Kitchari: A staple in everybody's kitchen

Kitchari is great if you're feeling sluggish, emotionally unsettled, have weak digestion and gas, stomach discomfort, acidity, ulcers, when you may be cleansing, for those lazy nights when you're uninspired, or even when you're feeling healthy and strong.

You may add vegetables to your dish, however, if you want the medicinal benefits of kitchari it is best taken by itself with medium grain rice.

NOTES:
Balanced state: an equal ratio of moong and rice.

Inflammation in the gut - 2 parts rice - to 1 part yellow moong

If constipation or exhausted - 2 parts yellow moong - to 1 part rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of split yellow moong dal

• 1/2 cup of white rice 

• 6 cups (approx) water ( feel free to add bone broth here also)

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• pinch of black pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2-1 lemon (juice)

• fresh coriander to taste | garnish

 

Tadka (spice tempering)

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• 1/2 cup leek chopped fine  |  40gram

• 1 tablespoon grated ginger root

• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

• 1/4 teaspoon ajwain seeds

• 5 fresh curry leaves

• pinch of asfafoetida/hing

• Optional garlic or onion

 

Method                                    

1. Soak the moong and rice for 1-2 hours. After soaking rinse the grains until water is clear.

    

2. In a medium saucepan add the rinsed grains with 6 cups of water and bring to boil (if there is any white foam that arises, continue to scrap off).  Once it has reached boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer slowly for 30-35 minutes until it is creamy in texture and dal has cooked well through.

    

3. Once kitchari has cooked, remove from the heat and add in all the powder spices, turmeric, pepper, salt, and lemon. Stir well and set aside. 

    

4. Heat the ghee in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they start to pop. Add in the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ajwain, and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the leek, ginger, and hing sauté until slightly golden. Add in the curry leaves, wait for them to pop. Add the tadka to the kitchari and stir well. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with another spoon of ghee, fresh coriander and black salt

In order to provide the best quality of energy to your body, Kitchari should be made the day that you wish to eat it and served hot.

Why Is Kitchari So Good For Me?

 

WHAT MAKES KITCHARI SO NOURISHING AND HEALING?

 The term Kitchari is used to describe any dish made with a mixture of rice and beans. Kitchari is often referred to as the Indian comfort food and is fast becoming the Western idea of comfort food.

 

WHY WHITE RICE YOU MAY ASK?

During a cleanse the metabolism slows down and the digestive strength weakens, so any food eaten must be very easy to digest.

White rice is used for When your body is going through any stress or during cleansing especially, this can irritate the intestinal wall and cause digestive gas or abdominal pain.kitchari because the husk has been milled off to make the rice easier to digest. Brown rice does have more nutrients, however, the husk makes brown rice much harder to digest. 

 

WHY IS SPLIT YELLOW MOONG DAHL SO IMPORTANT?

 Split yellow moong beans are the one type of beans or lentil that will not produce gas. These are the only legumes that are classified as “movemebt balancing” in Indian medicine. 

 Split yellow moong beans also have their husk removed naturally. Once they become split, the husk, which is hard to digest and gas-producing, naturally falls away making it very easy to cook and digest.

A great addition to sip though the day is CCF tea