Kitchari
The Original Happy Meal
Kitchari is the ancient Ayurvedic wonder food.
Kitchari means “mixture” and it’s a mix of rice and moong beans cooked together with spices. Basmati rice is simple and easy to digest and moong beans have a nutty flavor warm that together create a nourishing, grounding but not heavy complete vegetarian protein source with the texture of risotto and the taste of curry. Kitchari has been used for centuries in ayurveda to support build digestive fire and cleansing toxins from the liver. In Ayurveda “digestion” refers to everything we take in “ food, thoughts, ideas, emotions and our digestive power (called agni) is based on our ability to break down and assimilation healthy and toxic foods, thoughts, emotions, experiences. Western Medicine agrees about the gut-brain connection and it’s estimated up to 90% of serotonin (our happy brain chemical) is actually produced in the GI tract. So happy belly=happy mind and kitchari is the the perfect affordable, quick, home cooked one-pot wonder food to support us powerful women taking on the world!
Ingredients
1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 cup Mung Dal
Approximately 6 cups Water
1 yellow onion
1 TBS ginger root, chopped or grated
1 TBS fresh turmeric root, chopped or grated
1/2 tsp natural sea salt (Celtic, Atlantic or local sea salts)
2 TBS. Ghee (use 1 TBS coconut oil for vegan version)
1/2 tsp. Whole coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. whole cumin Seeds
½ tsp whole fennel seeds or mustards seeds (fennel seeds are cooling and mustard heating)
1 TBS curry powder of your choice
½ teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing) powder
Optional 2 cups of cut veggies of your choice: zucchini, squash, asparagus, sweet potato, kale, chard, carrots etc.
Optional curry leaf (available from Indian markets) or cinnamon stick
Preparation
*Soak the lentils overnight in clean water and a pinch of asafoetida. Rinse them after. The asafoetida helps break down the beans to make them more digestible. If you don’t have asafoetida use a pinch of apple cider vinegar.
In a pot combine 6 cups of water, rice, dhal, 1 tea salt, 1 TBS ghee, onion, grated ginger and turmeric. If you have curry leaf add it or a cinnamon stick for a sweet flavor.
Covered and cook on medium heat until mixture becomes becomes soft and beans cooked but still solid, about 20 minutes. Make sure to check it as you go, and add more water if need be.
After 20 minutes add veggies of your choice cut into small please into the rice and dhal mixture and ½ teaspoon curry powder and cook 10 minutes longer.
In a separate saucepan dry roast the whole coriander, cumin and fennel or mustard, until they pop (put the coriander in first) Give a rough grind to them after with a mortar and pestle then add to kitchari. Add another ½ tea of the curry powder, 1 TBS ghee,and more salt to taste in the cooked kitchari Stir together to release the flavors. Stir the sautéed spices into the cooked dhal, rice, and vegetable mixture. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, and for an extra rich version add avocado and more ghee. The kitchari should not be bland! Add spices, ghee, and salt to make it delicious and personalized.