When people move away from home for school, work, and where life takes them, they often leave behind countless childhood बचपन (bachpan) comforts including the tastes स्वाद (swaad), aromas ख़ुशबू  (khushboo), and flavors ज़ायका (zaayka) of a warm home-cooked meal (भोजन bhojan formal usage/खाना khaana common usage). These become lingering memories यादें (yaadein), dormant in the subconscious mind, and are teased awake by a stray sound–like mustard seeds राई (rai) popping in hot oil; the smell of spicy crisp पापड़ (papad) being roasted over an open flame, or the satiating smell of a रोटी (roti) baking on a hot griddle तवा (tavaa), then being flipped until it puffs over the flame.

Indian food can be simple and satisfying or decadent and complex.There are as many varieties of Indian dishes as there are regions and traditions, However, the basic home-cooked Indian meal has more-or-less similar components everywhere in the country.

The थाली (thali), literally meaning plate includes a lentil or legumes (also known as pulses in India) in the form of a soup or in a thin gravy. This is the ubiquitious दाल (daal). Daal is made with a variety of lentils, and eaten with cooked rice चावल (chaaval) and a sauteed vegetable dish सब्ज़ी (subzi). Sometimes daal is replaced with a gram flour based preparation called kadhi. In a home, a thali may include one or two subzis, roti, chaaval, dal and/or kadhi, papad and Indian pickles अचार (a-chaar). A meal is often topped off with दही (dahi) yogurt in some form–as buttermilk लस्सी/छास (lassi or chhaas) or just plain curds.

If you order a thali in a restaurant, you will most often see these dishes served in little stainless steel cups arranged along the inside rim of a large plate. Chaval is usually piled in the center with a couple of rotis and a papad resting on top. Restaurants also usually include a dessert.

When in doubt about what to eat, it is always safe to ask for daal-chaaval-roti-subzi, or just daal-chaaval. Piping hot गर्मा-गरम (garamaa-garam) daal-chaaval with a generous drizzle of clarified butter घी (ghee) is sure to comfort any weary traveler.

Let’s listen to this conversation between two friends. Seema visits Meena and Meena invites her to a flavorful meal that reminds Seema of her childhood.

Seema (at her friend, Meena’s house): कैसी ख़ुश्बू आ रही है।? मुझे भूक लग रही है। 
Kaisi khushboo aa rahi hai? Mujhe bhook lag rahi hai.
(Mmmm, what’s that aroma? I am really hungry.)

Meena: गर्मा गरम कढ़ी चावल, रोटी, और आलू की सब्ज़ी।  आओ हमारे साथ खाना खाओ।
Garamaa-garam kadhi-chaaval, roti aur aloo ki subzi. Aao hamaare saath khaana khaao. 
(Piping hot kadhi-chaval, rotis, and potato curry.) Come, eat with us today.

Seema (licking her fingers): तुम्हारे खाने का स्वाद और ज़ायका कुछ और है ! बचपन की याद आ गयी। 
Tumhaare khaane ka swaad aur zaayka kuch aur hai! Bachpan ki yaad aa gayi.
(The taste and flavor of your cooking are something else. It reminded me of my childhood.)

Meena: लस्सी पिओगी?
Lassi peeogi?
(Would you like some lassi?)

Seema: बस नहीं, शुक्रिया।  पेट भर गया। 
Bas nahin, shukriya. Pate bhar gaya. 
(No, thanks, my stomach is full.)