Indian Seasonal produce- June

"Nature plans for perfection. If we follow its cycle and eat seasonal foods, being healthy is easy."

I always look for the best seasonal fruits and vegetables. I am not a complete vegetarian, but I do gravitate more towards fresh and local fruits and veggies. 

Only by consuming the seasonal produces our body's overall needs are met and regulated more than opting for foods that boost any specific part of our body. Our body is built up this way by eating local and seasonal produces only. 

I always used to accompany my Appa to the Sunday market from when I was small. He has abundant knowledge of seasonal produces and the place where they grow and come from. Checking the freshness of F &V’s, Meat and Seafood was another trick I learnt from him only.

Food always tastes better when it's fresh, but purchasing seasonal produces gets you more than just great taste and benefits on our health too. When certain foods are in season, the relative abundance of certain crops usually makes it less expensive. This is due to the basic law of supply and demand, and when crops are in season, you'll be rewarded by purchasing what's growing now.

So the big question – what are the best fruits and vegetables and other produces of the season to buy and ensuring we reap the maximum from it?

Just by knowing the seasonal produces.

I’ll break down and list all of the fruits and vegetable month-by-month based on seasons (Kharif- Monsoon, Rabi- Winter and Zaid- Summer).

Starting with the Indian seasonal produces for the month of June (Rabi season produces comes to an end and Zaid produces starts coming in the market), so here’s a list of seasonal foods to buy and eat this month.

Vegetables:

Lady’s finger, Brinjal, Parwal, Cow peas, Bohar, Capsicum, Potato, Bottle gourd, Ridge gourd, Ivy gourd (Tindora/ Kovakkaai), Cluster beans, Drumstick, Cow peas/ long beans, Turkey berry, Tinda (pinju poosani), Raw banana, Banana stem/ Plaintain pith, Chayote/ Chow chow, Snake gourd, Katahal (Raw/ Baby jackfruit)

Other common Vegetables- Ash gourd, Carrot, Colocasia/ Taro, Sweet potato, Cabbage, Beetroot, Tapioca/ Cassava, Broad beans, Flat beans, Normal Beans, Cauliflower, Raddish, Naval kol (nool khol/ turnip), Beetroot, Bitter gourd, French beans/ gawar, Yam.

 

Fruits:
Devgad alphonso mango/ Hapus, Malgova, Suvarnarekha mango, Fazli, Langda, Kesar mango, Dasheri mango, Himsagar mango, Badami mango, Safeda mango, Bombay green mango, Totapuri mango, Raspuri mango, Neelam mango, Amprali mango, Chausa, Imam pasand mango, Fazli mango, Gulab khaas mango, Alampur Baneshan mango, Mankurad mango, Paheri mango, Vanraj mango, Jackfruit, Cashew apple, Rose apple/ Paneer naval/ Safed Jamb (White Jamun), Gunda/ Lasoda/ Lesua, Nimboli (Neem fruit), Jungle jalebi/ Koduka puli/ Kikar, Cannonball fruit, Cape gooseberry, Apricot, Karwand (Indian blueberry), Almond, Kokum, Loquat, Mangosteen, Muskmelon, Nungu/ Tadgola (Ice apple/ Palm fruit), Star gooseberry, Tamarind, Watermelon, Hisalu, Ber (Indian Jujube/ Plum), Sugarcane, Shahtoot (Mulberries), Elephant apple/ Chalta, Langsah/Lotka (Langsat), Phalsa (Indian Sherbet Berries), Aloo Bukhara (Indian plum), Kafal (Bayberry), Dadim, Kilmode, Ghingarum, Apricot, Bael/ Wood apple, Bilimbi, Figs, Lychee, Mysore raspberry, Rambutan, Tree tomato, Monkey jackfruit/ Lakucha

Other common Fruits- Pomegranate, Papaya, Banana varieties, Guava, Mosambi (Sweetlime), Amla  

Food grains: Barley (Jau), Moong dal, Masoor (Red lentil), Matki (Moth beans), Tuvar (Pigeon Peas), Wheat (includes sharbati, lokhwan, bansi, samba/ khapli), Maize, Ragi, Little millet, Barnyard millet, Proso millet, Kaaramani/ Lobia (Black eyed beans), Urad dal

Pulses, Legumes, Seeds- Rice bean, Bhatma (soya bean), Chole (kabuli channa), Chow dhari (Goa bean) Vaal (Fava beans), Adzuki beans (Chori), dried White and Green peas, Moth beans, Rajma, Kala vatana (black peas), Groundnut, Sesame 

 
Green leafy vegetables: Malabar Spinach, Rhubarb, Sorrels, Ponangani keerai/ Ponnaganti aaku/ Honnagone/ Matikaduri, Amaranthus varieties, Agathi leaves, Moringa leaves, Purslane (kulfa/ ghol/ luni saag), Methi, Spring onions, Bathuwa (Chakwat/ Parupu keerai), Bichu buti, Bhringraj (karisalankanni), Chakramarda/ Chakunda/ Ponnaveeran, Chekkur manis/ Thavasi keerai, Keezhanelli/ Nella Usiri/ Nela nelli/ Bhoi amla, Thuthuvalai, Manathakkali/ Sukkuti keerai/ Kaage soppu, Spinach varieties, Amaranthus varities (Siru keerai/ Pannai keerai, Mulai keerai, Arai keerai, Thandu keerai/ Chauli saag/ Thotakkora), Haak, Anne soppu, Gongura

Herbs and spices: Kokum, Mace, Nutmeg, Black pepper, Tamarind, Celery seed, Malabar tamarind, Dill seeds, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Green chilli

Sea food:

 

"Nourish your body as Nature intended- Eat seasonally" - MJ 

 

Note: I have studied the Indian seasonal produces with the help of farmers network and various research articles following the guidelines of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) based on the cropping seasons – Kharif, Zaid and Rabi. Thereby, I’ve listed the fruits & vegetables, food grains and rest mentioned that would be available to us based on the sowing- growing and harvesting time period calculated for each month covering every Indian region to the maximum.

Kinds of sea and fresh water fishes are studied based on its availability along the West Coast and East coast from CIBA (Central Institute of Brackish Aquaculture).

I hope this information is helpful to consume local and seasonal produces thereby keeping a check on health too.

Kindly let me know your thoughts if this benefits you all through comments below.

 

 

Thank You!

Maria Jenita, PhD