Kitchari is a well known dish in the Ayurvedic tradition that is nourishing as well as easy to digest. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sometimes it is a cleanse unto itself, where only kitchari is eaten for a set period of time.
There are a lot of spices in this dish, and I would recommend getting them all. Cooking with Indian spices is a great way to eat legumes and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Basmati Rice, Soaked Overnight
- 1 cup Mung Dal (split yellow), Soaked Overnight
- 6 cups (approx.) Water
- 1/2 to 1 inch Ginger Root, chopped or grated
- a bit of Sea Salt (1/4 tsp. or so)
- 2 tsp. Ghee (Red Palm Oil or Fat skimmed from Bone Broth)
- 1/2 tsp. Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Whole Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp. Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
- Handful Fresh Cilantro Leaves
- 1 and 1/2 cups Assorted Vegetables (optional)
Directions
Add the 6 cups of water to the rice and dal and cook covered until it becomes soft, about 20 minutes.
While that is cooking, prepare your choice of vegetables. Cut them into smallish pieces. Add the vegetables to the cooked rice and dal mixture and cook 10 minutes longer.
In a separate saucepan, sauté the seeds in the oil/fat until they pop. Then add the other spices. Stir together to release the flavors. Stir the sautéed spices into the cooked dal, rice, and vegetable mixture. Add the mineral salt and chopped fresh cilantro and serve.
Website Credit: http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resource/kitchari_recipe.html