Thali
An Indian meal of many small dishes served together on one round platter.
Also: bhojanam, meals
Thali is the Hindi word for a plate, and also for the full meal served on it. Small bowls called katori hold dal, vegetables, curd, pickle and a sweet, set around rice and flatbread. The aim is balance: several tastes and textures at one sitting. Contents change by region, so a Gujarati thali differs greatly from a Bengali or Tamil one. In south India a similar meal is served on a banana leaf.