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A six-taste meal does not require six elaborate recipes. The tastes can be distributed across grains, vegetables, dals, salads, pickles, chutneys, raitas, drinks, and desserts.

Small condiments do much of the balancing work. A spoonful of chutney, pickle, yogurt condiment, or bitter salad can change the range of tastes without adding another large cooked dish.

Party menus and everyday meals can be structured differently. A home meal can be simplified substantially, including with a one-pot dish plus a salad or grain.

Ingredients

• One substantial main dish or a small group of mains
• A grain or bread where it fits the meal
• Vegetable or salad components
• A lentil, bean, tofu, dairy, or other protein-rich component where appropriate
• Small chutney, pickle, or raita portions
• The six tastes considered across the entire meal

Method

Start with the foods you already intend to cook. Map their dominant tastes using the six-taste framework, then add only the missing contrasts. Use condiments in small quantities rather than multiplying full-size dishes. For an everyday meal, use a simpler structure; reserve the larger appetizer-to-dessert sequence for occasions when a fuller spread makes sense.