Along with the first showers in Mumbai, the raan-meva would arrive, ferried by Vasaiwallas or local vendors from Vasai," recollects Pathare Prabhu chef Sunetra Vijaykar, about her childhood days, adding, "Raan-meva literally translates to sweets from the forests. These vegetables and shrubs, usually only available during the rain, are mostly foraged." And so, they need to be treated before eating, or they can lead to allergies. "Grandmothers in Marathi households typically use tamarind or bilimb [a summer fruit] to do so," adds Vijaykar, who runs a pop-up service called Dine With Vijaykars in Mumbai and Gurugram.

Chief among the wild produce is shevla, which is only available at the beginning of monsoon. "Shevla or dragon stalk yam is a long, leafy vegetable that's considered good for immunity. While most Maharashtrian communities make shevla chi bhaji, Pathare Prabhus make shevla che sambharye — a stew with coconut milk," she shares.