If there’s one catch-all characteristic of Indian cuisine, it’s complexity. There’s astounding complexity in the flavor profiles of Indian dishes, from the simplest snacks to the most elaborate of special-occasion feasts, and in the diversity of countless regional and local versions of the national cuisine. The traditional meal of India, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, has, at its core, roti (whole-wheat flatbread) or rice, and dal, a lentil-based stew. To make a full meal, these basic elements are usually accompanied by any combination of vegetable dishes, sometimes a meat, chicken, fish or seafood-based dish; and an array of condiments and garnishes, typically chutneys, relishes and pickles.