Volume I · Magh – Phalgun
February
Root Vegetables & the Colour of Basant
Shishira · late winterVolume II plan for February →
The season
Shishira (late winter)
| Aspect | In the book |
|---|---|
| Hindu months | Magh – Phalgun |
| Ritu | Shishira (late winter) |
| Weather | ≈ 9 – 23 °C, cool and dry, warming by month-end |
| Agni | Still strong — continue nourishing meals |
| Dosha | Kapha accumulating; Vata from residual cold winds |
| Favour | Sweet, sour, salty; warm, moist and well-spiced with ginger |
| Limit | Heavy fried snacks, chilled desserts, excessive curd at night |
In season
Vegetables
Peas, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, beetroot, radish, spinach, methi, broad beans (sem), turnip
Fruit
Oranges, kinnow, guava, ber, strawberries, amla
Other
Mustard oil, jaggery, barley flour
Festivals & observances
| Occasion | In the kitchen |
|---|---|
| Basant Panchami (lunar) | Yellow menu: kesari meetha chawal, besan kadhi, yellow moong dal. |
| Maha Shivratri (Feb/Mar, lunar) | Phalahari thali: sabudana khichdi, kuttu–lauki paratha (soft), singhara halwa, thandai (non-intoxicating). |
Kitchen guidance
- Begin gently lightening the menu in the last week — add barley and more bitter greens.
- Root vegetables (beet, carrot) are excellent in soups — blend smooth for elders.
- Keep amla daily in some form: tea, chutney, murabba or juice in warm water.
- Spring-cleaning of pantry: discard old flours, re-roast spices, make fresh garam masala.
Daily rituals
- On waking
- Warm cumin–ginger water
- At bedtime
- Golden milk with a pinch of nutmeg
Seven-day menu
The week at the table
Monday
- Breakfast
- Matar–gajar vegetable upma · orange
- Lunch thali
- Masoor–palak dal
- Gobhi–matar adraki
- Beet–carrot poriyal
- rice & phulka
- Beetroot raita (room temp.)
- Evening
- Amla–ginger–honey warm tea
- Dinner
- Beet–carrot–moong soup · soft rice
- Sweet
- Kesari meetha chawal (60 g)
Tuesday
- Breakfast
- Beetroot–moong chilla · coconut chutney
- Lunch thali
- Yellow moong dal tadka
- Cabbage–peas
- Palak paneer (sattvic)
- rice & phulka
- Spiced takra
- Evening
- Roasted makhana
- Dinner
- Vegetable khichdi
- Sweet
- Gajar halwa (40 g)
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Sweet dalia with jaggery & raisins
- Lunch thali
- Toor dal with methi
- Aloo–methi
- Mooli bhurji
- rice & phulka
- Amla chutney
- Evening
- Stewed apple with cinnamon
- Dinner
- Palak–moong soup · phulka
- Sweet
- Moong dal halwa (30 g)
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Methi–paneer soft paratha · curd
- Lunch thali
- Chana dal–lauki
- Matar–paneer
- Broad-bean (sem) & potato
- rice & phulka
- Mooli–gajar soft salad
- Evening
- Badam milk
- Dinner
- Dalia khichdi
- Sweet
- Atta sheera (50 g)
Friday
- Breakfast
- Vegetable rava idli · tomato-free coconut chutney
- Lunch thali
- Whole masoor (soft)
- Shalgam–gajar
- Kaddu khatta-meetha
- rice & phulka
- Mint–coriander chutney
- Evening
- Sweet-potato chaat
- Dinner
- Lauki–chana dal · phulka
- Sweet
- Rice kheer (80 ml)
Saturday
- Breakfast
- Oats porridge with dates · guava
- Lunch thali
- Moong–palak dal
- Gobhi–matar adraki
- Beet–carrot poriyal
- rice & phulka
- Beetroot raita (room temp.)
- Evening
- Til–gud ladoo (mini)
- Dinner
- Moong yusha · ghee rice
- Sweet
- Date–nut ladoo
Sunday
- Breakfast
- Poha with peas & lemon · amla tea
- Lunch thali
- Panchmel dal (light)
- Cabbage–peas
- Palak paneer (sattvic)
- rice & phulka
- Spiced takra
- Evening
- CCF tea · soaked walnuts
- Dinner
- Mixed-veg soup · phulka
- Sweet
- Amla murabba (½)
Nutrition
Energy in the featured recipes
Energy from protein, fat and carbohydrate
kcal per serving (protein & carbs × 4, fat × 9)
This month's six recipes
Vol I · Feb 1February
Matar–Gajar Vegetable Upma
BreakfastWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
233 kcal6.7 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Feb 2February
Masoor–Palak Dal
Lunch · DalWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
182 kcal10.8 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Feb 3February
Adraki Gobhi–Matar (Soft)
Lunch · SabziWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
111 kcal4.3 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Feb 4February
Amla–Ginger–Honey Warm Tea
Evening · DrinkWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
25 kcal0.2 g proteinThin liquid
View recipe →
Vol I · Feb 5February
Beetroot–Carrot–Moong Soup with Soft Rice
DinnerWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
209 kcal6.6 g proteinPureed soup
View recipe →
Vol I · Feb 6February
Basant Kesari Meetha Chawal
SweetWinter
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
207 kcal2.7 g proteinSoft grains
View recipe →Signature dish