2 spicy cuisines meet at Thali Indian & Thai

Thali Indian & Thai Cuisine takes its name from the Hindi word for “plate,” but traditional thalis are much more. Composed of small bowls filled with vegetables, dal, yogurt, chutney, pickle and a sweet that are set on a tray and served with rice or bread, they are a meal in themselves. At this Miami Beach restaurant, Thai dishes add to the mix.

Side Dish

Mashed Roasted Eggplant (Baigan ka Chokla)

Serve this spicy dish with bread as part of a meal or mix with sour cream for dip.

1 medium globe eggplant, about 1 pound

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 to 1 fresh green chile, such as Serrano, minced (scrape out seeds for less heat)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Salt

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the eggplant several times, wrap in foil and roast 35 to 45 minutes, until soft. Cool slightly and peel off the skin. Place the pulp in a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in the oil, onions, chile, garlic, ginger and salt to taste. Mix well. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Adapted from ‘1,000 Indian Recipes’ by Neelam Batra (Wiley, 2002)

Per Serving: 101 calories (58 percent from fat), 7 g fat (1 g saturated, 4.9 g monounsaturated), 0 cholesterol, 1.6 g protein, 9.7 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, 4 mg sodium.

If you go

What: Thali Indian & Thai Cuisine

Address: 754 Washington Ave., Miami Beach

Contact: 305-216-1234

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily

Prices: Starters $2.99-$6.99, thalis $8.99-$13.99, entrees $7.99-$12.99, sweets $2.99-$4.99

This story was originally published March 3, 2011 at 12:03 AM.