Types of Food Taste

Bhishma Kukreti
(Types of Food Taste and Smell, Various Taste of food, Names of Types of Food Taste in Garhwali )
According to Ayurved , there are basic six types of food taste viz- Sweet, Sour (Acidic), Bitter, Salty, Hot (pungent as Chilly‘s taste) , Astringent . All other tastes are the mixer of these six bas tastes . It is observed that in most the languages, the words are not exclusive for each food taste . However, Garhwali is one of the languages where we may find specific word for each food taste and even it new taste, the vocabulary of Garhwali language is so rich that you can create the name of taste and the other Garhwali knowing person will easily understand what you mean. the taste of food.
The food taste is not limited to tongue and nose but the taste is combination of chemicals in food, effects and observing power of taste buds/nostril buds, touch from tongue/buds of .palate; and sight or the food or physical structure/composition. Let us look at a few types of food taste in Garhwali language
Savadi : tasty
Nisavadi: Not tasty
Amlan , , Acidic as in curd
Khatan : Acidic /Sour usually related to fermented ones
Daiyan: The smell of curd specially related to fermented one
Imalyan: The taste of tamarind
Chhanchhyan: the smell of butter milk dominating other tastes or the taste of butter milk made by over aged curd
Khatu /Khattu : Acidic/Sour as in unripe apple/ butter milk, lemon
Lunya , , : Salty
Lun katto : Over salty
Alun/Alunya : Without salt (it is used where salt is must )
Marchnya/mechanic: the hot taste/effect on tongue of chillies
Daunkar : It is hot effect on intestine which, shows the hotness of spicy food especially chilies, black pepper or clove
Garma masalon gandh: The specific smell of hot spices (black pepper, clove etc
Dhanyan: when the smell of cumin spice is more dominating in the food
Mitthu/mittho : Sweet as sugar.
Chus Mittho : Over Sweet
Nimkhni Mittho : Less sweet or too less sweet

Sll Dant : when by over sourness/acidity of lemon/curd/buttermilk curry , the teeth become num/senseless , the experience of taste called ‘Dant Sillyan”
Jeev Chhijan : This experience is an effect of over salty food, over acidic / over spicy food on the tongue and is felt as the food poured the tongue by needles
Chus thando : The too cold effect on tongue as of snow or ice
Tato : it is a fact that the taste of food changes according to the temperature . Tato is the high temperature oriented hot effect on tongue of boiled food as boiled milk, just cooked hot food etc.
Dhunvan/Dhuvyanya : When the food is cooked in burning coal/wood and there is effect of smoke on food, the smell/taste is called ‘Dhunvan/Dhuvanya.
Jalan : When the food gets burnt outside by over cooking (as by burning coal/wood or iin the pot), the smell /taste is called jalyun/jalyun/jalan . However, there is clear difference between the taste of smoked food and over burnt food.
Mwasan: When the food is being cooked in burning coal/wood and food gets burnt outside . In such case if there is food taste as of wood coal , the tatse is called Mwasaan
Turkyadan: If the food (specially bread) is cooked on the burning stem of Tor and leaves the smell effect on the food , the taste or smell called Turkyadan.
Lisyan/Kunlailyan: if the food is cooked in the burning pine wood and its Gum smell effects the taste/smell of food it is called Leesyan (Smell of Leesa) or Kunlailyan.
Kharoyan: When there is effect of ashes on the food taste/smell while cooking the food on burning wood/dung cake/coal, the taste /smell of ashes on food is called Kharoyan.
Molyan 1- If the food is being cooked on burning dung cake and by chance the smell of dung cake comes in the cooked food, the smell/taste is called Molyan.
Molyan 2-The smell of animal dung
Chiran : The bad smell of urine
Bhabhlan : the bad smell of sweat or cloths after boiling


Teruaan : The smell of dead insects called ‘ Teru’which are found inside/outside dry seeds of pulses. Many times, the pulses are infected by these insects and the dry pulse seeds also smell the smell of these insects.
Galtu: No taste specially water/soup/curry
Ghaltu: No taste specially water, soup or citrus fruit
Kisran : Very appealing smell/taste (as well and more boiled milk, ghee)
Pilsan/pilsyun: Pilsyun is the state of cooked food which means over cooked but not good and the smell of Pilsyun food is Pilsan
Piran: Irritating smell of onion
Pipran: Irritating ssmell of onion
Khikran: Bad and irritating smell as of burning tobacco or fermented tobacco leaves
Kinkwali: Itching effects of colchicum leaves, bulbs (specially when eaten raw, hot or half cooked condition)
Misran: the taste of Misri
Gudan: the taste of Gud
Kado : Bitter as in bitter guard
Lunkhatto: Salty and Sour
Bhatbhato: No taste or non-likable taste
Kumran: smell of roasted cereals /pulse seeds
Kutran: the bad smell of burning cotton/cloths/hemp fibers etc
Kidan: The smell of burning animal skin
Chalmalu: Good taste of roasted seeds/cereals/gum etc
Chalmalu: Good tasted of roasted or raw oil-seeds as in almond , pie nuts ,Chilgoza
Kasailo: Bad taste and irritating of curd or curd related food (butter milk, butter milk curry) , sour food . Usually happens, when the curd/curd related food/sour food on copper containers for long
Telan/Chilkan: when the food is cooked on half boiled oil (by mistake)
Tartro: neither sweet, sour or salty (usually taken negative taste but not harmful and food is taken for that taste)
Aundhan: for somebody, the allergic taste of a particular food especially used for Gahth /Gauth soaked in water, grinded and then made curry of that paste. Howver, it is also used for other food if somebody is allergic to the particular food as many are allergic to milk and milk product.
Basyan: When a cooked food/raw food start smelling bad
Dhpan ki gandh:When an aromatic plant/plant paste/oil is burnt or or roasted, its good smell is called dhupan ki gandh .
Chhounkyan/chhauka ki Gandh: when the food is fried in oil/ghee/butter
Gheeyan: when the ghee smell is dominating over food taste
Naunyal/nauni ki gandh: When the taste of butter is dominating the food taste
Mitti tel k gandh: Bad smell of kerosene on food (when cooked on kerosene stove)
Turkyadan: When the bred is roasted on the fire of Tuar stems. Same way, if the smell is of kyada/ chill it is called chillun gandh
Daundan: Usually the unwanted smell of pulse (if not cooked properly )
Bhapyan: When the food is cooked on steam and if the food provide a specific aroma (only after steaming it )
Silan: When the food/ingredient is soaked in water in dark place and if it smells differently than its own smell

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010,