Kitchari: Healthy warm meal for winter

Kitchari – a wholesome meal

Kitchari is one of Ayurveda’s greatest gifts to our health because it is a comfort food and a cleansing practice all in one! Plus, it is really easy to make and once you have the ingredients in your store cupboard you can make kitchari anytime.

Kitchari is a simple dish of lentils and rice cooked together with spices to a porridge or soupy, risotto like consistency. It is India’s comfort food, often the first solid food given to babies and it’s also used to heal the sick and keep the elderly strong. Kitchari has to be made with specific lentils and rice for the cleansing and healing benefits. These are yellow split mung beans and long-grain white basmati rice.

Main ingredients    

• Soaked (8hrs) split yellow lentils (mung dal) – ½ cup
• Red or white basmati rice: ½ cup
• Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
• Vegetable stock or water: 4 cups
• Ghee or coconut cream; 2 tbsp

Spices:

• Cumin seeds: 1½ tsp
• Fennel seeds: 1½ tsp
• Coriander powder; 1½ tsp
• Minced ginger: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds: ½ tsp
• Black mustard seeds: ½ tsp
• Asafoetida: ¼ teaspoon

Vegetables:

• Chopped peeled vegetables: any 3(butternut/ green beans / carrots/ sweet potato): 2 cups

To garnish:

• Fresh lime: ½
• Fresh coriander – ½ of a bunch
• Coconut yoghurt – 1tbsp
• Salt: to taste

Preparation

• Heat coconut oil over medium heat, in a heavy-bottomed pot.
• Add black mustard seeds and cook for a few minutes to release aromatics, and until the mustard seeds have popped well. Add cumin, fennel, and fenugreek seeds
• Add the rest of the spices and stir for 1 minute.
• Add one cup of water / vegetable stock, followed by mung beans, cinnamon sticks, ghee, rice and vegetables.
• Then add the rest of the stock (or water) and 1 tsp of salt.
• Cover the lid and bring the liquid to boil, then reduce to a low heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes. (you may use a pressure cooker which takes less time)
• Check the pot periodically as the rice swells and may stick to the bottom. Add more water if needed
• A soupier consistency, and simmer longer to get a thicker stew.
• Serve with fresh coriander chopped and folded through, a drizzle of fresh lime juice, spoon of coconut
• Coconut yoghurt and salt to taste.

Tsp – teaspoon

Tbsp: table spoon