Volume I · Vaishakh – Jyeshtha
May
Hydration, Mango & Cooling Kitchen
Grishma · summerVolume II plan for May →
The season
Grishma (summer)
| Aspect | In the book |
|---|---|
| Hindu months | Vaishakh – Jyeshtha |
| Ritu | Grishma (summer) |
| Weather | ≈ 22 – 38 °C, hot dry winds (loo) |
| Agni | Low — the body conserves energy in heat |
| Dosha | Vata accumulates (dryness); Pitta rising with heat |
| Favour | Sweet, cool, liquid, slightly unctuous; rice, milk, ghee, melons |
| Limit | Pungent, sour and salty excess; heavy, oily and fried food; exertion at midday |
In season
Vegetables
Lauki, torai, parwal, bhindi, kundru, cucumber, tinda, drumstick, raw mango, mint
Fruit
Mango (early), muskmelon, watermelon, bael, falsa, litchi (late), jamun (late)
Other
Khus, rose, sattu, coconut water
Festivals & observances
| Occasion | In the kitchen |
|---|---|
| Akshaya Tritiya (lunar) | Sattu, kheer, panakam offered; start of mango season. |
| Buddha Purnima (lunar) | Simple kheer and sattvic thali. |
| Nirjala Ekadashi (May/Jun) | For non-fasting elderly guests serve light phalahari; fasting elders: monitor hydration closely. |
Kitchen guidance
- Serve drinks at room temperature from earthen matkas — no ice for 55+ guests.
- Watch for dehydration and heat exhaustion: offer 150 ml fluid every hour 10 am–6 pm.
- Make the evening snack a drink; keep dinner liquid-rich (soups, dal, khichdi).
- Mangoes: soak 1 hour in water before cutting (traditional — reduces 'heat'); serve at lunch.
Daily rituals
- On waking
- Room-temperature water from a copper or earthen pot
- At bedtime
- Warm (not hot) milk with a pinch of cardamom and ½ tsp ghee
Seven-day menu
The week at the table
Monday
- Breakfast
- Vegetable rava idli · coconut chutney
- Lunch thali
- Lauki kadhi (no pakora)
- Parwal sabzi
- Tinda masala
- rice & phulka
- Pudina takra
- Evening
- Aam panna
- Sweet
- Aamras (lunch, 100 g)
Tuesday
- Lunch thali
- Lauki–moong dal
- Torai–moong
- Bhindi with coconut
- rice & phulka
- Kheera raita (room temp.)
- Evening
- Bel sharbat
- Dinner
- Lauki soup · phulka
- Sweet
- Rose phirni (60 ml)
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Poha with lemon · muskmelon
- Lunch thali
- Moong with drumstick
- Kundru thoran
- Lauki–peas
- rice & phulka
- Raw-mango chutney (small)
- Evening
- Sattu sharbat
- Dinner
- Moong khichdi
- Sweet
- Rice kheer (60 ml)
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Moong chilla · mint chutney
- Lunch thali
- Toor dal (mild)
- Ash-gourd (petha) sabzi
- Raw-mango–kaddu
- rice & phulka
- Lauki raita
- Evening
- Coconut water
- Sweet
- Coconut ladoo
Friday
- Breakfast
- Sweet dalia · mango slices
- Lunch thali
- Masoor–lauki
- Aloo–jeera light
- Cucumber kootu
- rice & phulka
- Coconut chutney
- Evening
- Khus sharbat (light)
- Dinner
- Moong yusha · phulka
- Sweet
- Banana–date mash
Saturday
- Breakfast
- Oats porridge (almond milk) · papaya
- Lunch thali
- Moong–masoor dal
- Parwal sabzi
- Tinda masala
- rice & phulka
- Pudina takra
- Evening
- Rose–fennel cooler
- Dinner
- Vegetable stew · idiyappam
- Sweet
- Gulkand (1 tsp)
Sunday
- Breakfast
- Soft upma · watermelon
- Lunch thali
- Thin moong dal with mint
- Torai–moong
- Bhindi with coconut
- rice & phulka
- Kheera raita (room temp.)
- Evening
- Muskmelon with mint
- Dinner
- Torai dal · rice
- Sweet
- Sabudana kheer (60 ml)
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 · May 1May
Vegetable Rava Idli with Coconut Chutney
BreakfastSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
345 kcal9.8 g proteinSoft, spongy
View recipe →
Vol I · May 2May
Lauki Kadhi (Light, No Pakora)
Lunch · KadhiSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
120 kcal4.7 g proteinSmooth with soft pieces
View recipe →
Vol I · May 3May
Parwal Soft Sabzi
Lunch · SabziSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
81 kcal2.8 g proteinSoft
View recipe →
Vol I · May 4May
Aam Panna (Roasted Raw Mango)
Evening · DrinkSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
83 kcal0.5 g proteinThin liquid
View recipe →
Vol I · May 5May
Namkeen Dalia with Summer Gourds
DinnerSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
184 kcal6.6 g proteinSoft porridge
View recipe →
Vol I · May 6May
Aamras with Dry Ginger & Ghee
SweetSpring–summer
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
91 kcal0.9 g proteinSmooth purée
View recipe →Signature dish