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A heavy meal in an Indian household may not necessarily be the end of the meal; often, there is a small bite or drink that brings it to a close. From a small condiment sitting in your kitchen to a popular form of sweet or drink, a varied distinction of Indian foods are often eaten after a heavy meal. What is eaten after a heavy meal can vary considerably across different regions of India, but the common goal is often easing digestion. Shaped by the preceding meal and Indian household traditions, both familiar and unfamiliar ingredients come into play for a post-meal ritual formed out of habit and comfort. After a heavy meal, a sour candy, a sip of something salty, or a bite of sweet, different remedies may work for different people. A popular closing ritual for most Indian meals, it acts as both a mouth-freshener and a quick aid to digestion. Made from a mixture of Saunf and other seeds this traditional item can be found in Indian restaurants and is easily prepared at home as well. Jaggery or locally referred to as Gud/Gur , is a sweet, thickened paste formed from boiling concentrated sugarcane juice. Widely consumed in Punjab, India, and many other parts of Southeast Asia, this traditional food serves as a literal sweet spot between a heavy meal and a dessert. Cubes of a traditionally prepared or desi gud can be purchased at low prices and stored for long periods as even a small bite of this food can help with the digestive process. A tangy flavoured pomegranate candy is a digestive ayurvedic chewable remedy that is known far and wide. Readily available at plenty of Indian stores, this Indian food can help allay any possible symptoms of heartburn or indigestion after a heavy meal. Indian households have long had small foods tucked away in kitchen drawers and cabinets that carry within them the solution to many digestive discomforts. These foods may be simple, inexpensive and easily overlooked, but their place in Indian kitchens reflects how food extends beyond the main course, carrying with it habits, regional preferences and familiar comforts. An Indian meal can sometimes only come to its full closure with a spoonful of seeds or nuts, a drink or at times a combination of different foods all together.
