The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word THALI
T
H
A
L
I
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Indian meal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case indian meal = thali.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does THALI mean?
THALI noun- A round metal platter used to serve food in India.
- A meal served on such a platter, typically comprising a selection of different dishes presented in small bowls.