In an Indian family, "Have you eaten?" is the most common way to say "I love you." The kitchen is the engine room of the house. Unlike many Western cultures where "meal prepping" is a weekly chore, Indian daily life revolves around fresh, scratch-made meals.
: Multiple generations (grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts) live under one roof and share a kitchen. hdbhabifunsavitabhabhikidiarys01e01216 link
This aspect paints a beautiful picture of nurturing, but it also highlights the immense labor (often gendered) that goes into maintaining this "warmth." The kitchen is often where the patriarchy is both fed and challenged. In an Indian family, "Have you eaten