Thali is a meal made up of a selection of dishes, including rice, vegetables, roti, papad, chutney and pickles.
They are served in small bowls on a large round tray – or Thali.
Thali dishes can be high in fat and carbs but we've suggested a few simple swaps to make it more healthy.
10 easy swaps for healthier thali
- Eat roti instead of puri. Make your rotis healthier by using wholemeal flour and leaving out the butter and ghee.
- Choose basmati or easy cook rice as they will keep you fuller for longer because they release energy slowly.
- Keep an eye on your portion sizes. If you choose to have chapatti and rice at the same meal, make your portions smaller.
- Measure the amount of oil you use when cooking curries and dahl, rather than just free pouring. Usually 1–2 tsp of oil is enough to feed a family of four.
- Add extra vegetables to your curries to make them go further and to add more goodness.
- Steam bhinda instead of frying it to make it lower in fat - and healthier.
- Papad will be healthier if you roast it, rather than fry it.
- Pickles are laden with oils and high in fat so swap them for lasan or dhana chutney.
- Use less salt in your cooking and don't add any at the dinner table.
- Eat fresh fruit as your dessert and save gulab jaman as a treat for special occasions.
