Kitchari: The Essential & Delicious Ayurvedic Dish

Beyond all other Indian meals, there is one considered to facilitate spiritual growth and effectively detox the body.

Kitchari, properly pronounced Kich-ah-ree, is a Hindi name and has long been used to nourish babies and the elderly, the sick, and the healthy during special times of detox, cleansing, and deep spiritual practice.

A simple porridge-like blend of lentils, rice and spices, Kitchari is a comfort and health food that has many nourishing and cleansing benefits. Everyone should eat Kitchari at least a couple to a few times a week to reset digestion and nourish their body and mind.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp of ghee (inferior is coconut oil)

• 1/2 cup of split yellow mung dahl

• 1/2 cup of white rice or red rice

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• 5 Tbsp freshly grated ginger (to taste)

• 1tsp turmeric powder

• pinch of black pepper.

• 2-3 pinches of hing (asafoetida) (optional) - from Indian grocers

• 10 curry leaves

• 1 heaped tsp salt

• 1 whole onion (finely chopped) (optional)

• 1-3 garlic cloves (finely chopped) (optional)

• 4-8 cups of water (can be adjusted according to how long you soak for and desired consistency).

Method:

1. Wash mung and rice then Soak for 1-2 hours in water.

2. Strain mung & rice, add (approx. 8 cups of water) in a pot and cook. You may need to add more water as you go.

3. In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, add ghee on medium heat. Do this when the mung+ rice is nearly finished being cooked (after approximately 5-10 mins. This depends on heat and how long you soaked the dal and rice).

4. Sauté cumin, fennel, curry leaves, fresh ginger and any other herbs (not powdered herbs) in ghee until the seeds start to pop.

5. Add onion & garlic (chopped finely) and cook until slightly golden.

6. Add your "final spices" to the pan - turmeric + pinch of black pepper + salt + hing (asafoetida) and fry for less than thirty seconds.

7. Add pan-fried herbs to dahl and rice and mix well, infusing the spices in the dahl and rice.

8. Cook and continue to stir for a little while. You may need to add more water in for your desired texture.

9. Garnish with fresh lemon, black salt (from Prana Ayurveda Co) and fresh coriander.

Why White Rice?

White Rice is easier to digest because the husk has been milled off. While brown rice supplies more nutrients, the husk makes brown rice a little harder to digest. During cleansing, it is important to be gentle on an already compromised digestion. Generally brown rice is also ok. Red Rice is the best choice because it is most easily digested and is high in B12.

Why Split Yellow Mung Beans?

These are the only legumes that are 'vata balancing.' This means that, unlike every other type of beans or lentils, they will not produce any intestinal gas. They naturally are much easier to cook, digest, and assimilate.

Complete and Perfect Protein:

The combination of rice and legumes has been a staple around the world for thousands of years, and for a good reason. All the essential amino acids that we need are provided by both of these together, making it a complete protein. Generally, when you mix grains and legumes/lentils, you get complete protein.

Contraindications:

• Diarrhoea or inflammation in the gut: Use 2 parts rice, 1 part yellow mung

• If feeling depleted or constipated: 2 parts yellow mung, 1 part rice

• If you're in a balanced state: make an equal ratio of mung and rice

• If having kitchari for dinner, best to not eat anything afterward like dessert or any milky drinks so you get the full medicinal effect of the kitchari

• You can also add steamed vegetables or lean meat (when not cleansing) or for extra blood sugar support during a cleanse... although this isn’t real kitchari

Kitchari for Cleansing

During a cleanse, it is essential to have adequate protein to keep the blood sugar stable and the body burning fat. One of the most common reasons people have trouble with cleansing is due to unstable blood sugars made worse by the detox process. Look at a liquid fast for example, people are asked to drink only water, fruit or veggie juices. For many, this type of fasting can be a strain on the body and deplete blood sugar reserves. People tend to get really hungry, irritable, and end up with a low blood sugar headache or worse, crash completely. The body cannot shift to fat metabolism and detox function if its under stress and strain as a result of an ineffective and difficult fast.

Make Kitchari when you are sick, when you are sad, when you are cleansing, for your kids or a loved one when they are not feeling 100%, when you can’t be bothered to cook, when you are not fully grounded from traveling, when you need to regain your strength, or when you are feeling on top of the world!

You’ll be surprised how warming and comforting it is, and soon it’ll be the food you most crave!

Anji Fullwood