Collection of Indian festival thali ideas.
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About Indian festival thali
Every Indian festival involves lots of food. From Ganesh Chaturthi to Hoil, I celebrate all festivals at home and obviously, cook lots of food. As a tradition, we offer the food cooked at festivals to the diety before consuming it. When offering to the deity, the food is not tasted while cooking, yet every time they taste perfect. Festival foods include not just sweet dishes or desserts, but also a range of rice dishes, vegetables, and dal. A complete meal is offered to the deity during festivals. None of these dishes have onion or garlic in them and are made with ghee when offered as Prasada.
I prepare a complete meal and present it in the form of a thali or platter. Obviously, the number of dishes that I make for festival thali is more than regular day-to-day cooking. Here are some Indian festival thali ideas featuring the platters I put together during these festivals I have cooked for various festivals.
After all, festivals are for indulgence. Don't you agree?
Ganesha Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is a Hindu festival worshiping Lord Ganesha. It starts on the fourth day of Hindu lunisolar calendar month Bhadrapada, which typically falls in the months of August or September. The festival celebrates Ganesha's birthday and worships him as the god of good beginnings, prosperity, and obstacle remover.
Here are some elaborate thali/meals I make for the Indian festival, Ganesha Chaturthi.
Ganesha Chaturthi Thali #1
This thali consists of (clockwise from top left) salt, cabbage palya, pineapple gojju, ambode, brown chickpeas usli, majjige huli, strawberry shrikhand, kobbari mithai, hoorna saaru, besan laddu, kadabu, ghee rice, chitranna, and curd rice.
- Cabbage palya – finely shredded cabbage cooked with minimal spices and green moong
- Pineapple gojju or curry – pineapple chunks cooked in a coconut base sweet-spicy gravy
- Ambode – or masala vada made with Bengal gram
- Brown chickpeas usli – healthy and easy stir fry made with brown chickpeas)
- Majjige huli – yogurt-based easy curry (can be made with any water-based vegetable. Here I have used okra or bhindi, which I fried and added to the curry)
- Strawberry Shrikhand – hung yogurt sweetened with sugar and flavoured with strawberries
- Kobbari mithai – or coconut burfi is a simple sweet dish with just two main ingredients – coconut and sugar. This is the easiest form of burfi and is ready in less than 20 minutes
- Hoorna saaru – sweet rasam made with hoorna or sweetened chana dal
- Besan laddu – Ghee roasted gram flour (besan) mixed with sugar and nuts, shaped into round laddus. A delight for sweet lovers
- Kadabu – sweet chana dal stuffed fried dumplings
- Rice with ghee
- Mavinakayi Chitranna – Raw mango rice where cooked rice is tossed with a mix of raw mango, coconut and spices
- Mosaranna (curd rice) – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
Ganesha Chaturthi Thali #2
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of cabbage palya, beans palya, carrot kosambari, kadale kalu usli, hayagreeva (chana dala and coconut sweet), hesaru bele payasa (moong dal kheer), pineapple gojju, raita, bisi bele bath, tomato rasam, majjige huli, and ambode. In the center, clockwise from top: steamed rice, plain dal, ghee, carrot halwa, besan burfi, dry fruits modaka, kadabu, and mosarrana.
- Cabbage palya – finely shredded cabbage cooked with minimal spices and green moong
- Beans Palya (stirfry) – Beans cooked with mild spices and finished off with loads of coconut
- Kosambari – Carrot and split green gram Indian style salad
- Kadale kalu usli – healthy and easy stir fry made with brown chickpeas
- Hayagreeva – traditional Karnataka sweet dish made with chana dal and coconut
- Hesaru bele payasa (moong dal kheer) – Made with moong dal or split green gram and flavoured with coconut milk, this simple vegan dessert is refined sugar-free
- Pineapple gojju or curry – pineapple chunks cooked in a coconut base sweet-spicy gravy
- Raita
- Bisi bele bhath – Rice, toor dal, veggies cooked with freshly ground spices and finished with a generous helping of ghee
- Tomato rasam – Pigeon pea lentil or toor dal cooked with tomatoes and freshly ground spice mix
- Majjige huli – yogurt-based bottle gourd curry (similar to the north Indian kadhi)
- Ambode – or masala vada made with Bengal gram
- Steamed rice, plain dal, ghee
- Carrot Halwa – Carrot halwa or pudding, where grated carrots are slow-cooked in milk, and finished with sugar, ghee, and nuts
- Besan burfi – Delicious burfi made with three main ingredients: besan (chickpea flour), ghee, and sugar
- Dry fruits modaka – Simple and easy no-cook modaka made with dates, almonds, and cashew, and no added sugar
- Kadabu – sweet chana dal stuffed fried dumplings
- Mosarrana (curd rice) – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
Ganesha Chaturthi Thali #3
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of kadale kalu usli, kosambari, curd rice, bajji, puliyogare, beans palya, and sambar. In the center: steamed rice, tovve (plain dal), ghee. Outside the plate: shavige payasa, and motichoor laddu.
- Kadlekalu usli – Healthy and a simple dish made with brown chickpeas and finished with loads of coconut
- Kosambari – Carrot and split green gram Indian style salad
- Mosaranna (curd rice) – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
- Bajji – batter fried assorted vegetables
- Puliyogare – Karnataka style tamarind rice
- Beans palya – french beans cooked with minimal spices and loaded coconut
- Sambar – Toor dal (pigeon pea lentil) cooked with freshly roasted spices and veggies of your choice
- Steamed rice, tovve (boiled toor dal), tuppa (ghee)
- Shavige payasa – or vermicelli kheer is a simple, humble dish that is perfect for festivals
- Motichoor laddu (store-bought) – Delicious laddu made with tiny gram flour (boondi) which is soaked in sugar syrup and then shaped into round balls
Yugadi
Yugadi/Ugadi is the New Year’s Day for Kannadigas. The name Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words yuga (age) and ādi (beginning): “the beginning of a new age”. Some of the thali/meals I made for the Indian festival, Yugadi.
Yugadi Thali #1
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of dill stir-fry, Mysore rasam, lemon rice, steamed rice, curd rice, beans palya, and ambode (placed in the center). Placed outside the plate: kosambari, ambode, shavige payasa, almond halwa, and balushahi.
- Dill stir fry – simple stir fry made with dill (sabbasige soppu) and boiled toor dal
- Mysore rasam – Pigeon pea lentil or toor dal cooked with tomatoes and freshly ground spice mix
- Lemon rice – a simple flavourful dish where cooked rice is tossed with an easy tempering and a generous serving of lemon juice
- Steamed rice
- Mosarrana – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada. For a Kanadiga, the meal is complete without mosaranna
- Beans palya – Beans cooked with mild spices and finished off with loads of coconut
- Ambode – or masala vada made with Bengal gram
- Kosambari – Carrot and split green gram Indian style salad
- Shavige payasa – or vermicelli kheer is a simple, humble dish that is perfect for festivals
- Almond halwa – a royal, rich and delicious dessert that is perfect for festivals and celebrations
- Badusha – or balushahi: flaky and crunchy from outside, soft and melt-in-mouth from inside, these Indian doughnuts are to die for!
Yugadi Thali #2
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of majjige huli, lemon rice, hesaru bele payasa (moong dal kheer), poori, curd rice, beans palya, ambode (placed in the center). Placed outside the plate: rava laddu, and shrikhand.
- Majjige huli – yogurt-based bottle gourd curry (similar to the north Indian kadhi)
- Lemon rice – a simple flavourful dish where cooked rice is tossed with a simple tempering and a generous serving of lemon juice
- Hesaru bele payasa (moong dal kheer) – Made with moong dal or split green gram and flavoured with coconut milk, this simple vegan dessert is refined sugar-free
- Poori – Unleavened deep-fried puffed bread made with whole wheat flour
- Mosarrana (curd rice) – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
- Beans Palya (stirfry) – Beans cooked with mild spices and finished off with loads of coconut
- Ambode – or masala vada made with Bengal gram
- Rava laddu – (semolina laddu) Simple and quick sweet treats made with semolina, coconut, and sugar, these little bites are ready in no time
- Shrikhand – hung yogurt sweetened with sugar and flavoured with saffron and cardamom
Yugadi Thali #3
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of curd rice, beans palya, mavinkayi chitranna, steamed rice, Mysore rasam, kosambari, dahi vada (placed in the center), and besan laddu (placed outside the plate).
- Mosarrana – Mosaru means yogurt and anna means rice in Kannada. For a Kannadiga, the meal is complete without mosaranna
- Beans palya – Beans cooked with mild spices and finished off with loads of coconut
- Mavinakayi Chitranna – This is the highlight of our Yugadi celebration. Raw mango rice where cooked rice is tossed with a mix of raw mango, coconut, and spices
- Mysore rasam – Pigeon pea lentil or toor dal cooked with tomatoes and freshly ground spice mix
- Kosambari – Carrot and split green gram Indian style salad. Creates magic on your tastebuds
- Dahi vada – Split black gram (urad dal) fritters dunked in a spicy tangy yogurt mix
- Besan laddu – Ghee roasted gram flour (besan) bound together with sugar. A delight for sweet lovers
Janmashtami
Janmashtami or Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lard Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna is known for his love for makhan or butter and milk. Many of my dishes here have milk in it or is cooked with freshly churned butter. Here is a typical thali/meal I make on the Indian festival, Janmashtami.
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of paneer masala, chickpeas spinach curry, homemade butter, jeera rice, shrikhand, moong dal halwa, and malpua (placed in the center).
- Paneer masala – paneer and potatoes in a tomato gravy, without onion and garlic
- Chickpea Spinach curry – simple and healthy no onion-no garlic curry made with chickpeas and spinach
- Homemade butter – or makhan. Lord Krishna’s favourite
- Jeera Rice – Basmati rice cooked with ghee, cumin seeds, and green peas
- Shrikhand – hung yogurt sweetened with sugar and flavoured with saffron and cardamom
- Moong dal halwa – moong dal slow-cooked with ghee and sweetened with sugar
- Malpua – Indian pancakes flavoured with fennel seeds
- Fresh in-season strawberries
Durga Puja Bhog Thali
This meal is typically served as ‘bhog’ or offering to goddess Durga during festivals in Bengal. There are many variations of bhog. Here is my take of thali/meals made on the Durgashtami
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of panchmishali, eggplant fry, khichuri, peda, and tomato dates chutney.
- Panchmishali – a medley of vegetables slow cooked with whole spices
- Eggplant Fry – also called begun bhaja, round slices of eggplant rubbed with turmeric and salt, and shallow fried
- Khichuri – rice, lentils, and vegetables slow-cooked together with minimal spices
- Peda – Khoya or dried milk solids and sugar cooked together and shaped into little roundels
- Tomato Dates chutney – sweet- savoury-tangy chutney made with tomatoes, dates, and raisins
Raksha Bandhan
Rahsha Bandhan is to celebrate the love and bond brothers and sisters share. The mythological story behind it goes like this. On Makar Sankranti, Krishna cut his little finger when handling sugarcane. His Queen, Rukmini immediately sent an official to get bandages. Meanwhile, Draupadi, who was watching the entire incident, cut off a little bit of her saree and tied his finger with it to stop the bleeding. In return, Krishna promised to help her out when required. That is the story behind the help Krishna provides during the unceremonious disrobing of Draupadi, Krishna came and made her saree never-ending, saving her the embarrassment by giving her protection when she needed it the most.
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of beans palya, kosambari, kayi holige, besan laddu, curd rice, and bisi bele bath.
- Beans palya – Beans cooked with mild spices and finished off with loads of coconut
- Kosambari – Carrot and split green gram Indian style salad
- Kayi holige – Coconut stuffed flatbread- the star of our festival
- Besan Laddu – Ghee roasted gram flour (besan) mixed with sugar and nuts, shaped into round laddus. A delight for sweet lovers
- Mosarrana – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
- Bisi bele bhath – Rice, toor dal, veggies cooked with freshly ground spices and finished with a generous helping of ghee. Click here for the recipe of freshly ground bisi bele bath masala powder.
Diwali
Deepavali or Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. One of the most popular festivals for Indians, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November. This festival is typically celebrated for three days in Karnataka.
My Diwali lunch thalis are not very elaborate as I make a lot of snacks and other sweet treats for Diwali. Some of the thali/meals I made for the Indian festival, Diwali or Deepavali
Diwali Thali #1
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of lemon rice, saagu, poori, carrot halwa, curd rice, and masala vada (placed in the center).
- Lemon rice – a simple flavourful dish where cooked rice is tossed with a simple tempering and a generous serving of lemon juice
- Saagu – Karnataka-style mixed vegetable curry made in a coconut-coriander base
- Poori – Unleavened deep-fried puffed bread made with whole wheat flour
- Carrot Halwa – Carrot halwa or pudding, where grated carrots are slow-cooked in milk, and finished with sugar, ghee, and nuts
- Mosarrana (curd rice) – Mosaru means yogurt and anna mean rice in Kannada
- Ambode – or masala vada made with Bengal gram
Diwali Thali #2
Starting from the top, clockwise: this thali consists of akki kadale bele payasa (rice-Bengal gram kheer), bajji, kosambari, bisi bele bath, karjikai, and holige.
- Akki kadlebele payasa – boiled rice and Bengal gram sweetened with jaggery and finished with lots of dried coconut
- Bajji – batter fried assorted vegetables
- Kosambari – Bengal gram and cucumber salad. I have shared the recipe for carrot kosambari. This is prepared the same way
- Bisi bele bath – rice, toor dal, veggies cooked with freshly ground spices and finished with a generous helping of ghee
- Karjikai – deep-fried dumplings with a filling of coconut, sugar, and nuts
- Holige – (Puranpoli/obattu) Bengal gram sweetened with jaggery is used as the stuffing. Enjoy hot holige by smearing a dollop of ghee (clarified butter) and warm milk
