30-Minute Complete

Diwali Thali

: Menu Planning For A Festival Meal

Quick Summary

When it comes to Diwali, there are always a million things to plan and never enough time. From hanging up the lights to preparing the diyas, fixing the candles, and decorating with flowers and rangoli, Diwali is a medley of small events. And to ensure every element works perfectly, you need proper planning. Dive ahead to discover what meal planning can do for your Diwali celebrations, especially if you’re looking for a 30-minute Diwali thali. 

Deep Dive

Diwali, or the festival of lights, is one of the grandest festivals celebrated in India. From the twinkling lights and diyas that adorn every house to the treat-laden tables, every part of Diwali is like a mini celebration. But, if you’re the one planning the festive meal and only have 30 minutes on hand, you don’t have to rely on takeout. Because a 30-minute pizza may sound great. But a 30-minute complete Diwali thali really takes the cake, or rather the mithai, on Diwali! With efficient menu planning, a little advance prep, and intelligent swaps, you can have a feast ready in minutes. 

What Makes A Complete Thali?

The concept of thali is prevalent across India. Each region incorporates different dishes that best highlight the produce and cooking style of the region. But broadly, every thali includes a collection of sweet and savory dishes, along with condiments, breads, and rice. For the most part, all dishes are artfully arranged on a common utensil— either a large round plate or a banana leaf. 

However,  thali is not just a collection of food items. It’s a complete experience on a plate, especially during festivals like Diwali. Every dish is carefully curated to balance different flavor profiles, incorporate festive favorites, provide enough textural variety (soft breads to crunchy sides), and introduce visual contrast, where possible. The problem arises when this planning turns into an elaborate setup that requires more time than you can spare. That’s when intelligent menu planning saves the day. 

Quick-Fix Thali: Key Principles

If you want to whip up a feast in minutes, you need to get smart with menu planning. From limiting the number of dishes to using common ingredients and instant mixes, smart menu planning can save you hours in the kitchen, leaving you enough time to enjoy the feast you prepare! 

Here are some key planning principles to keep in mind: 

• Focus on high-impact dishes: A traditional thali usually offers 10+ dishes. However, each takes time and effort to prepare. For a quick-fix thali, choose 5-6 high-impact dishes. For example, instead of 4 types of elaborate condiments, opt for sliced onions and ready-to-eat papad. 
• Use common base ingredients: Use dishes that require a common base (like tomato-onion paste for gravy), or breads from the same dough. For example, parathas, roti, and puri use the same dough. This adds variety but simplifies prep and reduces overall time. 
• Opt for fast-cooking techniques & parallel cooking: Choose items that can be pressure-cooked, stir-fried, or baked quickly. This not only yields faster results but also allows you time for parallel cooking. For example, instead of slow-cooked dal makhani, make pressure-cooked dal fry. And as your gravy simmers, start kneading the dough. 
• Make-ahead dishes: Certain dishes, especially sweets, can be made in advance and stored. Items like malai kulfi, select barfis (coconut or kaju katli), and ladoos with low moisture content like besan ladoo (roasted gram flour) can be frozen in advance and reheated when serving. Similarly, chutneys can be made ahead and stored for days. 
• Meal prep for mains: Not just desserts, you can also meal prep for your mains by making certain ingredients in advance. You can chop vegetables in advance, use frozen ingredients (e.g., peas), and even prepare tomato-onion paste to use for gravies. 
• Use instant ready-to-cook mixes: Ready-to-cook mixes or instant meals are a lifesaver when you’re short on time. With items like the instant mix gulab jamun, you can prepare a crowd-favourite dessert in half the time. Additionally, you can select store-bought condiments like pickles. 

If you can plan the menu, putting together a complete Diwali meal in 30 minutes is actually not a difficult task. However, even if advance planning is not possible, you can use some of these hacks and principles to get a Diwali-level feast ready in just half an hour. 

30-Minute Complete Diwali Thali: Sample Menu

Now that you’re aware of how to plan, prepare, and serve a Diwali thali in 30 minutes, here’s a sample menu for a Punjabi thali that you can use for reference: 

Main Dishes

• Jeera Rice: Pressure-cooked rice lightly tempered with cumin and basic spices. While the rice cooks, start on other dishes. 
• Dal Fry: Lightly spiced lentil dish made in a pressure cooker, and tempered with sautéed onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a variety of aromatic spices and herbs. This can be cooked alongside rice. 
• Aloo Gobhi (Dry): A mildly spiced stir-fry of chopped potatoes and cauliflower. 
• Instant Paneer Makhani: Cottage cheese simmered in an onion-tomato gravy. Use store-bought or frozen paneer and pre-prepped onion-tomato paste to dramatically cut down the cooking time.

Breads and Condiments

• Roti or Puri: Roti is a traditional Indian flatbread made from all-wheat flour. For a festive thali, use the same dough but fry it to create puffed puris. 
• Boondi Raita: Whisk yoghurt until it’s light and lump-free. Add salt, black pepper, and chaat masala for a quick flavor. Use store-bought boondi and add it right before serving. 
• Store-bought Mango Pickle: Slightly tangy and spicy, readymade pickle amps up the flavor profile on the thali without increasing the cooking time. 
• Sliced or chopped onion and cucumber: Onions and cucumbers chopped into small cubes add a much-needed crunch to the spread. 

Desserts

• Sooji Halwa: Sooji halwa is one of those classic Indian desserts that requires basic ingredients and comes together quickly enough. Or, for an uber-quick dessert, use packets of instant halwa. Each portion just needs hot water and 8 minutes. 
• Store-bought desserts: If you’re really short on time, order in hot gulab jamuns, festive kaju katli, or the classic soan papdi. In the time it takes to deliver these treats, you can get the rest of the thali ready. 

Garnishing & Serving

Serve thalis in wide plates, which can easily accommodate 5-6 items. Opt for simple, common garnishes, like chopped coriander. 

Don’t Turn Your Feast Into A Beast

Diwali thali does not have to be a beast to tackle. It can easily become a feast you enjoy cooking if you master the art of parallel cooking and meal planning. Additionally, while no one is asking you to order every element on the plate, a few quick purchases, instant mixes, or ready-to-eat items can reduce the pressure of putting a feast together. After all, the idea is not to spend the entire day in the kitchen. But rather, to enjoy the festival with your loved ones