Chaayos Navratri Thali Review – A Ghee Filled Feast For One

3. Availability

The Chaayos Navratri thali is available in their dine-in restaurants, takeaway and for delivery as well. You can order the Chaayos Navratri Thali via an online food delivery portal like Zomato or Swiggy. 

4. Order Information

We ordered the Chaayos Navratri Thali via Zomato. Keeping the covid-19 safety norms in mind, we paid for this order online. This was a contactless delivery. 

5. Packaging

The Chaayos Navratri Thali came in a green and orange cardboard box that could be flipped open. Inside the box there were cutouts to hold the containers. The sabzis and chutneys were neatly packaged in separate containers. There was no spillage as all containers were sealed properly.

The packaging is on-the-go friendly and comes with a paper napkin and a disposable wooden spoon. 

6. First Impression

The Chaayos Navratri Thali has a very vibrant colored packaging. We liked the neatly packaged individual containers that help avoid leakage of the curries. Upon opening the containers we could clearly smell the distinct ghee aroma.

7. Quantity

The Chaayos Navratri Thali has a fairly decent portion size which is sufficient for a single person. 

8. Thali Variants

There are no other thali variations from Chaayos. Under the thali category, there is just one option. That being said, there are a few other Navratri friendly options on their menu like – 

• Sabudana vada
•  Navratra Snack platter – This includes sabudana tikki and paneer pakoda
• Mint masala lassi

9. Speciality of Chaayos

Chaayos promises that the thali is cooked in 100% desi ghee.

Related Reading:

Haldiram Special Vrat Thali

How did each element taste? Could we taste the ghee? How well are these vegetables/gravies seasoned? Is the dessert flavorsome? Let’s dig into the details with our Chaayos navratri thali menu review.

1. Chutneys

There are two types of chutneys in the Chaayos Navratri Thali. A green chutney and a sweet red chutney. 

Type: Condiments

Main ingredients

• Main ingredients for the green chutney include green coriander. We could also detect green chillies and cumin. 
• The main ingredients for the red chutney (saunth) seem unidentifiable. 

Taste Test/Review

The green chutney tastes fresh and is made using coriander. The chutney is delicious and we could taste a fresh green chilli and cumin flavor. The meethi chutney (saunth)  is a sweet, tangy chutney with a hint of peppery spiciness.

Pair these chutneys with the large paneer pakoda for a delicious snacking experience. 

2. Plain Curd

The perfect accompaniment to any meal is a bowl of chilled curd. 

Type: Accompaniment 

Main ingredients

This is a serving of plain curd with no added spices, herbs or vegetables. 

Taste Test/Review

This was a portion of unsweetened curd with no herbs, spices or vegetables in it. The curd did not taste sour. It was thick and tasted fresh.

3. Paneer And Kuttu Pakoda 

The paneer pakoda that came with the Chaayos Navratri Thali is a fairly large sized, square shaped pakoda. This came packed in a plastic box with the paranthas. These were then placed inside the carton.

Type: Starter

Main ingredients

The main ingredients include – paneer and kuttu ka atta.

Taste Test/Review

The paneer pakoda is a match-winner. From the soft, fresh-tasting paneer to the balanced seasoning, mild ajwain flavor, and the proportionate thickness of the batter. We loved it all. The pakoda is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The paneer pakoda is made using a kuttu atta batter and is DELICIOUS.

4. Aloo Ki Sabzi

The aloo sabzi is an essential part of a Navratri thali. The Chaayos thali has a portion of aloo sabzi which has a yellow-red gravy base. It comes packaged in a separate container that is placed inside the box.

Type: Main Course (Veg 1)

Main ingredients

The main ingredients include – potatoes and tomatoes. 

Taste Test/Review

The aloo sabzi is made using boiled potatoes and is well seasoned. The gravy is spicy, and moderately thick. The potatoes are not chunky, they’re cut into smaller bits which helps increase the thickness of the gravy. The aloo sabzi lacks the tomato tang and is a bit sour. Other than that, this is a fairly tasty aloo sabzi.

5. Tomato Paneer

Paneer sabzi can be made using a variety of combinations like tomatoes and cream or tomatoes and nuts and even tomato and butter. The tomato paneer in the Chaayos thali has a vibrant colored gravy. Packed in a separate container, this paneer sabzi is enough for a single person. 

Type: Main Course (Veg 2)

Main ingredients:

The main ingredients include – paneer and tomatoes. 

Taste Test/Review

The butter-paneer gravy is mildly sweet and spicy. The paneer is soft and fresh tasting. There are about 2-3 small pieces of cottage cheese in the gravy. The gravy is thick and creamy.

6. Kaddu Ki Sabzi

The perfect khatta-meetha main is always a bowl of humble kaddu sabzi. The Chaayos thali has a portion of kaddu sabzi which is a mix of thick chunks of peeled pumpkin and some mashed ones too. This is a new addition to the thali. The pumpkin sabzi was not a part of the thali last year.

Type: Main Course (Veg 3)

Main ingredients:

The main ingredient for this dish is pumpkin.

Taste Test/Review

This is a yellow-light brown in color and we can see a lot of jeera (cumin) and saunf (fennel seeds). The flavor of ghee added a lot of depth to this dish. The mildly sweet notes of fennel were delicious. The seasoning was balanced as well, but we missed the tamarind tang that is associated with kaddu sabzi.

7. Kuttu Paranthas/Roti

While the site and Zomato application mention that the parathas are made using kuttu ka atta, these were much lighter in color. The dark, chocolate brown color we associate with kuttu ka atta was definitely not present. Neither was the signature flavor. Maybe kuttu was used in small quantities and some other flour like singhara atta was used dominantly. There are three small sized paranthas in the thali.  

Type: Breads

Main ingredients:

We were not able to identify the main ingredient. As per Chaayos, the breads are made using kuttu ka atta. 

Taste Test/Review

The rotis are soft and we could smell a lot of ghee in them. These are mildly salted. We could not taste any distinct flavor of any flour. 

8. Dry Petha

The navratri thali at Chaayos gives three pieces of dry petha for dessert. Like everything else, this is also packed separately and placed inside the box. 

Type: Dessert

Main ingredients:

The main ingredient to make petha is ash gourd (safed petha), sugar and essence. 

Taste Test/Review

The petha was tasty and sugary, like it is supposed to be. The petha also has a bold kewra essence flavor. We definitely felt that the thali could have used a better, more innovative dessert.

Related Reading:

Sagar Ratna Navratri Fast Thali

If you’re looking for a thali to feast on during your Navratri fast, here are three reasons why you should try the Chaayos Navratri Fast Thali.

1. The Packaging

The packaging is very on-the-go friendly. All the sabzis and accompaniments come packed separately. Inside the box pack there is a paper napkin and a wooden disposable spoon.

2. Tasty Dishes

The green chutney, paired with the delicious paneer pakoda is a delicious combination. Not only that, but the tomato paneer is also a good contender.

3. Preparation

The claim that the components of the thali are prepared using ghee is true. We could detect the distinct aroma and flavor of ghee in all dishes.

Related Reading:

Comorin Navratri Fast Thali

Here are some interesting FAQs on Chaayos Navratri Thali. 

1. What is the cost of Chaayos Navratri Thali? 

Chaayos Navratri Thali is priced at Rs 349/-. This is excluding taxes and delivery charges (if any). 

2. Who started Chaayos?

Nitin Saluja is the founder of Chaayos. 

3. Where can we get the Chaayos Navratri Fast Thali from?

You can get your hands on the Chaayos Navratri thali from three different sources – 

• Dine-in 
• Take away
• Order in through a food delivery application. 

The Chaayos Navratri Thali review helped us choose some showstoppers like the kuttu and paneer pakoda. It also helped us identify the elements that could have been better. 

The variety is fairly decent, but there is a need for a better dessert, maybe. Some people may miss the rice (samak) or sabudana khichdi or tikki. Milk or a sabudana/ makhana based dessert would have lifted the overall wow-factor of the thali.

This is a good Navratri thali with a decent variety that you can enjoy on your own. Have you tried the Chaayos Navratri Thali yet? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below. 

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