In India, dishes are not served one after the other: everything is laid out at once on a large round platter, the thali. Small bowls (katoris) surround a dome of rice or bread: dal, vegetables, tangy condiments, a dairy product, and a sweet. Everyone picks as they please, mixing sweet and spicy. This is a cuisine of balance, where vegetarianism reigns in many families, like Alia's.

The gesture that defines everyday Indian cooking: sizzling whole spices (cumin, mustard seeds, asafoetida) in hot ghee, then pouring this seasoned butter over the dish. This 'tempering' wakes everything up — it's the secret to a dal that sings.