An authentic Indian meal is engineered to include six specific tastes: Sweet (earth/water), Sour (fire/earth), Salty (water/fire), Bitter (air/ether), Pungent (air/fire), and Astringent (air/earth). The traditional cook believes that a meal lacking any one of these tastes creates an imbalance, leading to cravings or disease.
: A recent publication (2025) exploring the regional variety of Indian food, from millet-based snacks to spiritual dimensions like annam brahma (food is God). Association for Asian Studies Health & Traditional Practices Health Benefits of Traditional Indian Diet An authentic Indian meal is engineered to include
| Time | Meal | Characteristics | |------|------|-----------------| | 7–8 AM | Light Breakfast (Nashta) | Quick, often savory: idli , dosa , poha , upma , or paratha with chai. | | 11 AM – 12 PM | Midday Snack | Fruit, buttermilk ( chaas ), or roasted chana (chickpeas). | | 1–2 PM | Lunch (Largest Meal) | Heavy, cooked fresh. Includes a grain (rice or roti), dal (lentils), 1–2 sabzi (vegetables), pickle, papad, and curd/yogurt. | | 5–6 PM | Evening Snack & Tea (Chai) | Almost ritualistic. Sweet, milky spiced tea with savory biscuits, samosas , or bhajiya (fritters). | | 8–9 PM | Dinner (Lighter than lunch) | Often soup ( rasam ), khichdi (rice & lentil porridge), or leftover sabzi with roti. Many families eat dinner before sunset. | Association for Asian Studies Health & Traditional Practices