Saturday, April 26, 2014

Lunch Thali - Tamilnadu Special

Tamil Nadu, is a South Indian state which is known for its distinct taste for food and offering a huge variety of vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food items.The common ingredients for all Tamil foods are generally red chillies, fresh coconut, tamarind, turmeric and pinch of asafoetida. The common items of this place are foods like the dosas, idli and upma. Moreover, Pongal and Uttappam served with Sambar, Milagai podi and Coconut chutney are appetizing. These light items generally are served along with a cup of hot coffee that completes this signature dish of a typical Tamil cuisine that is relished by the people of this land.

Apart from snacks, coming to the main course, meals of Tamil cuisine that is bound by rice along with the regular side dishes being offered consists of huge varieties of Poriyals ( curries), Kootu, Avial, Kozhambu (stews), Rasam, Sambar and Thayir (Yoghurt or Curd).The main course meal of a Tamil food is known as a sappadu that is served traditionally on banana leaves. The reason for this is because of the addition of an extra flavour from the leaves making good apetite.Since  the culture also have undergone improvisations by changing the habit and  now the ‘sappadu’ is served on stainless steel plates.

The typical and authentic Tamil cultured main course food that is called “Virundu Sappadu” where the meal is served on a banana leaf. While having food on tender banana leaves, the upper half of the leaf is for the side dishes, while the staple foods is to be served in the bottom half. The leaf’s lower end corner to be served with the desserts, which consists of a sweet, milky payasam, along with Kesari and Sweet Pongal. While the right upper end of the plate is  to serve with some pickle or chutni or a touch of salt whereas the centre of the plate has been served with fried items such as yam, banana chips, potato, vadai and Appalams (crispy papads).For my today's post, i cooked up a Mini lunch thali which consists of three curries, a sambar with appalam,vada and with a payasam. It was real feast to have this dishes for a lunch.Go through this thali and enjoy it virtually.


This Thali consists of:
Rice
Appalam
Masala vadai
Vegetable Sambar
Cabbage curry but without chickpeas
Potato Roast
Milagu Vazhakkai Poriyal/Raw Banana Curry
Thengapaal Payasam

Thengapaal Payasam/Coconut milk Rice Kheer:



4cups Coconut milk
1cup Water
1/4cup Rice (soak for half an hour)
1cup Sugar
1tsp Cardamom powder
Few cashewnuts
Silvered almonds
Few saffron strands
1tbsp Ghee

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel,fry the cashews until brown,keep aside.

Drain the water from the rice and to the same ghee, add the rice,fry for few minutes

Now add the water and cook everything in medium flame for 15-20minutes, stir frequently until the rice get cooked.

Add the sugar,coconut milk,cook until the sugar gets well dissolved.

Finally add the cardamom powder, fried cashews,saffron strands and put off the stove.

Serve warm.

36 comments:

Sandhya Ramakrishnan said... Reply To This Comment

What a lovely spread Priya! Love the thengai paal payasam.

Sangeetha Nambi said... Reply To This Comment

Hurray ! Namma ooru namma ooru ! Enaku konjam parcel anupungalen....

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

mouthwatering thali aka..wud love to have a full meals now

Varada's Kitchen said... Reply To This Comment

Lovely thali Priya! All the dishes look so good. Have not had masala vada in a long time. Time to make some.

mullaimadavan said... Reply To This Comment

Priya, lunchuku na varen, oru thali ready pannunga!

Sona said... Reply To This Comment

Delicious spread, looks very hearty and inviting.

Priya said... Reply To This Comment

ah neenga urukai irunthu dessert varai explain pannumpothu apdiye saptu mudicha trupti .Fantastic meals ka

Srivalli said... Reply To This Comment

What a beautiful spread Priya..everything looks yum!

Rani acharyulu said... Reply To This Comment

Delicious thali love it.

Vidhya said... Reply To This Comment

Would love to have this mouthwatering thali.

AparnaRajeshkumar said... Reply To This Comment

thengai pal payasam is eye catching

The Pumpkin Farm said... Reply To This Comment

i like the fact that South indian thalis have the perfect mix of fried, suateed, sweet and spicy food and yet they dont make you feel bloated...this one meal is also perfectly blended

Menaga Sathia said... Reply To This Comment

Wowww super lunch,parcel pls!!

Lincyscookart said... Reply To This Comment

You have tempted me so badly to eat tamil Nadu Thali again. 2days before Fm Saravana Bhavan we ate this Thali.I really want to eat this thali again after seeing ur Thali fotos.

Sundari Nathan said... Reply To This Comment

wow!! I am extremely hungry after seeing this thali!! Yum yum!!

divyagcp said... Reply To This Comment

Delicious Tamilnadu lunch thali akka.. vadai payasathoda sena saapadu.. :)

Fullscoops said... Reply To This Comment

Such a lovely spread! Love it!

hotpotcooking said... Reply To This Comment

Lovely spread.

Angie's Recipes said... Reply To This Comment

Rice cooked in coconut milk..I sure will love this too.

vaishali sabnani said... Reply To This Comment

wow Priya..a thali!!:))...i love it, it seems to be really comforting food which is authentic and delicious..lovely!

Padhu Sankar said... Reply To This Comment

Lovely spread!!

Kaveri Venkatesh said... Reply To This Comment

What an inviting platter...and the payasam is really delicious

Sangeetha Priya said... Reply To This Comment

delicious payasam n very inviting platter!!!

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Nice spread! It has been really nice to get to know new dishes. Keep going.

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

wow home meals!! I want some now!! such a beautiful spread and so many dishes are making me so nostalgic... wonderful Priya..

Harini R said... Reply To This Comment

The thali is a very simple meal and very homely too.

Pavani said... Reply To This Comment

Beautiful thali Priya.. So filling and hearty meal.

Nalini's Kitchen said... Reply To This Comment

Awesome looking spread,thenga paal payasam looks so yummy and tempting...

Padmajha said... Reply To This Comment

Tempting thali Priya. I want try that thengai paal payasam and milagu valakai porriyal.

MySpicyKitchen said... Reply To This Comment

You put together a nice thali. Everything on the thali looks good.

jayanthi said... Reply To This Comment

a typical tamil thali.. tasty and homey. great work

Priya Srinivasan - I Camp in My Kitchen said... Reply To This Comment

It is lunch time here and i m just drooling on the picture!!! Lovely thali priya, love that thengalpaal payasam!!:)

Chef Mireille said... Reply To This Comment

love the way the first photograph is styled and presented - and kheer with coconut milk must be so good

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

omg aks such an wonderful spread I am in love with this thali:) very dish looks fantastic and mouthwatering , am not able resist myself will join you there for this thali ;) very very delicious spread the vada and payasam are calling me.. tenga paal payasam sounds very interesting and yummy :)

Archana said... Reply To This Comment

Wow what a delicious and yummy spread. I am fida over it!!!! Too good for words.

Suma Gandlur said... Reply To This Comment

What a delicious homely spread!