Kitchari
As the summer season begins to wind down, (but not the heat!) it’s a great idea to offer our body a nourishing as well as detoxifying dish.
Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic dish which has been relied upon for centuries to calm, cleanse, heal, and nourish the digestive system, and revitalize and restore the body.
Ayurveda is the ancient art and science of living in balance in the body with the seasons and the earth, and is native to India.
Kitchari is wonderful for after breaking a fast, or if you’ve been ill, or feeling a little under the weather. It tastes wonderful for breakfast as well. It is a very forgiving dish, and is open to additions, subtractions, and substitutions to make it uniquely your own.
Our recipe comes from Megan’s kitchen this month, with a bent towards the traditional.
· ½ cup white basmati rice
· cup mung dal
· 1 Tbs clarified butter (ghee)
· 2 tsp cumin seeds
· 1/8 tsp hing (found on Amazon or substitute with ¼ cup finely chopped white onion and 1 minced garlic clove)
· 1 tsp turmeric powder
· 1 tsp coriander powder
· 1 ¼ tsp salt
· 1 tsp finely grated ginger
· 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
· ½ cup shredded carrots
· 3 ½ cups water
For serving
· 2 Tbs hot ghee
Wash and soak rice and mung dal in 3 cups of water for at least 15 minutes. Drain the water and set aside.
In a large frying pan heat the clarified butter with the lid on. When the butter is moderately hot, add cumin seeds and hing (or substitution). Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add all other ingredients (minus the water) and stir. Add ½ cup of water and stir again.
Close the lid, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the lid. Kitchari should be soft and a little runny like dough. Add water slowly and continue to cook until the kitchari has the consistency of porridge.
Pour ghee over top and serve.
