INDIAN THALI

Thali (Hindi: थाली meaning "plate") is a Western, Central, and North-Western Indian meal with contents varying from one region to another. More usual and famous thalis are Maharashtrian, Gujarati and Rajasthani. A thali is a selection of different dishes, usually served in small bowls on a round tray. The round tray is generally made with steel with multiple compartments. In North America, people sometimes use plastic thalis because they are disposable. Typical dishes include rice, dhal, vegetables, roti, papad, curd (yoghurt), small amounts of chutney or pickle, and a sweet dish to top it off. Restaurants typically offer a choice of vegetarian or meat-based thalis.
Depending on the restaurant or the region, the thali consists of delicacies native to that region. Thali starts out with puris, chapatis (rotis), and different vegetarian specialities (curries).
In some restaurants, a thali may include "bottomless" refills on all components of food; the idea is that one eats until fully satisfied. Such thalis are referred to as "unlimited" thalis. In some places the term means that everything in the plate except a few items, like the sweet preparation or dahi vada, is open to unlimited helpings.
Thalis are sometimes referred to by the regional characteristic of the items they have. For example one may encounter Rajasthani thali, Gujarati thali and Maharashtrian thali . In many parts of India, the bread and the rice preparation are not served together in the thali. Typically, the Indian bread is offered first with rice being served afterwards, often in a separate bowl or dish.
Also there are arrangements especially in Northwestern India (in fact, even Pakistan and Afghanistan) where one is offered bread exclusively as a part of a meal. One encounters such arrangements especially at a dhaba.