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What To Eat During Periods | My Perimenopause Period Thali

 







Perimenopause period thali: Barley roti, dry urad dal, and one batter that makes three different bhaja every single time


Perimenopause brings change in ways most women never expect. Period dates shift without warning. Sometimes three days early, sometimes a week late. Moods feel different. Food cravings feel different too.

Today my period arrived three days ahead of schedule. That is completely normal in perimenopause. When the body sent its signal, I wanted something rooted, something homemade, something that comforts from the inside out.

So I made my period thali. Barley roti, dry urad dal, cucumber flaxseed makhana raita, and three different bhaja made from one single batter. Everything cooked on a tawa, in mustard oil, on low flame.
Today I am sharing every recipe from this thali. Step by step. Exactly the way I made it today.

Why traditional Indian food matters during perimenopause?

Estrogen levels fluctuate significantly during perimenopause. That directly affects digestion, inflammation, and energy levels. Processed food, refined flour, and sugar make the body even more uncomfortable during this phase.

Traditional Indian ingredients like barley, urad dal, bitter gourd, pointed gourd, and flaxseeds genuinely support the body during this transition. 

  • Barley contains beta-glucan that supports gut health. 
  • Urad dal provides iron and protein that the body needs during menstrual days. 
  • Bitter gourd helps balance blood sugar.
  • Flaxseeds contain phytoestrogens that bring a degree of stability to hormonal fluctuation.

This is not just comfort food. This is practical nutrition that generations of Indian women have relied on instinctively.

One batter, three bhaja: Pointed gourd, jackfruit, and bitter gourd

This is the most practical part of the entire thali. 

One simple rice flour batter handled all three vegetables. No separate spice mixes, no separate preparation for each. Just one batter and three different vegetables cooked together on the same tawa.

The batter

Take a quarter cup of rice flour in a bowl. Add salt, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and red chili flakes. Adjust quantities to taste. Add water gradually and prepare a loose batter. The consistency should be thin enough to coat the vegetables lightly rather than forming a thick crust.

Boiling the pointed gourd and bitter gourd

Add water, salt, and turmeric to a pressure cooker. Place the bitter gourd pieces directly at the base of the cooker. Stand the pointed gourd pieces upright in a glass vessel and place that glass inside the same cooker. Both vegetables cook simultaneously at different levels inside one cooker.
Cook on high flame for two whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid. Squeeze out as much water as possible from both vegetables by pressing firmly with your hands. This step is critical. Any remaining moisture will make the bhaja soggy instead of crispy. Do not skip it.
Dip both vegetables in the batter and let them sit for ten minutes before cooking. That resting time allows the batter to set properly around the vegetables.

Heat mustard oil on a cast iron skillet. Place the batter-coated vegetables on the skillet. Cook on low flame, flipping and pressing with a spatula at intervals, until both sides turn golden and slightly crispy. Low flame and patience are the only secrets here. Rushing this step on high heat will cook the outside too fast while leaving the inside undercooked.

Jackfruit bhaja


Dip boiled jackfruit pieces in the same batter. If using raw jackfruit, boil or pressure cook it first until tender. If using pre-boiled or canned jackfruit, dip it directly into the batter. Cook on the same skillet in the same mustard oil on low flame. Jackfruit bhaja has an earthy, meaty quality that feels deeply satisfying during period days.

Dry urad dal

This dal has been my comfort food since childhood. The smell of it tempering in mustard oil takes me straight back to my mother's kitchen. Nothing about it has changed and nothing needs to.
Soak urad dal overnight in water. In the morning, pressure cook it with salt and turmeric for four whistles. The dal should be thoroughly cooked but each grain should hold its shape. It should not turn mushy.

Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Add cumin seeds, then whole red chili. Add sliced onion and cook until golden. Add green chili. Now add the boiled dal directly into the pan without draining any remaining water. Whatever little cooking liquid remains with the dal is fine. Check salt, add garam masala, and take it off the flame.

This dal should be completely dry. No gravy, no extra liquid. Just a deeply flavored, protein-rich, aromatic dry preparation that pairs perfectly with barley roti.

Cucumber flaxseed makhana raita

This raita works beautifully against period bloating. Cucumber has natural cooling properties. Flaxseeds provide omega 3 fatty acids and phytoestrogens. Makhana is light on digestion and adds a gentle crunch.
Whisk fresh curd until smooth. Grate or finely chop cucumber and add it to the curd. Lightly roast makhana or add it directly. Stir in flaxseeds, salt, cumin powder, and a pinch of black pepper. No cooking required. No complicated steps. Just assemble and serve.

Barley roti



I have shared the barley roti recipe in a previous post. The link is below. Barley is particularly valuable during perimenopause because it stabilizes blood sugar, supports gut health, and helps the body process estrogen more efficiently.

This thali is more than a meal

Perimenopause does not get enough honest conversation, especially among Indian women. Shifting period dates, changing moods, unfamiliar body signals, all of it is normal but it can feel isolating when nobody talks about it openly.
I share this thali because it is more than a recipe. It is a reminder to listen to your body. When your period arrives three days early, do not panic. When your body asks for something different to eat, honor that request. Traditional home cooking during period days is both medicine and comfort in the same plate.

What does your period thali look like? Share in the comments below. And if you have questions about perimenopause, ask those too. You are not alone in this.


My other period thalis from previous months










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