A summer full of fresh

Agent Vinod be damned The best sort of intrigue negotiation and spying action is right here in Mumbai mdash Navi Mumbai to be preciseu00a0On a hectic Tuesday morning at The Agriculture Produce Market Committee APMC market in Vashi surrounded by trucks unloading massive quantities of vegetables and fruits that exude a fragrance that belies the chaos all around I watched fascinated as 65 yearold mango vendor Vasant Chaskar signalled to a retailer who wanted to buy 20 kg of the fruit to sell at his shop in Chembur Wholesalers at the APMC market have a unique way of bargaining over a covered handshake Each finger depicts a rate mdash the index finger Rs 500 the middle fingeru00a0Rs 1000 and the ring finger Rs 1500 The seller indicates his price via the finger he places on the buyerrsquos wrist u00a0PicsSameer Markandeu00a0 As they shook hands Chaskar threw his gamcha towel onto their interlocking pair of hands The duo looked at each other frowned then nodded and then just like that a deal was fixed Bemused I asked Chaskar what had just happened ldquoNobody but the buyer will know the price a vendor quotes for his waresrdquo he explained describing the finger method of quoting a price he learnt from his father 50 years ago ldquoWe indicate the price via the finger we place on the retailerrsquos wrist While the index finger means Rs 500 the middle and ring finger are Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 respectively No dialogue takes places while sealing a deal I press my middle finger when I quote Rs 1000 for 10 kgs for examplerdquo he announced matteroffactly as I gaped in wonderment A worker at a muskmelon shop catches the fruit passed on to him by a fellow worker Retailers sell papayas for Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kg and muskmelons at the rate of Rs 60 per kg This is regular practice at APMC a wholesale market which gets nearly all of Mumbairsquos produce from all over India and abroad It opens at 11 pm for trucks that come in fromu00a0across India bringing in tons of fruits and vegetables mdash red pumpkin from Bengaluru cucumber from Chennai mulberries from Mahableshwar watermelons from UP MP and Karnataka and papayas from Solapur Things move like clockwork mdash labourers throw fruits to other labourers with precise aim who then fill the tokris for mathadi workers to carry into the market By 2 pm retailers make their entry cracking deals within two to three minutes as another set of workers put the fruits and vegetables on the weighing scales Buyers make prompt exits driving away with their fresh stock in their trucks and vans A cucumber costs Rs 120 per 10 kg atu00a0the APMC market Retailers sell it foru00a0Rs 60 per kg Truck drivers are paid Rs 1 to Rs 150 for each kg of produce they transport to the market This summer has seen water shortages in the villages that grow the fruits and vegetables all over India says Girish Doke a wholesaler who stocks papaya at his shop Alongside 40 yearold Vikas Shete adds ldquoMost of the fruits and vegetables that are produced in Maharashtra are consumed by December and thus the summer sees a lot of produce coming in from other statesrdquou00a0 Summer essentials Veggies Your summer vegetables list should include red pumpkin cucumber okra gourd suran dry yam turia fresh ridged gourds and all leafy vegetables such as spinach celery etc Fruits Your fruit bowl must have jackfruit watermelon chikoo mango papaya figs setur mulberry muskmelon and pomegranate Nutritionist Kavita Mukhi shows this reporter how to pick a healthy watermelon which costs approximately Rs 30 per kg The best way to pick and choose your vegetables is to visit a market Sadly almost all produce at city markets are full of pesticides she says u00a0PicsBipin Kokate Why you must eat seasonally ldquoWhen calendars were first designed they were based on the season of harvest which indicates that there is a time for everything in every country People ate according to that season Just the way we cool our body externally by switching on the AC summer fruits have cooling and energising properties When thirsty it is advisable to eat watermelon mangoes lychees or muskmelons This will quench thirst and provide energy with its natural sugars Also cold soups are great for the summer After a long dehydrated day a cold soup will cool the organsrdquo says Hemant Chhabra a 50 yearold organic farmer who grows his own produce at a farm Hideout in Jadhpoli Thane district While choosing lemons pick the ones that are bright yellow as they are the juiciest The green tinge indicates that it is still unripe He adds ldquoIf yoursquore bored of your meals just cut your vegetables differently This is a Japanese practice that stems from the belief that different cuts will give you a different taste Also make the most of cucumbers in the summerrdquo The correct way to buy fruits and veggiesu00a0Mukhi took this writer to Grant Road Bhaji Market to teach her how to pick good quality fruits and vegetables Watermelon What it doesu00a0 This summer fruit is best to hydrate your body and energise it on a hot day It acts like an AC cooling the body from the inside It tends to throw your body into imbalance when eaten in the cold How to buy Look out for tiny holes in the watermelon which show that insects have bitten into it They recognise a sweet fruit and will always try to eat them Mangou00a0What it doesu00a0 If you think mangoes add heat to your body and cause pimples think again Nature knows best says Mukhi who blames the consumption pattern of the fruit for its bad reputation Mango is rich in Vitamin A which actually gives you healthy glowing skin When eaten on an empty stomach it has a cooling effect However when consumed as aamras along with rotis and curd it causes acidity How to buy It is likely that a mango on the green side has not been artificially ripened Buy those and allow them to naturally ripen at home Always separate the ripe from unripe wrap in paper in a tray and keep in a sunny area Bright orange may indicate it is artificially ripened Muskmelon What it doesu00a0 It is high in potassium low in calories and rich in Vitamin C It helps control blood pressure and reduces the possibility of developing kidney stones Like most fruits it is beneficial for the skin thanks to Vitamin A How to buy A good muskmelon is one that smells fresh and is not too soft to touch Pomegranate What it doesu00a0Though it takes some energy to chew it properly it has wonderful hydrating properties It can provide instant energy as it is full of natural sugars It is most beneficial when eaten whole How to buy You can tell a good pomegranate from a bad one by its smell A fresh one will be bright red in colour but hard to touch If it is too soft it is likely to be over ripe and may have gone bad in parts Papaya What it doesu00a0 It is a laxative and a filling fruit rich in natural sugars and Vitamin C How to buy If your finger leaves a mark when you press it it is over ripe It should be orange Bottle gourd u00a0What it doesu00a0 All gourds have cooling properties and are excellent sources of fibre It prevents constipation and improves digestion How to buy A good gourd is one that is neither too hard nor too soft Too soft indicates that it is over ripe Press your finger into the skin It should be supple to touch Okra bhindi u00a0What it doesu00a0 It does not have a specific health benefit except being rich in a sticky fibre which balances the digestive system How to buy Bend the end tail If it breaks it is semihard and good to consumeu00a0Cucumber WHAT IT DOES It is light on the stomach and the best food to treat acidity It isu00a0rich in water content and fibreu00a0How to buy A good cucumber is the one that looks whole and is not shrivelled at the ends It should not be consumed in the evening as it is cold for the body Jackfruit What it does Apart from being rich in fibre and vital nutrients it is rich in Vitamin B Complex and u00a0folic acid u00a0 How to buy It can be eaten as a fruit in which case it should be yellow in colour Else if you plan to cook it as a vegetable get the vendor to cut it for you and check for the hardness It should not be sticky or too soft Leafy vegetables spinach mint What it doesu00a0u00a0Leafy greens are a storehouse of high iron content fibre and calcium They are great for building stamina and improving immunity How to buy Most leafy vegetables are laden with pesticides The leaves should be thick bright green and a little wet Dry leaves are signs of drying up Did you know gt The heavier the fruit the juicier it will be A light fruit indicates it has begun to dry up gt When you spot a fruit or vegetable which is too bright or looks bigger than its actual size be sure it has been artificially ripened gt By eating unripe fruits you are doing a great disservice to your body gt A good fruit even citrus actually doesnrsquot cause acidity it has an alkaline effect on your body gt The best way to identify whether a fruit is seasonal is to check the cart If the cart has a big pile of just one vegetable or fruit it is seasonal produce When you see little of everything they are out of season gt Bell peppers broccoli avacado and zucchinis are exotic vegetables available round the year While they are colourful and tasty to eat they have almost zero nutrition value as they are pumped with pesticides and chemicals for artificial ripening gt The worse practice is eating fruit after your meals Fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach 4 questions for Venu Hirani Andheribased Nutritionist amp Fitness Consultant Why is it important to eat seasonal fruits and veggies Being a rich source of essential vitamins minerals phytonutrients and fibre vegetables and fruits are in their best shape and form during their particular seasons The colour is rich taste is better and they are nutritionally dense Seasonal fruits are also cheaper as no effort has been taken to artificially ripen them People believe that fruits like chikoo and banana are fattening No fruits are fattening they may be high in calories but the benefits you derive from them far exceed the calories they add which is why you need not eliminate any fruits from your diet What are summer veggies and how do they benefit us Bottle gourd doodhi bitter gourd karela ridged gourd tori snake gourd chichinda ash gourd petha and wax gourd padval parmal pumpkin kaddu sitaphal kumrha vaby squash tinda ladyfinger bhindi cucumber amaranth greens chowli are all summer vegetables They are high in fibre cure constipation and reduce cholesterol levels They are low in calorie and rich in Vitamins A C B6 riboflavin and folate and rich in minerals such as calcium iron magnesium phosphorous potassium zinc copper and manganese which play a vital role in major chemical reactions in the body With most fruits and veggies being available round the year what do you recommend in the summer There are certain fruits and vegetables which are seasonal for example mango This fruit is one of the richest sources of Vitamin A phytonutrients and antioxidants Everyone should consume this fruit while it is in season The quantity will obviously vary based on onersquos weight and health issuesu00a0