In Āyambil we eat very simple, tasteless food only once in the day. Exact rules can vary a little by sangh/guru, but generally:

Time rules

• Eat only once in the day, before sunset.
• Eat sitting at one place, in one sitting.
• Boiled water only, usually from 48 minutes after sunrise till sunset (no other drinks).

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What we can usually eat in Āyambil

All food is:

• Boiled only
• Without taste (no masala, no oil, no ghee, no milk, no sugar, etc.)
• Simple grains/pulses only

1. Grains (cereals)

Common examples:

• Wheat (gheu) – plain boiled wheat or simple roti without oil/ghee/salt (if allowed by your guru)
• Rice – plain boiled rice (no salt, no ghee)
• Jowar / Bajra
• Other permitted grains, only boiled/plain

But usually: only one grain in one meal (e.g., only rice or only wheat).

2. Pulses (dal)

• Moong, chana, tuvar, etc. – only boiled, without:

- oil / ghee - masala - haldi / mirchi - salt (many traditions do full no-salt Āyambil)

Again, generally one type of dal in that Āyambil.

3. Very simple combinations

Depending on maryādā:

• Thin boiled dal water
• Plain khichdi of one grain + one dal, without salt, oil, masala (only if allowed in your tradition)

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What we do not eat in Āyambil

• No oil, ghee, butter, or any frying
• No milk, curd, paneer, buttermilk, cheese (all dairy avoided)
• No sugar, jaggery, gud, honey, sweets
• No masala: no mirchi, haldi, dhana-jeeru, garam masala, etc.
• No fruits
• No vegetables, especially:

- green vegetables - raw salads - sprouts

• No pickles, papad, chutney, farsan, etc.
• No snacks in between; only that one meal + boiled water.

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Because details differ slightly between Digambar / Shvetambar and from guru to guru, for exact items (e.g., whether rock salt is allowed, which grains are allowed), you should follow the maryādā given by your own guru / panch.

In simple words: Āyambil means one-time, very plain, boiled food of limited items – without taste, without oil, milk, sugar, or vegetables – taken only for tapa, not for enjoyment.