The Thali

Indian restaurants offer a multitude of dishes, so the thali

(the Hindi word for 'a large plate') is the perfect solution for

indecisive people, and it's popular in many regions of the

country. It consists of a selection of curries, vegetables, sauces

and yoghurt. The food it served in small bowls on a round tray

with a mountain of rice in the middle. It comes with chutney,

pickles and papadums, a thin, round, crispy bread.

The dishes in the thali are eaten in a special order.

For example, you start with the vegetables,

followed by rice mixed with a spicy

lentil sauce called sambhar. Next,

the spiciest of the sauces is served

and then, the rasam, a sauce made

from tomatoes. You eat a small

portion of rice with each of the sauces.

By this time, your palate will be on fire,

so you'll be ready for the yoghurt mixed with rice!

For dessert, the thali sometimes includes something sweet.

Thali is good for your digestion because it's a balanced meal.