At Akbar's court, there was no starter-main-dessert distinction; instead, a dastarkhān was laid—a long cloth spread directly on the carpet, covered with Chinese porcelain and gold and silver vessels. The chronicler Abu'l-Fazl classifies dishes into three categories: meatless dishes (sufiyāna), which the emperor preferred on abstinence days; mixed rice and meat dishes; and pure meat dishes. Fragrant rice, stews, breads, sweets, and iced drinks arrived together, and each person served themselves according to appetite and rank.

Kashmiri saffron, conquered by Akbar, tints festive rice, sweets, and even preserves with gold. Along with cardamom and long pepper, it is the hallmark of Persian refinement grafted onto India. The great technique of Mughal cuisine is dum: sealing the pot and letting the aromas infuse slowly over gentle coals.