India, Sept. 11 -- The next time you pick up a menu, look for a secret hiding in plain sight. Seasonal food used to mean a chalkboard of mango specials in May. But as harvests get less reliable in the climate crisis, restaurant owners across India are finding it harder to follow a set menu. So, they're switching to a risky model: Dynamic recipes. These are dishes that sound the same, and are priced the same, but are made differently depending on the availability of ingredients.

At Delhi's Fig & Maple, the signature salad is on the menu all year round. Order it in December and it will contain fresh figs, cape gooseberries, mustard greens and mizuna. In May, it arrives looking familiar. This time, it's made with Malabar spinach, amaranth, ...