Kitchari
One of my favorite gems of Ayurveda is… KITCHARI!
Kitchari is a whole meal made of split mung beans, basmathi rice, spices, vegetables, and ghee, that has been recommended for centuries in India by Ayurvedic practitioners as a way to nourish the body and spirit, reset a troubled digestive system, and build up vitality in a weak or sick patient. This recipe calls for ghee, or clarified butter. You will find some information and a recipe to make your own ghee here. If you don’t eat dairy you can use coconut oil instead (but do read about how ghee, or clarified butter, may be an option even if you generally have trouble digesting milk products.)
Simple Kitchari Recipe (about 4 servings)
Day before: Soak 1/2 cup split yellow mung beans overnight.
In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine:
1 tablespoon of ghee
The mung beans (soaked, drained and rinsed)
Spices: If you don’t have all of these, try using what you do have: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 inch grated fresh ginger root (or 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger), 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds and 1/4 teaspoon aesofoetida (both optional)
OR instead use 2 teaspoons Spice Mix by Banyan Botanicals (or make your own with my recipe below)
1 tsp salt
1-2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash, golden beets, tomatoes, bok choy, green beans, kale, spinach* Note: It’s best to add the vegetables according to how long it takes for them to cook. Add sweet potatoes and carrots after the mung beans have been cooking for about 10 minutes, for example, add green beans after 15 minutes, add spinach towards the very end of cooking.
5 cups water (or enough to cover all ingredients with an inch to spare)
Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
After simmering for 25 minutes, add 1/2 cup RINSED white basmati rice and simmer, covered, for 15 more minutes or until mung beans are soft and rice is cooked.
If you like it more soupy, add a bit more water and cook longer.
Serve and GARNISH with ghee, fresh chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. These are key to yumminess!
My favorite additional options:
Substitute a can of coconut milk for some of the water to make it extra creamy! *Not recommended in cases of excess kapha or during a cleanse
Avocado as a garnish
Stir in a dollop of plain whole milk yoghurt or sour cream when serving (makes it nice and creamy!)
Sautee your favorite mushrooms in ghee or oil while mung beans are cooking and add in towards end of cooking.
Tip: If reheating the next day: add some water! Ayurveda doesn’t recommend eating leftovers because the food loses its prana (life force energy), but I believe next day is A OK!
InstantPot Kitchari Version!!
Turn the Sautee option on and add ghee or coconut oil. Once it’s hot, press Cancel, add the spices and stir for a minute. Then add 4 cups water, the soaked split mung beans, rice, and veggies. Set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes before manually releasing pressure. Serve with the garnishes.
Make Your Own Kitchari Spice Mix
If you like it and want to make meal prep simpler, mix up a batch of this Kitchari Spice Mix to simplify for future recipes!
Makes enough for 25 kitchari recipes (recipe using 1/2 cup each mung beans and rice)
Mix the following:
5 Tablespoons ground turmeric
5 Tablespoons ground cumin
5 Tablespoons ground Ginger
2.5 Tablespoons Fenugreek seeds
2.5 Tablespoons ground Cardamom
1.5 Tablespoons Asaefoetida
Use about 2 Teaspoons of this mix in above recipe