Volume I · Ashadha – Shravan
July
Kindle the Fire — Shravan & the Kanwar Season
Varsha · monsoonVolume II plan for July →
The season
Varsha (monsoon)
| Aspect | In the book |
|---|---|
| Hindu months | Ashadha – Shravan |
| Ritu | Varsha (monsoon) |
| Weather | ≈ 25 – 33 °C, heavy rain, very humid |
| Agni | Weakest of the year — food must be light, warm and well-spiced |
| Dosha | Vata aggravated; Pitta accumulating; Kapha from dampness |
| Favour | Sour, salty and a little unctuous; warm, freshly cooked, with ginger, pepper and hing |
| Limit | Raw salads, raw sprouts, leafy greens (uncooked), curd at night, river water, street food, day-old food |
In season
Vegetables
Kaddu, arbi, karela, kundru, parwal, lauki, torai, sweet corn, ginger, fresh turmeric
Fruit
Jamun, pear, plum, peach (hill), early guava, litchi (end)
Other
Old rice, old wheat, honey, rock salt
Festivals & observances
| Occasion | In the kitchen |
|---|---|
| Guru Purnima (Ashadha Purnima) | Sooji sheera and panchamrit prasad; ashram bhandaras — plan for larger numbers. |
| Shravan month & Kanwar Yatra | Haridwar receives very large numbers of pilgrims; Monday fasts — phalahari options daily. |
| Hariyali Teej (late Jul/Aug) | Ghevar (small piece), kheer, malpua — offer baked/light alternatives. |
Kitchen guidance
- Boil all drinking water; serve only freshly cooked, hot food.
- Avoid uncooked greens and salads — wash vegetables in salted water; cook leafy greens thoroughly.
- Add ginger, pepper, ajwain, hing and rock salt generously but not fiery.
- Serve buttermilk (spiced, at room temperature) instead of curd; no curd after sunset.
- Fasting (Shravan Mondays): for 55+ guests ensure fluids, phal and makhana; no prolonged dry fasts.
Daily rituals
- On waking
- Warm water with a pinch of dry ginger
- At bedtime
- Golden milk with a pinch of dry ginger and nutmeg
Seven-day menu
The week at the table
Monday
- Breakfast
- Ven pongal · pear
- Lunch thali
- Adraki moong dal with saunth
- Khatta-meetha kaddu (Haridwar style)
- Arbi ajwaini
- rice & phulka
- Spiced takra (room temp.)
- Evening
- Ghee–pepper makhana · tulsi tea
- Dinner
- Pepper–jeera rasam · soft rice
- Sweet
- Sooji sheera (40 g)
Tuesday
- Breakfast
- Moong dal chilla · ginger chutney
- Lunch thali
- Toor dal with drumstick
- Karela–aloo
- Kundru thoran
- rice & phulka
- Ginger–lemon pickle (fresh)
- Evening
- Tulsi–ginger kadha
- Dinner
- Moong khichdi
- Sweet
- Rice kheer (60 ml)
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Dalia upma · stewed apple
- Lunch thali
- Masoor–lauki
- Parwal sabzi
- Lauki–peas
- rice & phulka
- Coriander–mint chutney
- Evening
- Corn soup
- Dinner
- Vegetable soup · phulka
- Sweet
- Panchamrit (2 tbsp)
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Ragi porridge
- Lunch thali
- Panchmel (light)
- Torai–moong
- Corn–pumpkin sabzi
- rice & phulka
- Amla chutney
- Evening
- Stewed pear
- Dinner
- Moong yusha · ghee rice
- Sweet
- Dhaniya panjiri (1 tbsp)
Friday
- Breakfast
- Rice idli · tomato-free coconut chutney
- Lunch thali
- Kadhi with ajwain
- Beans–carrot thoran
- Raw-banana poriyal
- rice & phulka
- Jeera takra
- Evening
- Roasted bhutta (soft, kernels)
- Dinner
- Namkeen dalia
- Sweet
- Banana sheera
Saturday
- Breakfast
- Vegetable poha · papaya
- Lunch thali
- Moong–masoor
- Khatta-meetha kaddu (Haridwar style)
- Arbi ajwaini
- rice & phulka
- Spiced takra (room temp.)
- Evening
- CCF tea
- Dinner
- Lauki–moong soup
- Sweet
- Ghevar (small piece)
Sunday
- Breakfast
- Oats–moong porridge
- Lunch thali
- Whole moong (soft)
- Karela–aloo
- Kundru thoran
- rice & phulka
- Ginger–lemon pickle (fresh)
- Evening
- Plum compote
- Dinner
- Kanji with ghee
- Sweet
- Malpua (baked, small)
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 · Jul 1July
Ven Pongal (Pepper–Ghee Rice & Moong)
BreakfastMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
238 kcal6.7 g proteinSoft, creamy
View recipe →
Vol I · Jul 2July
Adraki Moong Dal with Saunth
Lunch · DalMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
168 kcal9.2 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Jul 3July
Haridwar Khatta-Meetha Kaddu
Lunch · SabziMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
113 kcal1.8 g proteinSoft, half-mashed
View recipe →Vol I · Jul 4July
Ghee–Pepper Roasted Makhana
Evening · SnackMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
76 kcal1.5 g proteinCrisp-melting
View recipe →
Vol I · Jul 5July
Pepper–Jeera Rasam with Soft Rice
DinnerMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
207 kcal5.3 g proteinThin soup + soft rice
View recipe →
Vol I · Jul 6July
Sooji Sheera (Guru Purnima Prasad)
SweetMonsoon
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
223 kcal4.1 g proteinSoft, moist
View recipe →Signature dish