In India most dishes are served at the same time in a Thali. In the south your thali will still be served on a banana leave. fCurries and lentils or gravy/sauced items go into small bowls, and dry-cooked accompaniments are placed directly on the plate/thali.
The thali is a well balanced meal with dishes that include rice, dal, vegetables, flat breads, dahi (yoghurt), chutney, pickle, papad and a sweet dish.
The tastes are well rounded from the sublime yogurts to the fiery curries, from the fresh salads to the pickled vegetables, from the sweet to the sour chutneys. The texture too runs from the crunchy papads to the softness of the rice and the soupy lentils.
