Veg thali - art on the plate

The food and culinary industry has picked up momentum in terms of its popularity and have gradually become a favourite amongst individuals worldwide. Innumerable communities and religions have tried to leave a mark in the food world through their diverse preparations with their own personal twist in amalgamating simple elements. Especially India has emerged to be a food lover’s paradise owing to the rich assortment of spices and herbs infused the knowledge of the available ingredients. The dish that exemplifies Indian culture and its authenticity is the veg thali. The elaboration of flavour and zing accompanied by the variety of small portions of preparation all in a single platter, shows how much thought goes into blending the different ingredients.

Thalis are not only a local delicacy but internationally also it has managed to excite the taste buds of food critics. The dish is originally inspired from the royal kitchens of Jaipur, where chefs would constantly fuse different elements and disturb it evenly on the plate for the guest to enjoy the flavours. The ethnic feel and a sense of grandeur is what summarizes the first look of a thali. Only an artist that understands the vitality of the constituents can create a masterpiece with passion and dedication. Similarly, a chef that acknowledges the intricacies of the ingredients can actually blend the flavours to create such a divine dish.

Thali restaurants have flourished in corners of the globe to promote this dish not as a choice in a menu card but as an actual delicacy. They master the art of representing their state on the plate through the diverse flavours and encourage customers to indulge in a little piece of India. These restaurants have emerged as a pathway to the flavours and roots of India. These restaurants cut the monotony that prevails in the culinary world and adds an element of diversity on the menu. Not everyone is equipped to handle the intense flavours and explosions of taste on the palette but most individuals enjoy the occasional dynamites of taste.

Veg thalis actually portray a feast made for a customer with a king size appetite and who enjoys saffron rice laden with clarified butter or chucks of goat cheese cooked in oil and cream or a lavish kheer with sugar and cinnamon all in a single platter. These vegan dishes eliminate the meat and poultry dishes which ravishing preparations inspired by mere vegetables and fruits. Thali restaurants have produced a platform to really encourage customers to splurge and indulge in the heaps of delicious food. The motto of the restaurants is similar to any Indian household and that is to feed the guest till he is satisfied completely. With the amalgamation of such delirious herbs and spices with simple fruits and vegetables the chefs cater to the variety of palettes and produce thalis varying in the spice content. The trend to promote delicacies like the thali worldwide has become a challenge for the Indian food economy, so it’s just a matter of time that India will reign as the supreme food nation.