Kitchari is a simple meal made up of basmati rice, mung dal, and an array of spices. Some of the spices include turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, asafetida, and more depending on what imbalances you are presenting with. The spices in this dish are warming and promote direct improvements in increasing digestive fire and mobility. The combination of basmati rice and the mung dal create a balanced meal with enough protein that is easily digested.. Some of the other many benefits include:
· Improve digestion and metabolic function.
· Promote regular and balanced elimination.
· Support the maintenance of a healthy body weight.
· Nurture an improved sense of energy, vitality, and enthusiasm for life.
· Foster clarity and groundedness in the mental, spiritual, and emotional spheres.
· Encourage a balanced sleep cycle.
· Promote improved overall health.
This easy to make nourishing dish is a go-to in my house when we fall off track a little bit and want to simply give our digestive system a break. We recently had Thanksgiving where we ate beautiful indulgent meals, including a bunch of pies J, which left us feeling sluggish on Sunday when coming home and preparing for the week ahead. I whipped up a big pot for my husband and I to share over the next few days. We felt nourished, grounded, and less sluggish compared to the week before.
A kitchari cleanse is a style of mono-diet where you give your body and digestion a break from consuming a diverse array of foods. You eat the kitchari essentially for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for as long as you would like—along with doses of ghee and cilantro. Unlike other cleanses or detoxes Kitchari leaves your feeling nourished rather then famished. Juice cleanses and restricted diets that limit calories can leave us feeling hungry, irritable, ungrounded, and uneasy. Eating Kitchari is totally different.
Here is a simple recipe below. Feel free to modify the added vegetables to anything that is seasonal and local. Enjoy!
*** Start by soaking the rice and mung beans overnight.
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup mung beans
6 cups water
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger root
1 Tbsp ghee (for vegans use coconut oil)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 pinch asafoetida (Hing)*
Handful fresh cilantro leaves
2 cup assorted vegetables (optional)- I love celery, carrot, squash, and potatoes
A few generous pinches of high quality sea salt
PROCESS | After soaking the mung beans and rice, rinse both in a strainer until the water comes out clean, then set aside.
Cut up all the veggies in even uniform. Heat a large pot, add ghee, and then slowly add the cut up vegetables. Let the veggies get tender and then add all the spices. Once the veggies are coated in the spices add the rice and beans and stir until well combined. Add the water and let the pot come to a boil and then lower down to simmer for about 40 minutes.
Once done make a bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro.