Vegetarian Indian Thali

Pasos

1. Rinse the rice several times in cold water until the water runs nearly clear. Cover it with fresh water and let it soak while setting up the other preparations.
2. Rinse the moong dal. Place it in a saucepan with the water allocated for the dal, turmeric, and a little salt. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer gently until the lentils are completely tender and begin to break down. Stir with a whisk to achieve a smooth, coating consistency without making it a completely smooth purée.
3. Prepare the dal tadka in a small skillet. Heat the ghee, add the cumin seeds, then the asafoetida. As soon as the seeds sizzle, add a portion of the garlic, ginger, green chili, and onion. Sauté until lightly browned, stir in the tomato and ground red chili, then cook until the fat separates around the edges.
4. Immediately pour the hot tadka over the dal. Mix, adjust the salt, and keep over very low heat. The dal should remain fluid enough to mix with the rice; add a splash of hot water if it thickens too much.
5. For the aloo gobi, separate the cauliflower into small, even florets and cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces. Heat the oil in a sauté pan, sizzle the cumin and mustard seeds, then add the remaining onion, garlic, and ginger.
6. Add the potatoes, turmeric, ground coriander, and ground red chili. Sauté to coat each piece in the spices. Add the cauliflower and salt, mix gently, and cover. Cook over medium-low heat in the vegetables' own steam, stirring carefully to avoid breaking the florets.
7. Remove the lid when the vegetables are tender but still intact. Allow any residual moisture to evaporate, then add the garam masala and a squeeze of lemon juice. Traditional aloo gobi should be dry, spicy, and lightly roasted, never swimming in sauce.
8. Drain the rice. Heat a little ghee in a saucepan, add the cumin seeds, and let them sizzle. Stir in the rice, tossing gently to coat the grains without breaking them.
9. Add the water allocated for the rice and salt. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and cook over very low heat until absorbed. Turn off the heat and let rest covered before gently fluffing the grains with a fork.
10. For the chapatis, mix the atta flour with salt. Gradually incorporate the water allocated for the dough and knead until it forms a soft, smooth, and non-sticky dough. Cover and let it rest while the cooking finishes.
11. Divide the dough into equal portions. Form into balls, flatten them in a little flour, and roll them out into even discs. Cook each chapati on a very hot skillet or tawa until small bubbles appear, flip it, and finish cooking on the other side. Lightly press the edges to encourage puffing, and brush with a sheer layer of ghee.
12. For the raita, coarsely grate the cucumber and gently squeeze it to remove excess water. Whisk the yogurt until smooth, then stir in the cucumber, a little previously toasted and crushed cumin, salt, and a portion of the fresh cilantro. Keep refrigerated.
13. For the halwa, heat the water allocated for the dessert with the sugar, crushed seeds from the cardamom pods, and raisins. Keep this syrup hot.
14. Melt some ghee in a saucepan and slowly toast the semolina, stirring continuously. When it turns golden blond and smells nutty, carefully pour in the hot syrup. Stir vigorously until absorbed and continue cooking until the halwa pulls away from the pan. Add the cashews.
15. Reheat all components right before serving, except for the raita. Garnish the dal and aloo gobi with fresh cilantro, and prepare the achar according to the chosen option.
16. Assemble each thali on a round platter: distribute the dal, aloo gobi, raita, achar, and halwa into separate small bowls. Place the rice and chapatis directly on the platter. Serve everything simultaneously, piping hot, alongside the cool raita.