An Indian thali meal for festivals is a testament to the grandeur of our heritage and rich food culture. Here are the 10 best Indian thali meals for every festive occasion.
- What is ‘Thali Meal’?
- Indian Thali For Festivals
What is ‘Thali Meal’?
The term ‘thali’ is a Hindi word for – plate or platter. Thalis are the ultimate Indian legacy meals . Traditionally, a set meal is served in small-sized bowls arranged neatly on a round plate called thali. They are vibrant, full of colour, diverse in flavour, and wholesome.
Each region in India has its own thali meals such as North Indian Thali, South Indian Thali, Gujurati Thali, or Rajasthani Thali.
If one has to showcase Indian food heritage on a plate, what better way than to create a thali – a mélange of finest festive recipes.
Rajasthani Thali
Indian Thali For Festivals
During the festival celebrations such as Diwali , Holi , Raksha Bandhan, Eid, Lohri, Sankranti , and many others, a special Indian meal is cooked in each family.
A festive meal comprises hearty Indian main-course curries , vegetarian side-dishes, accompanied by a variety of raita, chutney, pickle, pulao, and chapati or paratha. The meal is always ended with an Indian sweet dish .
For festivals, family get-togethers, busy weekdays, to seasonal moods, I have Indian thali for every occasion . The USP of my thalis is they are practical, easy to make, nutritious, wholesome, and have every element of nostalgia.
Follow my meal-prep tips for the Indian kitchen to make elaborate meals like a pro.
- Festive Indian Thali ( starting clockwise )
- Boondi Raita
- Potato Fry
- Chana Masala
- Gulab Jamun
- Dal Samosa
- Palak Puri
- Papad
- Festive Indian Thali
- Mathura Style Aloo Sabzi
- Atta Puri (Poori)
- Festive Indian Thali ( Lohri/Sankranti Special )
- Sarson Ka Saag
- Makke Ki Roti
- Peanut Chikki
- White Butter
- Jaggery
- Navratri Special Festive Thali
- Suji Halwa
- Kala Chana Curry
- Atta Puri
- South Indian Festive Thali Meal
- Vada
- Upma
- Sambar
- Curd Rice
- Rava Dosa
- Payasam
- Festive Indian Thali
- Palak Paneer
- Aloo Sabzi
- Dahi Bhalla
- Medu Vada
- Tandoori Roti
- Vrat Special Indian Thali
- Arbi Ki Sabzi
- Vrat Ki Kheer
- Kuttu Puri
- Festive Indian Thali (starting clockwise)
- Kadhai Paneer
- Aloo Ki Sabzi
- Palak Paratha
- Lemon Rice
- Kaju Katli
- Festive Indian Thali
- Kadhai Paneer
- Tandoori Roti
- Paneer Gulab Jamun
- Festive Indian Thali
- Kala Chana
- Dahi Bhalla
- Matar Pulao
- Tandoori Roti
- Ras Malai
Creating a variety of Indian thali on a day-to-day basis is my favourite personal project. I have been working on it for past many years. If you and I are connected on Instagram , then you must be very well aware of my love for thalis.
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This is a spicy, cheese loaded chutney sandwich recipe. It is one of the easiest and tastiest Indian-style sandwiches perfect for a quick breakfast or teatime snack. Be sure to watch the video!
About Chutney Sandwich
If you wonder what the hell is a chutney sandwich, close your eyes and imagine biting into crisp bread slices with spicy, refreshing green chutney (dipping sauce) piled with a melting layer of cheese.
It may sound odd at first, but after one bite, you will surely make this sandwich again and again.
It is an Indian-style sandwich inspired by the pesto grilled cheese sandwich.
The green chutney is a refreshing Indian dipping sauce or a side dish. The combination of spicy chutney and melting cheese in between the grilled bread slices is simply heavenly.
Reason to LOVE Chutney Sandwich
- easy and require minimal prep work
- vegetarian sandwich recipe
- versatile and customizable
- meal-prep friendly
- kid approved
Ingredients Required
You need a few basic ingredients to make this two-layered grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredients For Green Chutney
- Coriander Leaves: Fresh Coriander Leaves are the key ingredient for making green chutney. Do not throw away coriander stalks as they add a lot of flavor to the chutney.
- Green Chilli: It adds spiciness. Jalapeno or any other mildly spicy green chili works for making chutney.
- Garlic: I love the flavor of garlic in my chutney. Skip adding garlic if you are allergic or do not like it.
- Cumin: Use either roasted cumin seeds or powder. It gives an earthy, roasted flavor to the chutney.
- Coconut: It is not usually added to an authentic green chutney. I like the combination of coconut and coriander.
- Mango Powder & Chaat Masala: They give a sour, lip-smacking taste to the chutney. You can use lemon or lime juice, rock salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, or a tablespoon of sour cream to get the same taste.
Ingredients For Sandwich
- Green Chutney
- Bread: Any variety of sandwich bread works. Use a bread with decent heft and structure, not something very soft and delicate.
- Cheese: Gruyere, Swiss, Cheddar, Emmental, Mozarella, or any other cheese slices with excellent melting qualities are perfect for this chutney sandwich.
- Butter: To grill the sandwich
Homemade Green Chutney
The soul of this cheese sandwich is the green chutney. It is an easy, no-cook, gluten-free, vegan , Indian dipping sauce that you can store for 3 – 5 days in the refrigerator.
There are many ways to make a lip-smacking green chutney. You can follow them or stick to my simple, fuss-free, and guaranteed delicious super green chutney recipe.
Green Chutney Ingredients
While making green chutney do not grind it for too long as the heat of your blender’s blade might turn your chutney black and bitter. A few quick pulses are good enough.
I have two versions of green chutney – one, without mint (I use it for making this sandwich), second, with mint and minus coconut . Both of these chutney recipes are equally delicious. For this cheese sandwich, I have used green chutney without mint leaves.
Watch Sandwich Video
More Breakfast Recipes
- Potato Bread Roll
- Cheese Potato Bake
- Oats Moong Dal Chilli
- Spinach Corn Sandwich
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
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If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
Ingredients For Green Chutney
- ▢ 1 ½ Cup fresh coriander leaves
- ▢ 2 green chili
- ▢ 2 garlic cloves
- ▢ 2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon mango powder (amchur) (see notes)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 1 – 2 tablespoon water
Other Ingredients:
- ▢ 12 slices sandwich bread check ingredients note above
- ▢ 12 slices cheese (two on each sandwich) check ingredients note above
- ▢ 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
Prepare Green Chutney:
- Add all the ingredients for green chutney in the small jar of a blender along with 1 – 2 tablespoons of water. Blend the chutney to a thick, smooth paste. Do not blend the chutney for too long. The texture does not have to be silky smooth.
- Taste the chutney and add more salt if required. If it seems too spicy for your liking, add a tablespoon of yogurt or sugar and blend one more time. Transfer the chutney to a bowl and set it aside.
Prepare Sandwich:
- Spread evenly 1 tablespoon of chutney on a bread slice. Place one or two cheese slices. Spread chutney on another bread slice. Cover the cheese layer with chutney smeared bread slice. Similarly, assemble all the sandwiches.
- Heat 1 – 2 tablespoons of butter on a grill pan.
- Place one sandwich on the hot grill pan. Toast it from both sides until the bread is crisp. You can grill the chutney sandwich on a sandwich press as well.
- Serve Cheese Chutney Sandwich warm.
Recipe Notes:
- Less chewy sourdough bread also works for this sandwich recipe.
- Adjust the amount of green chilies according to your preference or use the mildly spicy ones.
- Substitute Chaat Masala and mango powder with lime juice/sour cream/rock salt/curd. The chutney needs a touch of sourness.
- If you are using a flavored cheese, adjust the amount of salt and spices in the chutney accordingly.
- Like other grilled cheese sandwiches, chutney sandwich also does not taste good at room temperature or cold. It is best enjoyed when warm and the cheese is melting.
Nutrition
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