Thaali (aka "meals" in South India) is probably the most under-rated part of Indian cuisine - both in India and abroad.
Most of us celebrate the exotic, the foreign and the new.
But Thaali is traditional, wholesome, and curated over centuries. And the least respected. Sadly.
Because we have forgotten how to celebrate the ordinary.
Thaali is what each of us have grown up with.
Roti, subzi, daal, achaar in the North.
Rice, veggies and daal in the South.
These are just indicative of what a Thaali is.
But in reality, Thaali is as diverse as India.
Where does it come from?
Centuries of living close to Nature.
Growing, harvesting, cooking what is available in close proximity.
Local, Seasonal, home-cooked and always organic (until we become wiser in the 1950s!)
Carefully planned, as we realize now - carbs in combination with protein, with adequate fat & fibre.
Cooked at home, one dish at a time, with the right combination of spices.
Tastefully put together, some steamed, some boiled, some sauteed, some raw.
Each dish loaded with nuance, just as it should taste; the taste remaining the same for generations
The Thaali outlives each of us. Always.
Here at Bio Basics, we celebrate the Thaalis.
Our every day comfort food.
Sure, there is space for the exotic and the exciting.
But the "Basics" remains the same - the oonu (Malayalam) or saapaadu (Taamil) or the Thaali.
This is the core of who we are.
And we celebrate it by bringing in diverse grains, and traditional vegetables.
By keeping alive a tradition worth preserving for our children and theirs.
