A6. Viruddha Ahara — Incompatible Foods
The Charaka Samhita lists eighteen kinds of incompatibility (viruddha), from place and season to dose, combination and cooking method. [12] The kitchen applies the ones relevant to a vegetarian menu:
| Type of viruddha | Example | Kitchen rule |
|---|---|---|
| Samyoga (combination) | Sour fruit with milk; banana with milk | No banana–milk shakes; almond milk or water in banana dishes; fruit not served with milk |
| Samyoga | Milk dishes with curd | No kheer and raita in the same course; curd at lunch, milk at bedtime |
| Matra (dose) | Ghee and honey in equal quantity | Never combine in equal amounts |
| Samskara / heat | Heated or cooked honey; honey in hot water | Honey only into warm (≈ 40 °C) drinks |
| Kala (time/season) | Cold, dry food in winter; hot, pungent food in summer | Season tags on every recipe |
| Agni | Heavy food when digestion is weak | Recovery guests follow the krutanna ladder |
| Paka (cooking) | Under-, over- or burnt-cooked food | Pressure-cooking and doneness checks in every method |
| Sampad (quality) | Unripe, overripe or spoiled food | Receiving checks (Part C) and FIFO storage |