The Origins of Indian Cuisine lie with the ancient Indian civilization of India that was called Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The Dravidians or inhabitants of these civilization were urban and not agrarian. They had huge granaries to store grain, houses with a drainage system, pathways or roads and public baths. They sowed the seeds of Ayurveda, or Life Sciences, which is the foundation of Indian cuisine. This system was derived after studying the physical needs, mental needs and needs of our psychology and spirituality. A food classification system that categorized any item as saatvic, raajsic or taamsic developed in Ayurveda. Each was deemed to have a powerful effect on the body and the mind.

Before the invasion of the Moghuls, the food of India was very much shaped by the Hindu belief that eating and spiritual advancement are intertwined. Vegetarianism, and especially the avoiding of beef in particular, is part of the Hindu philosophy. And though some Hindus occasionally eat chicken, fish, goat, or lamb, Buddhists and Jains avoid meat altogether and just take advantage of the variety of vegetables, grains, and legumes that the land of India has given them.

According to Hindu philosophy, each food has it’s own measure of negative or positive energy or force. Foods such as ghee, ginger, honey, limes, almonds, rice, turmeric, and green chilies are considered positive and cooling, while foods like garlic, onions, salt, eggplant, tomatoes, sugar, and red chilies are considered negative and to have a heating effect. So, in preparing menus and meals to this day, not only are the texture and color of the various ingredients looked at, but these other ‘energetic’ aspects of food are taken into consideration also. The meal should additively retain a neutral force or energy. The distinguishing qualities of foods are discussed in the Ayurveda, the resource for nutritional and medicinal qualities of different foods, herbs, and spices in Hinduism.

Also...read about the ancient way of taking meal or "Achamana"