Home garden recipes for every season - World Vegetable Center

The state of Punjab in India is blessed with a climate suitable for growing a wide range of vegetables throughout the year. Yet despite its high rates of economic growth and food production, a large proportion of preschool children and rural women in Punjab consume diets with inadequate levels of energy, iron, riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin C. Increasing the range of vegetables in the diet is one of the easiest ways to improve family nutrition while a home garden makes them readily available year-round.

Since 2008 AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center and the Department of Food and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University have been working together in a project supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust to promote improved nutrition in Punjab through increased vegetable production and consumption. They collaboratively designed a 6 m x 6 m home garden where 27 carefully selected vegetables are grown to supply vital nutrients throughout the year. The vegetables are especially rich in vitamin C, beta- carotene (the precursor of vitamin A), iron, dietary fiber and phytochemicals.

Households that grow and consume vegetables from their home gardens can avoid nutrient deficiency diseases. Dietary fiber and phytochemicals in the form of colored pigments protect against degenerative conditions like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Vegetables from the home garden are also safe to eat because they are grown either organically or with minimum use of pesticides.

To maximize the nutritional value of these vegetables, they need to be cooked appropriately. If prepared in the form of exotic recipes to tickle the palate of all your family members, vegetables can play a vital role in improving your family’s overall health.

AVRDC and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, have developed delicious and interesting recipes for each month of the year. Seasonal vegetables from the home garden are combined with ingredients such as legumes, curd, cheese, milk and spices to create tasty dishes that are good for your family. Our taste panel agrees, and we hope you enjoy preparing these recipes for the health of your family throughout the year.

AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center