Sautéed Baby Bok Choy and About ‘Indian Thali’

I had never eaten bok choy before I moved to Canada. When I did start eating, I loved it. Bok choy is a green leafy vegetable with dark green leaves and light green stalks. It is highly nutritious, low in calories and  is delicious sautéed, steamed, and simmered in soups.  I love how the leaves become tender and the stems stay crisp even after some cooking.

This sautéed bok choy is our go to for an easy, healthy and delicious side dish. Its peppery flavor really pairs well with Indian meal. That is the reason why I chose to post this recipe again. I feel it didn’t receive the attention it actually deserves 9 years ago (Jul 22, 2011) when my blog was sooooo new.

 

It’s a wonderful vegetarian side dish that is both tender and appetizing with the simple flavors of garlic, salt, pepper flakes and vinegar.  I made sautéed bok choy as a side dish for yesterday’s lunch since I had done a thali.

Are you wondering what a thali is? A thali is a large round platter that holds an assortment of dishes (courses). The dishes are typically served in smaller containers called “katoris” arranged in a circular fashion on the thali. It is generally made of steel or copper however people nowadays prefer to use ceramic or finer quality porcelain plates and bowls in home. The assortment of dishes touch on all six flavors embraced in Indian culinary philosophy: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy for optimum health and nutrition.

 

 

Thali is in fact a well-balanced  meal according to the dietary pyramid with carbohydrates from roti (flatbread) or rice; fiber, vitamins and minerals from salad and sautéed vegetables; protein from lentil based stews, meat, chicken, fish or seafood; calcium and probiotics from yogurt; other nutrients from pickle and chutney, and a sweet dish to satiate our senses.

Thali also signifies a particular style and type of food served in restaurants. When you order thali, you’ll get a neatly arranged steel or copper thali, containing multiple bowls loaded with sides and snacks to mains and dessert, making it a wholesome experience. Each region of India has its own version of Thali. And to this day, it’s how food is served in community kitchens of temples.

 

 

The Thali components differ based on the occasion. The dishes that graced our table on the thali were: homestyle chicken curry, sabut daal mix ( a mixture of three pulses ) gajar ka halwa (carrot pudding cooked in milk),  chili garlic chutney, peas pulao, jowar roti ( a gluten free flatbread made with sorghum flour), chili pickle, salad and lassi (savory yogurt drink). It’s a balanced diet where variety is at its best.

 

 

Each taste in a thali feeds our mind, body and senses in a unique way.  While Bitter taste is often not appealing alone, it stimulates the appetite and helps bring out the flavor of the other tastes. It is a powerful detoxifying agent, and has antibiotic, anti-parasitic, and antiseptic qualities. Sautéed Bok choy and the use of spices took care of the the bitter taste in our meal.

Dark leafy greens and vegetables (like zucchini, cabbage and eggplant), herbs and spices (like turmeric, fenugreek, and dandelion root), coffee, tea, and certain fruits (such as grapefruits, olives, and bitter melon) are some of the common sources of bitter foods.