I am sharing a sample menu with you which we usually prepare at my place but one can adapt the menu and change according to your convenience.We usually serve lunch on a banana leaf during festivals.
- Salt
- Pickle
- Sundal - one/two varieties
- Stir fry - one/two varieties
- Plain dal
- Main sweet - one variety
- Kheer/Payasam - one/two varieties
- Vada/Bajji - one/two varieties
- Fryums/Papads/Mor Chillies
- Rice variety
- Plain Rice
- Dal
- Sambar
- Rasam
- Curd
Main Sweet Varieties(ONE- compulsory):
- Groundnut Holige | Shenga Holige
- Karida Kayi Kadubu | Fried Modak with Coconut stuffing
- Pooran (Puran) Poli | Bobbatlu
- Sajjappa | Sojja Appalu | Halwa Poori
Kheer/Payasam(ONE or TWO Varieties):
Sundal and stir fry varieties(ONE or TWO varieties from each category):
Vada/Snack varieties(ONE or TWO Varieties):
Rice Varieties(ONE or TWO Varieties):
- Aava Pettina Pulihora | Tamarind Rice with Mustard flavor
- Coconut Rice
- Gongura Pulihora | Gongura Rice | Sorrel Greens Rice
Dal/Stew/Rasam Varieties(All Varieties-ONE each):
- Beans Sambar with coconut - Karnataka style
- Lemon Rasam
I am trying to learn more about real Indian cooking and dining from an Indian point of view. I am, of course, a complete beginner. I have never been to India. One of the things that I'm trying so hard to learn is how a real Indian meal is put together. That would be even a simple lunch or a simple dinner all the way to festival or special meals. What would an Indian mother want to include in the dinner she is preparing?
ReplyDeleteI have only eaten Indian food at restaurants in Japan where I live. And I know this does not even remotely represent how normal Indian people eat their lunches and dinners. I know that there are many, many different cuisines as well: northern Kashmiri cooking, Southern Indian cooking and many many other versions as well. But no one ever talks about what an Indian meal consists of in the cookbooks I have except perhaps one called "Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India" a Southern Indian cookbook by Chandra Padmanabhan and maybe one or two others. She explains what basic dishes would be included in a meal and how they would be eaten. For a westerner who is not experienced with Indian meals, a Sambar would be approached as a soup. I wouldn't know that it should be mixed with rice and eaten that way. One reason I wouldn't know how to eat it correctly is that I am not familiar with the etiquette and process of eating with my hands. I know I have a lot to learn.
I really appreciate a listing like this showing what kinds of dishes you would prepare. I know this is a festival or special meal, but still, it is very interesting. It would be like learning what an American would prepare for a Thanksgiving feast. I would love to see a photo of what the Thali presentation would look like!! Thank you so much for posting this!