India faced its own food shortages during the war in part due to imperial diversion of resources but, even though millions died of starvation, the food didn't end up as flavorless as the pictured dish. Some of it just comes down to taste.
Because of the massive inflow of spices in the early colonial period via [x] east India trading company, (relatively) bland food became a status symbol in many European localities. Spice (even just pepper) was a luxury item for most of European history. When the royals and bourgeoisie saw plebs beginning to enjoy it, they went back to bland foods to set themselves apart.