The monsoon season is when diets change dramatically, either for religious reasons or because of seasonal availability of foods,

Food for a rainy day

The monsoon season is when diets change dramatically, either for religious reasons or because of seasonal availability of foods,

Shrirang Khatavkar scours the market with a hawk's eye. “I'm sure this has to do with the erratic rains. Otherwise turmeric leaves are quite common during this season,” says the 40-year-old Thane resident, an avid cook and self-confessed foodie. He's looking for ingredients to cook the traditional dish paatole. “Not many people have the time to cook traditional recipes anymore but some foods are still a must-eat in this season,” he says. Khatavkar points out that even most hardcore non-vegetarian Maharashtrians eat only vegetarian meals in the July-August period of Shravan. “There's a sheer abundance of vegetables after the summer, some of which are only seen in the market during this season,” he says. “Allu wadi, which is now made all through the year, is essentially a Shravan delicacy, as is the Alluvacha phath-phatha.” Made from leaves of the colocasia, which grows around ponds, marshes and paddy fields with lots of rain water run-offs, Khatavkar insists that these dishes never taste as good as they do during Shravan. His wife, Meera, adds that raw mango pickle is a condiment they look forward to, especially because during Shravan, food is cooked without ginger and garlic. “At the end of the summer, the pickle is just about marinated. The bite in the pickle spices up the food, and I don't miss ginger and garlic as much,” she says. In another part of the city, Mehtab Syed, 32, and her mother-in-law Noor, 58, make arrangements for the sehri (the pre-dawn Ramzan meal). “Since we are a joint family and everyone has their own favourites, we try to make sure that everybody has at least something they like,” says the Mahim resident. “My children like mince cutlets. My husband and brother-in-law insist on different kinds of bhajiyas, which I keep telling them to avoid.” She adds that the most important food during the fast are dates. “Dates help restore the blood sugar which falls due to fasting. No wonder it is recommended in our holy texts,” says the home-science graduate from Nirmala Niketan. “Apart from sugar, they are a rich source of iron which can keep you going from sehri to iftar.” Mehtab likes to eat chopped dates, almonds, yogurt mixed with other fresh fruit. Much like the Khatavkars and Syeds, Jayaben Barot too adopts a different diet during this season. On one day during the monsoon, marked as Sheetala Saatam, the family is not allowed to light the kitchen fire. “So we're only allowed to eat cold leftovers,” says the 69-year-old Breach Candy resident. “My sons go out for hot chai and meals, but as far as the home is concerned, I am very strict about this rule.” Her mother-in-law had told her this was necessary so as to not incur the wrath of the Goddess Shitala. But Jayaben has a more pragmatic view of things. “In the monsoons, there is so much work around the house, and everyone feels like resting a bit. If tradition has created one window for women not to be stuck in the kitchen for a day, why not grab the opportunity?” Across the sub-continent, many regions change their diet regimen around monsoons. Religion, tradition and seasonal availability of foods may have dictated these diet regimen changes, but these come with their own health benefits, says Mercy Mathew, nutritionist and lecturer at Dadar's Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition. “During this season, metabolism is poor and digestion sluggish. The likelihood of acidity is higher with overeating. Avoiding foods like ginger and garlic, which tickle the taste buds and prompt us to eat more than we should, and eating cold food are all geared towards ensuring meals are small,” she says. Besides, during this season, our resistance to diseases is lower, adds Mathew. She's lived in Mumbai for over three decades but still swears by the traditional Kerala Marunnu Karkidaka kanji (medicinal gruel). “Agriculturists take a break due to the continuous downpour, and meals consist of traditional herbal rice gruel for rejuvenation,” she says. “As nature rejuvenates with the monsoon, it is telling us do the same.”