Aharveda Thali

When you remove gluten, lactose and sugar from an Indian thali, its no longer a thali. I went in expecting a plate of pale looking boiled vegetables. I was wrong. What was put in front of me on a sparkling silver thali was to my surprise quite appetising.The menu changes each day. 

I relished rice bhakris and tomato chutney. The mooli chawli bhaji was wholesome and went well with bhakris. They called raw cabbage and cucumber pieces with tomato salsa khimchi. It was well seasoned and no surprise, I polished it clean. The power of fresh coriander and mint chutney is underrated. It adds "chaar chaand" to your meal.



The day I picked to go they had a few chinese items on the menu which I didn't savour as much. Thali and chinese shouldn't go together. So I was disappointed down by their fusion attempt. Having said that I did eat it all. It was delicious but odd just like eating a sushi pizza. I would go back wanting wholesome Ayurvedic indian food. Feed me dal, suran bhaji, navalkol, karela and drumsticks something. 

I drank chaas, and called the waiter with gotcha look.This is buttermilk. Hence not lactose free.*high five*. He says it's made of coconut milk and raw mango. My jaw drops and I cuss at my palate. This is chaas says my brain. Is it really? Stroke of genius.

This thali has not replaced my gujju thalis steeped with ghee, chaas, fried stuff and sweet dal. But what it did was opened my mind to different foods that were never on my radar. Upwas vari rice is one such find! Not only they made vari or samo for a rice with soy sauce and veggies for mains, they also made firni with the same. Sweetened by jaggery and honey that firni can belong on every Indian menu. 

I applaud the minds behind Aharveda, their effort seems honest. The thali comes with a feel good vibe that makes me think they should add "guilt-free" in their description as well. This is Mumbai's marmite divide. Love it or hate it, your tummy will surely appreciate this meal. 

Your liver might do a happy dance too.

You know its Monsoons in Mumbai when..

waves doing bhangra at Worli sea face

• we see hideous raincoats laden humans on the street..[a middle - aged pot-bellied man in yellow rain suit with red and blue umbrellas print is not exactly Versace's idea of  Monsoon collection]

• Kids cringe to wake up for school.. (this time cringe for a reason *giggle*)

• all TV channels play Mumbai Deluge 2006 archives in a loop scaring us for our dear lives

• Speed-breakers develop potholes

• Two- wheelers ride like wusses *bhahaha*

• you find confused ladies sitting behind the wheel figuring out their complex wiper system

• these same ladies drift their cars to the right / left without their knowledge *tsk tsk*

• walking on the road is a b*tch as four wheelers happily spray muddy water through their tyres

• potholes develop super potholes

• relishing a chatpata pani-puri from the street can be your express ticket to the hospital 

• the waves go wild , and i absolutely love watching them sippy my cuppa tea.. 

• standing on the Marine drive promenade and battle waves & muddy sea water is fun..

• you do not get bombarded with honks/ mean looks/ abuses for driving slow..  

• you do not look stupid when you fog lights are left on and you had no clue

• ladies in the above situation would struggle to find what fog lights are in the first place and hence drift the car to a diasaster.. you kno the drill..

• one searches for india's national bird to see some delightful dance.. but all we find is pigeon poop

• bad hair days are acceptable... afterall the humidity gets us all !

• i make hyper plans to trek to Kanheri caves..

• None of our trouser's seams retain original color.. they all seem to turn to different shades of brown

• when i discuss dance steps of 'barso re megha megha' with some fools