tastes, or shad rasa, is central to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing tradition. It’s commonly described as the following:

In Ayurveda, “having all six tastes is vital for a nourishing diet. Each taste, when eaten in a certain sequence (sweet first, astringent last), supports digestion,” explains Amrita Rana, an Ayurveda-trained nutritionist and chef.

She notes that some foods embody multiple tastes, for instance amla (Indian gooseberry), which can be both sour and astringent.

Besides the six tastes, a thali emphasizes different textures — from soft khichdi to crisp papadum.

Indian cooking employs a variety of techniques such as steaming, poaching, shallow frying, roasting, grilling, deep frying, parching, and dry roasting — many of which are used when assembling a thali.

Making a Kerala-style thali

The Kerala Sadya is a ceremonial meal prepared and served during Onam, the annual harvest festival in Kerala, and on other auspicious days.

Traditionally presented on a banana leaf, the Sadya can include more than 20 dishes, though everyday versions are simpler with fewer elements.

Chef Marina Balakrishnan, founder of Ootupura, a plant-based meal delivery in Mumbai, shares how to put together a Keralite (Kerala-style) thali.

These are the typical components:

• Red rice. Usually the unrefined Palakkadan matta rice is used. Local varieties like kuruva and thondi are also common.
• Sambar. Kerala sambar is the core dish in a Keralite thali. It’s made with lentils, various vegetables, and sambar powder — a spice mix often prepared at home.
  • Roasted, ground coconut may be incorporated for body and texture.
  • Sambar is tempered with coconut oil, mustard seeds, and curry leaves to boost flavor.
• Avial. Mild and delicate, avial features vegetables such as yam, drumstick, carrots, long beans, banana, and pumpkin, cooked in a curd-and-coconut-milk base with a splash of coconut oil.
• Pullisherry. This tangy, yogurt-based dish is usually made with a single vegetable like pumpkin, banana, or seasonal ripe mango. Freshly grated coconut gives it texture.
• Thoran. A stir-fried vegetable dish made from seasonal produce like cabbage, beans, carrot, or ash gourd cooked in coconut oil, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves, and finished with grated coconut.
• Chammandi. A coarse chutney made with fresh grated coconut, raw mango or tamarind, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and a drizzle of freshly pressed coconut oil.
• Sambaram. Spiced buttermilk is popular in Kerala, especially in hot months. The buttermilk is flavored with green chilies or pepper, crushed shallots, ginger, and curry leaves, which are strained out before serving.
• Payasam. Not an everyday item, but many Keralites prepare payasam once or twice weekly. Grains like rice, wheat, or millet are cooked in coconut milk and jaggery, scented with cardamom and garnished with cashews.
• Accompaniments. Fried items such as banana chips and papadum, plus pickles, add crunch and flavor to the meal.

Together, these elements form a wholesome and flavorful thali.

A delightful custom

In its fullest expression, thali is a nourishing meal that’s visually appealing, with an assortment of colors and small bowls showcasing each dish.

It represents a quintessential Indian dining experience, whether as a cultural ritual or part of everyday life.