A Thaali is a 3 course(and above) Indian meal which features a combination of dishes that are wholesome, mix and match with each other in terms of texture and flavour, and are balanced. India being a country with a huge food culture and heritage there are a great number of thaalis which can be cooked, either within a single cuisine, or a mixture of cuisines that match well.
This is an attempt by me to bring here as many Thaali ideas as possible for you all to create. We all want an balanced meal which takes very little time to create, and this is just that. The Thaalis in this series will range from simple to complex, and festive to on the go thaali’s.
The below Thaali took me under 60 mins to create. All the recipes mentioned here are also available separately. But here I am giving the whole process of how I went about creating it, and also giving the recipes side by side.
Do let me know in the comment section if I should create more Thaalis like this for you to try. This current one is a simple working day thaali, which one can create before leaving for work(can pack this as lunch as well), or once back home, or any day.
Before I delve into the recipe I would like to give you a small introduction to Palakkad also called Palghat, which is a city in the state of Kerala. It shares its border with Tamilnadu and has a cuisine of its own. Many people are not aware of the amazing dishes this small district in Kerala has and so I am taking it on me to bring you all a few varieties from this cuisine.
This is a cuisine I was born into. Yes, on my paternal and maternal sides I am a Palakkad Iyer. We are a different breed by ourselves, and our cuisine is very unique.
Palakkad people are mostly vegetarians. The dishes are mostly cooked with coconut and usually tempered in coconut oil.
In the blog, I have recipes of Sukhiyan, Adai, etc, which belong to that cuisine.
Like all cuisines, Palakkad cuisine also has some unique combinations. For example, this dish of Keerai Molagootal, meaning a spinach/palak based dal with spiced coconut gravy, tempered in coconut oil, and the Mathan Puli Pachchadi, which is a pumpkin chutney simmered in a tangy tamarind sauce with a small bit of jaggery is a unique combination. Here the dal is mildly spiced and flavoured and the chutney or pachchadi, as it is called is a sweet and sour one that perfectly balances the mildness of the Molagootal.
Molagootal is a dish that can be made with many varieties of vegetables like- Snake gourd, Ash gourd, or a combination of vegetables like yam, ash gourd and drumsticks etc;
Similarly Puli Pachadi is a dish can can be made with a variety of vegetables like Ladiesfinger, Brinjal, and Ripe mangoes.
Planning goes a long way in creating a wholesome, and delicious meal. Please go though all recipes to check if you have all ingredients mentioned.
PREP TIME: 30 Mins(previous day) COOK TIME: 55 Mins
TOTAL TIME:85 Mins COURSE: MAIN/ THAALI
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 5
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Elements of this Thaali:
*Carrot Salad, *White Rice, *Keerai Molagootal(spinach dal), *Mathan Puli Pachadi, *Lotus stem crisps, and *Poppadum *Curd(not in picture)
Pre prep: All Vegetables were cut the previous day ( Julienne or Grate the carrot for salad. Chop the spinach finely, wash and drain, chop Pumpkin to cubes, and store in fridge.)
Preperation and cooking:
STEP 1: Wash the rice and Tuvar dal and put them in individual vessels and cook in the pressure cooker upto 5 whistles. (alternatively use the method you regularly use to cook rice and dal).
STEP 2: Start cooking the Palak/spinach as per recipe
STEP 3: Start cooking the Pumpkin as per recipe
STEP 4: While the palak and Pumpkin are cooking, grate the carrot and finish the salad.
STEP 5: Temper both the Molagootal and Mathan Pachadi at the same time.
STEP 6: Fry the Poppadums incase using.
RECIPES FOLLOW:
1. Keerai Molagootal:
Ingredients:
Spinach/Palak 1 bunch chopped finely
Tuvar dal/Toor dal 1/2 cup cooked soft in a pressure cooker
Grated coconut 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1tsp
Dry red chillies 1 or 2 depending on spice preference
Peppercorns 4 to 5
Salt as required
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
For tempering
Coconut oil ( or refined oil) 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Chana dal 2 tsp
Urad dal 2 tsp
Dry red chilli 1 broken to bits
STEPWISE RECIPE:
1. Chop the Palak finely, wash, drain the water and cook the palak with a small amount of water, salt and turmeric powder. Cook the Tuvar dal in a pressure cooker until soft and keep aside.
2. Grind the coconut, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and dry red chillies to a fine paste and keep aside.
3. Once the palak is cooked, add the ground coconut paste and allow it to boil for a few minutes( around 2 to 3 minutes will do).
4. Once the rawness of the coconut paste is gone, mash the cooked tuvar dal with the back of a ladle and add it to the palak and coconut mixture. Let it cook on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. If it is too thick, add some water and dilute. Check for salt and adjust and put off the flame.
5. In a small tadka Kadai take 2 tsp coconut oil or refined oil and heat. Add the mustard seeds and as they splutter add the chana dal and urad dal followed by dry red chillies and fry until light brown. Drop this into the Palak and dal mixture. The simple and healthy Palak Molagootal is ready.
NOTES:
1. One can use refined oil if they don’t prefer coconut oil. Coconut oil enhances the taste of the dish manifold.
2. The consistency of the dish should be like a dal fry and not too thin or too thick.
3. Add more coconut for the gravy if you prefer, but increase the spiciness by adding more chillies in case you are using more coconut.
4. The palak should not be overcooked and must retain its texture.
2. MATHAN PULI PACHADI:
Mathan/pumpkin 200 gms chopped to cubes
Tamarind pulp 1/2 cup or make pulp from gooseberry sized bit of tamarind
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Dry red chillies 2
Jaggery 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt as required
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
For tempering:
Coconut oil or refined oil 2 tsp
Curry leaves a few
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Dry red chilli broken to bits 1
In this recipe, we will be tempering first and then making the dish.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Heat Coconut oil/refined oil in a pan for tempering(dish will be made in the same pan so choose appropriately). Now add all the tempering ingredients one by one starting with mustard seeds. Fry for 30 seconds. Add turmeric powder.
2. When the dals in the tempering turn light brown add the cubed pumpkin and saute for a minute or two.
3. Now add the tamarind pulp(should be dilute) and let the pumpkin cook in it. Add required salt while cooking, and 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder.
4. Grind the coconut, dry red chillies, mustard seeds and cumin seeds to a fine paste by adding little water. Add this paste to the cooked pumpkin and continue to cook for a few minutes, on low flame.
5. Finally, add the jaggery, few more curry leaves and drizzle some coconut oil(optional) stir well to dissolve the jaggery and put off the stove. The sweet and sour Mathan Pachadi is ready to serve.
NOTES:
1. This pachchadi can be made with other vegetables like Lady’s finger, Brinjal, Ripe mango etc;
2. Maintaining the balance between the tanginess and sweetness is prime to this dish. so sticking to the quantities given will help.
3. Adding more mustard then required can turn the dish bitter.
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.
If you would like to receive our recipes in your mail please leave your mail id at the homepage. Every time Rajjo’s Kitchen has a new post we will mail the recipe to you.
3. Carrot Salad:
Ingredients:
Carrots 2 meduium grated
Green chillies chopped finely
Curry leaves a few, chopped finely
Salt as required
Lemon juice 2 tsp approx
Oil for tempering 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Directions: Take the grated carrots in a bowl. Add salt and lemon juice. Now take oil for tempering and heat it. Add the mustard seeds, once they crackle add, green chillies and curry leaves to the oil followed by asafoetida. drop this tempering into the carrot and mix nicely. Healthy and delicious carrot salad is ready.
NOTES:
1. This same recipe can be tried with radish too.
OVERALL NOTES:
1. 1. Planning goes a long way in creating a wholesome, and delicious meal. Please go though all recipes to check if you have all ingredients mentioned.
2. All vegetables can be chopped and washed and stored the previous day itself.
3. The Poppadum and other fries are completely optional. While at home we prefer eating that way, but while carrying it for work, I exclude the Poppadums.
4. The carrot for the salad can also be grated and stored the previous day.
Creamy Palak In Coconut Milk
This recipe is really worth a try. It is different from the Palak recipes that we usually come across. As the name suggests the Palak/Spinach had been cooked in coconut milk. Surprised? Well, the flavor of the coconut is very subtle and does not overpower the palak at all. The coconut milk gives a creamy texture to the dish. This dish goes well with rotis, paratha, and rice. It is a simple and healthy recipe with loads of flavour. This is an excellent way to add palak to your diet, as Palak/spinach is rich in iron and fibre. This recipe is adapted from a similar recipe I spotted on @ budgetbytes.com. I have also added a small video for this recipe for easy reference.
When I made this dish I had only 1 bunch of Spinach and then when I tasted the dish I regretted making it with just a bunch as it tasted so good, that we all craved for more. So made it again within a week’s time. If you feel this dish might be very bland because of the coconut milk, let me assure you that on the contrary, it holds on to how much ever spice you put. So one could increase or decrease the spice as per their preference.
Here is the recipe of Creamy Palak in Coconut milk for you-
PREP TIME: 15 Mins COOK TIME: 15 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 Mins COURSE: MAIN
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 4
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Ingredients:
Palak/Spinach 1 bunch
Coconut milk 1 pouch (200 ml)
Onion 1 large finely chopped
1 Tomato large finely chopped
Garlic 5 cloves finely chopped
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Red chilli powder 1 tsp( add more for more spice)
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder 1/2 tsp
Directions:
Chop the Palak finely and wash. Drain all the water and put the Palak in a pan. Pour 200 ml coconut milk to the palak and switch on the flame. Keep stirring and cooking the Palak. While cooking keep mashing the Spinach with the back of a ladle from time to time. Cook on low flame until most of the coconut milk is evaporated and the mixture resembles a mash. Transfer to another plate/ vessel. Now in another pan/ kadai heat some oil. Add the cumin seeds and as they splutter add the chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until nicely brown. Now add the turmeric powder followed by chopped onion and saute until the onions start turning brown. Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute. Now add the salt and cook until the tomatoes start turning mushy. Keep mashing the tomatoes as you stir them. Add the chilli powder followed by coriander powder and fennel powder and stir. Now add the cooked Palak and mix well. Cook for a minute or 2 on low flame, add the garam masala and put off the flame. The Creamy Palak in Coconut Milk is ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions: Rotis, Parathas, Rice and also works as a dip for bread. To use as a dip just blitz in a blender for a single spin after cooking.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Assemble all ingredients. Chop the Palak, wash and drain all the water.
2. Put the Palak into a pan and add the coconut milk and put it on the flame. Add salt.
3. Cook on low flame until most of the coconut milk gets evaporated. Keep mashing the Palak with the back of a ladle while cooking. The mixture should resemble a mash when cooked. Transfer to a plate or vessel.
4. Now in a karahi or pan heat some oil and add the cumin seeds. As they splutter add the chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
5. Now add the turmeric powder followed by chopped onions and saute until the onions start turning brown.
6. Now add the tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add the salt and continue to cook for a minute. Keep mashing the tomatoes as you cook. Now add the red chilli powder, followed by coriander powder and fennel powder and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and the mixture looks like a paste.
7. Now add the Palak cooked in coconut milk and mix nicely. Lower the flame and let it cook for a minute. Finally, add the garam masala powder and switch off the flame. The Creamy Palak curry is ready to serve.
NOTES:
1. I have used only 1 carton of coconut milk and hence the flavour of coconut was mild. For a more intense flavour add more coconut milk. You can use up to 250 ml for a bunch of spinach.
2. As mentioned in serving suggestions this recipe works well as a sauce or dip for bread. Just blitz the curry through a blender after cooking it to use as a sauce.
SHORT VIDEO OF RECIPE HERE????
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.
If you would like to receive our recipes on your mail please leave your mail id at the homepage. Every time Rajjo’s Kitchen has a new post we will mail the recipe to you.
