Indian Seasonal Produces- March

 

With the bright summer approaching ahead from March, this short spring season time in India is a season of two-month duration which are March and April for plants. It is the last month in which we can find winter fruits and vegetables. Also, it’s the finest season to save up those extra fruits and veggies by pickling.

Here is the list of Fruits, Veggies, Grains and Sea foods in season this March that give us the maximum health benefits needed to help us tackle all of them if cooked in a correct way. 

In March, winter and spring season fruits and vegetables coexist, plus this spring season is the best to consume varieties of greens along with their teeny tiny flowers, buds and pulps (if present) like moringa, palak varieties, anne soppu, mustard leaves, chakramarda saag, bichu buti, avarampoo, sushni saag, haak, manathakali, sorrel and the list goes..

Exceptionally this spring time as the leaves attain their fullest growth bearing tiny flowers that’s ready to bear pods and seeds. Thus, richer in all of the required nutrition. 

(note: the nutritional composition differs from place to place)

Apart from the varieties of green leafy vegetables, there’s fresh spices and herbs ready to be harvested from march onwards till the summer ends.

Here’s the list to buy and eat sustainably this month.

Fruits:
Jackfruit, Ayani pazham (Anjili chakka, Wild jackfruit), Tender mango (vadu maanga), Amla, Hisalu, Cashew apple, Ramphal, Grapes, Chikku (Sapota), Ber (Indian Jujube/ Plum), Citrons, Galgal (Hill lemon), Sugarcane, Shahtoot (Mulberries), Dahu (Monkey fruit), Noni, Elephant apple/ Chalta, Prickly pear, Jaamun, Custardapple, Fig, Bael (Wood apple), Langsah/Lotka (Langsat), Phalsa (Indian Sherbet Berries), Aloo Bukhara (Indian plum), Kafal (Bayberry), Dadim, Kilmode, Ghingaru, Kokum, Litchi, Kodikai/ Koduka puli (Jungle jilebi).

Other common Fruits- Pomegranate, Papaya, Banana, Guava, Apple, Pineapple, Mosambi (Sweetlime), Narangi (Orange).

 
Vegetables:
Lady’s finger, Brinjal varieties, Radish, Capsicum, Cluster beans, Broad beans, Flat beans, Normal Beans, Goa bean/ chowdhari/ Siragu avvarai/ Winged beans, Bottle gourd, Bitter gourd, Ivy gourd (Tindora/ Kovakkaai), Tapioca/ Cassava, Palmyra sprout (Panang kil(zh)angu), Yam, Beetroot, Cow peas/ long beans, Papdi/ young hyacinth bean, Bohar, Cauliflower, Turkey berry, Naval kol (nool khol/ turnip), Lotus stem, Palua (Arrowroot).

Other common Vegetables- Ash gourd, Carrot, Raw banana, Banana stem/ Plaintain pith, Chayote/ Chow chow, Snake gourd, Potato, Pumpkin varieties, Colocasia/ Taro, Sweet potato, Cabbage.

 
Food grains: Bajra, Jowar, Wheat (includes sharbati, lokhwan, bansi, samba/ khapli),  Maize, Rajgira (Amaranth), Kuttu/ Papparai, Ragi, Little millet, Barley, Barnyard millet, Rice varieties (heirloom ones that take around 180 days to grow)

Pulses & Legumes- Bhatma (soya bean), Chole (kabuli channa), Urad dal, Tuvar dal, Chow dhari (Goa bean) Vaal (Fava beans), dried Green peas, Moth beans, Rajma, Kala vatana (black peas), Kaaramani/ Lobia (Black eyed beans), Groundnut, Kulith (horse gram/ kollu).

 
Green leafy vegetables: Purslane (kulfa/ ghol/ luni saag), Dhekia xak, Methi, Spring onions, Gongura, Sarson (Mustard greens), Bathuwa (Chakwat/ Parupu keerai), Shepu (dill), Amaranthus varieties, Spinach varieties, Haak, Indian brahmi, Bichu buti, Bhringraj (karisalankanni), Anne soppu, Chakramarda Saag, Sunsunia, Neem flowers, Mango flowers.

Herbs and spices: Black pepper, Turmeric, Tamarind, Vanilla, Dill, Ginger, Garlic, Mustard, Coriander, Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Green chilli, Fenugreek, Ajwain seeds, Tulsi, Naga chilli and other chilli varieties.

Fish: 

"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 curated 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 seafood were studied and curated based on its availability along the West Coast and East coast from CIBA (Central Institute of Brackish Aquaculture) and knowyourfishes.org.in.

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