No Rice Tamil Nadu Breakfast Thali features traditional breakfast dishes like Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram, Ven Pongal, and Sakkarai Pongal prepared with different Millets.
Tamil Nadu is famous for different dishes like Idli, Dosa, Paniyaram, Ven Pongal, and Sakkarai Pongal. A typical South Indian Breakfast would feature any of these if not most of it. It is quite common to have a combination of Idli, Pongal, and Vada with the different side dishes made for Breakfast.
While on regular weekday or weekend one would do Ven Pongal, Vada combo, the Idli Vada combo is also very popular. When my SILs visit us with their families, we always plan from elaborate breakfast dishes that would always be Idli, Dosa, Vada along with Kesari and the different side dishes like Sambar, Chutneys or another combination like Ven Pongal, Vada with Kesari.
Traditional Breakfast Thali on a mini scale will be like this with Idli, Vada, and Sambar combination. The second would be with Pongal Combination. You can pick any of the easy to make chutneys from the huge collection of Tiffin Chutneys.
My Parents have been following the tradition of inviting Dad's staff for New Year's Breakfast. Over the years, this tradition shifted to brunch with Nonveg dishes included as well. I normally go over to help Amma with the cooking and people used to drop in at different times starting at 7 in the morning.
So though the same dishes are prepared at everybody's home and ours too, making on these special occasions with so many different dishes surely makes it a grand affair.
Rice Free Breakfast Dishes:
Finally while planning on my breakfast thalis, I remembered Nalini sharing a No Rice Breakfast thali and I wanted to do something similar. Millets are a regular feature of my cuisine. Athamma always has Thinai mixed with her rice or most times cooked separately for her lunch. Some of the regular millets we use are Ragi, Bajra, and Jowar in different meals.
Certainly adding on other millets like Little Millet, Barnyard Millet, Kodo Millet wasn't so difficult. I have over 70 plus recipes with different Millets. While I completely replace some Rice dishes, our regular lunch is a mix of some millet with rice to get the whole family to slowly get used to the millets.
For a previous theme, I had made a mini tiffin thali a popular concept in Tamil Nadu, where mini size Idlis, dosas, pooris, small cups of Ven Pongal, sweet is offered in the thali with various side dishes. I have a Thali with Oats as the main grain used for preparing different dishes.
Completely replacing the rice and making the whole thali was an idea I have been having for a while. I was so happy when I finally cooked everything and everybody loved it. Of course, we were so full that we had to skip lunch!
In today's Thali, I have featured Kuthiraivali Paniyaram.
Rice Free Tamil Nadu Breakfast Thali
Kuthiraivali Paniyaram
Samai Idli
Varagarisi Dosa
Kodo Millet / Thinai Ven Pongal
Varagarisi Sakkarai Pongal
Brinjal Sambar
Tomato Chutney
Peanut Chutney
Mint Chutney
Coconut Chutney
Filter Coffee
For more party menu ideas, check out the Thalis and Platters that would appeal to Elders, and Thalis & Platters that Kids would love!
If you are still looking for basic Idli and Dosa Batter made with Rice, then try this Malligai Poo Idli Recipe
Suma Gandlur says
This is a good one, Valli. I like to incorporate millets as well in our diet and this breakfast thaali definitely wins over our regular rice based tiffins. It is healthier and nutritious besides not compromising on taste.
Harini Rupanagudi says
Wow! What a neat breakfast platter it is. I would love to make so many things for breakfast but that never happens 🙂 I tend to replace rice with millets wherever it cannot be found out 🙂
Vaishali says
It is interesting to see this thali Valli..well, to be frank I would be so hesitant doing such a thali...wouldn't know where to begin. if it was North Indian cuisine..I would happily do it, but South Indian...No, That's for you !..So glad your desire is fulfilled :))The Thali looks very attractive!
Rajani says
I was looking at this theme too, but dropped it later. Your parents have a nice tradition going on, it felt good to read it. Looking at the thali, no one would believe that it’s a no rice meal! Great brunch idea too 🙂
srividhya says
I was planning to make a millet platter similar to my quinoa platter but couldn't make it on time. This millet platter is so so delicious and all are my favorites. So good Valli.
Renu says
This is a nice share, a rice free platter and using healthy millets. The whole thali looks very inviting.
NARMADHA says
Love this idea of no rice breakfast thali and you have used all possible combination of millets. This is so healthy breakfast.