Seeing the Chennai wedding picture posted in August brings back a flood of memories. We always called them "Madrasi Meals" some 20 years ago, served in the upstairs dining room at the New Woodlands Hotel for all of 5 rupees. As college students, it was the best bargain in town.
Alas, I can't remember what all was in it to duplicate it at home. Always endless basmati rice and na'an ... and dirty fingers from rolling the rice in five or six sauces (plus something variable and sweet at the end along with buffalo curd to cool the palate). Sigh. No Indian recipe book even mentions these feasts.
Can anyone help fill in the blanks of what's traditionally included in one of these meals?
Alas, I can't remember what all was in it to duplicate it at home. Always endless basmati rice and na'an ... and dirty fingers from rolling the rice in five or six sauces (plus something variable and sweet at the end along with buffalo curd to cool the palate). Sigh. No Indian recipe book even mentions these feasts.
Can anyone help fill in the blanks of what's traditionally included in one of these meals?
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Florida
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Re: Wedding/Festival Meal Components
Sun, February 24, 2008 - 8:16 PMPerhaps it was my wedding feast picture that got you drooling!
I also have enjoyed quite a few Madrasi meals both in the USA and in India. My in-laws live in Madras so I have been to a few restaurants there.
As far as a South Indian thali or full dinner meal, I've only had vegetarian ones because I and my family do not eat meat. So what I list below reflects that.
Plain rice, of course
Sometimes a special rice like tamarind rice, tomato rice or curd rice
Rasam
Sambar
Dal, often toor dal
raita or plain yogurt
pickles
vada with chutney
a vegetable sabji, curry or two
plain appalams (poppadums) (naan is a North Indian specialty)
Dessert like payasam, burfi, halva or rava kesari
Water to drink
There are a couple of South Indian cookbooks available which I can personally say are good and authentic.
One is called Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan.
The other is Vegetarian Samayal of South India by Viji Varadarajan.
Hope this helps!
