Chathur maas starts from Ashada Shukla Paksha Ekadasi, this is also called theThapta Mudra Dharana Ekadasi as many Madhavas choose to have a Mudra dharane , from their religious heads.
The first Vratha is called, Shaka Vrath.During this period of one month none of the vegetables are eaten.Chana Dal and Basen is not allowed. None of the dry friuts. Only sugar candy. Turmiric, hing,mustard, methi, tamarind,chilli, corriander,curry leaves are not allowed.
The cereals allowed are Rice, Tur Dal, Mung daal and mung,Udad Dal,Wheat products ie [ wheat flour, sooji,maida] are allowed.Til Seeds, Ghee,Sugar,Jaggery,Milk, Butter are things allowed to eat.
As Sugar and Ghee are allowed sweets can be made, Sooji Halwa, Wheat Halwa,Padar Pheni/chiroti, and the likes.
To go with Rice saar/rasam can be made using tur dal water and jeera and pepper.
Tur dal is soaked and ground coursly [ like for ambody], add salt and make into balls and steam them.when it has boiled and cooled, crumble it , add pepper powder and season with jeera.
In a little oil fry table spoon of whole wheat, til jeera and pepper. add this to butter milk and bring to boil. This is Kadi.
soak and boil mung and make Usli.
One can, ofcourse ,use their imagination do some variation.
The Second Vratha Is Dhadhi Vratha, in which curds dont come into use. This is fairly easy as only dahi is avoided, but butter milk is allowed.
The third is Milk called Kseera Vratha, when Milk is not to used. But for cooking coconut milk can be used.
The fourth and the Last Vratha isDwidala Vratha. Dwidala is any plant which sprout double leaf is called Dwidala, and this is not eaten. The veg etables that can be eaten are, Banana both raw and friut,Banana Stem,Arvi, ginger, Maat[ mola keerai] coconut,curry leaves, mango raw/dried, jeera and pepper.
Raw Banana is cut into small bits steamed. To this is added wheat and pepper fried in a little oil and powdered.Season with jera and curry leaves. Banana can be be cut into slices to make chips.Banana Stem is cut fine with the strings removed ,dahi is added and salt to make Raitha.
maat is cleaned and boiled or make seasoning and add the maat, let boil, in the mean while fry wheatand til seeds, jeera and pepper, and grind fine adding coconut scrapping and the the boiled maat, add butter milk to make Kadi. Boil and peel the Arvi, cut into slices and fry till golden add salt. if desired add pepper powder.
Boil water add raw mango or dry mango peices and let boil add salt jeera and pepper powder to make sar.
To make Vadas. Boil 11/2 cup water add a little oil and a pinch of salt, add one cup rice flour.When this is cool add salt and til, shape inti vadas and deep fry.
IN ALL THESE VRATHA PREPERATINS BE VERY CAREFULL IN USING SALT , AS THERE NOT MUCH THICKAT AND AMBAT, THE DISHES WILL BECOME TOO SALTY.
One can add jaggery to the saar and a little to the kadi too.
