Volume I · Phalgun – Chaitra
March
Lightness, Bitter Greens & Holi Colours
Vasanta · springVolume II plan for March →
The season
Vasanta (spring)
| Aspect | In the book |
|---|---|
| Hindu months | Phalgun – Chaitra |
| Ritu | Vasanta (spring) |
| Weather | ≈ 13 – 28 °C, pleasant days, cool nights |
| Agni | Weakens as accumulated Kapha melts — lighter food |
| Dosha | Kapha aggravated (spring congestion, sluggish digestion) |
| Favour | Favour bitter, pungent and astringent; light, dry, warm food; barley, honey, old grains |
| Limit | Heavy sweets, excess curd, deep-fried snacks, daytime sleep after meals |
In season
Vegetables
Last peas, green chickpeas (hara chana), karela, tinda, lauki, early bhindi, drumstick, neem flowers, methi
Fruit
Strawberries, mulberries, oranges, papaya, early melons
Other
Barley (jau), new wheat, honey
Festivals & observances
| Occasion | In the kitchen |
|---|---|
| Holi (Phalgun Purnima) | Warm thandai (non-intoxicating), soft gujiya (baked), dahi-free kanji; avoid chemical colours near food. |
| Chaitra Navratri (Mar/Apr, lunar) | Phalahari: makhana kheer, samak khichdi, sabudana-aloo tikki (baked), kuttu cheela. |
Kitchen guidance
- Introduce barley and old (aged) rice; reduce heavy dairy sweets.
- Bitter vegetables (karela, methi, neem flower) once daily in small portions.
- Use honey — never heated — in place of jaggery where possible.
- Encourage a short walk after lunch; serve lighter dinners by 7 pm.
Daily rituals
- On waking
- Warm water with ½ tsp honey and lemon (honey added to warm, not hot)
- At bedtime
- Golden milk (smaller, 100 ml) with dry ginger
Seven-day menu
The week at the table
Monday
- Breakfast
- Jau–moong savoury porridge · papaya
- Lunch thali
- Dinner
- Vegetable dalia khichdi
- Sweet
- Makhana kheer (80 ml)
Tuesday
- Breakfast
- Moong dal chilla · mint chutney
- Lunch thali
- Moong dal with drumstick
- Lauki–peas
- Hara chana ghugni (soft)
- rice & phulka
- Mint–coriander chutney
- Evening
- Roasted makhana
- Dinner
- Moong yusha · phulka
- Sweet
- Atta sheera (40 g)
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Vegetable poha · strawberries
- Lunch thali
- Masoor–lauki dal
- Beans–carrot thoran
- Bhindi with coconut
- rice & phulka
- Kheera raita (room temp.)
- Evening
- Ginger–honey tea
- Dinner
- Barley–vegetable soup
- Sweet
- Gulkand (1 tsp) with warm milk
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Barley–oats porridge with honey
- Lunch thali
- Toor dal with methi
- Aloo–methi
- Drumstick-leaf poriyal
- rice & phulka
- Neem-flower chutney (small)
- Evening
- Stewed apple
- Dinner
- Lauki–moong khichdi
- Sweet
- Date–nut ladoo
Friday
- Breakfast
- Rava idli · coconut chutney
- Lunch thali
- Whole moong (soft)
- Torai–moong
- Kaddu khatta-meetha
- rice & phulka
- Lauki raita
- Evening
- Barley water with lemon
- Dinner
- Masoor soup · soft rice
- Sweet
- Baked gujiya (½)
Saturday
- Breakfast
- Besan–lauki chilla · guava
- Lunch thali
- Moong–palak dal
- Karela with jaggery & fennel
- Tinda masala
- rice & phulka
- Spiced takra
- Evening
- CCF tea
- Dinner
- Rasam · rice
- Sweet
- Rice kheer (60 ml)
Sunday
- Breakfast
- Soft upma · mulberries
- Lunch thali
- Light kadhi with methi
- Lauki–peas
- Hara chana ghugni (soft)
- rice & phulka
- Mint–coriander chutney
- Evening
- Puffed rice (murmura) chaat
- Dinner
- Mixed-veg soup · phulka
- Sweet
- Honey–sesame chikki crumble
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 · Mar 1March
Jau (Barley)–Moong Savoury Porridge
BreakfastSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
184 kcal6.5 g proteinSoft porridge
View recipe →
Vol I · Mar 2March
Lauki–Chana Dal
Lunch · DalSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
162 kcal7.1 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Mar 3March
Karela with Jaggery & Fennel (Soft)
Lunch · SabziSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
97 kcal1.5 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · Mar 4March
Holi Thandai (warm or room temperature)
Evening · DrinkSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
224 kcal8.6 g proteinSmooth liquid
View recipe →
Vol I · Mar 5March
Vegetable Dalia Khichdi
DinnerSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
221 kcal8.8 g proteinSoft porridge
View recipe →
Vol I · Mar 6March
Makhana Kheer (Navratri)
SweetSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
182 kcal6.3 g proteinSoft, creamy
View recipe →Signature dish