Your Basic Kitchari

A basic Recipe for Kitchari! I love this dish, this is my go to when I am need of major balance, especially if I have not been able to cook as much as usual. I usually make a variation of this dish a couple times a week. The combination of rice, lentils and ghee provides carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium so you have everything you need. It is a tridoshic meal that supports the body with simplicity. An excellent dish to use when digestive issues have risen. This dish can be switched with different spices, grain, vegetables and oil to balance your individual dosha imbalance, but this is of course, a basic recipe.

½ cup Basmati Rice

½ cup Split Yellow Mung Beans

1 tbsp Ghee or Coconut Oil

¼ tsp Cumin seeds

¼ tsp Coriander seeds

¼ tsp fennel seeds

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

¼ tsp sea salt or pink himalayan salt

1 carrot chopped

1 cup leafy greens of choice

1 cup sweet potato chopped

¼ cup chopped cilantro

3 cups broth or water

Rinse beans and rice together in a bowl until the water is clear and put aside. In a medium saucepan with the heat at medium, place ghee, cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard and black pepper in the pan and toast the spices until the aroma comes through. Mustard seeds are jumpy little buggers so I recommend placing a lid over the pan just for a minute or two. Be careful not to burn the spices. Add carrot and sweet potato, let the spices and oil mix in. Add turmeric and half of the cilantro, stir. Add sea salt, leafy greens and broth, stir and let come to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and let it go for 30 to 40 minutes. Checking to the consistency that you like. I am a huge fan of mine being more mushy than separate so add more liquid if necessary. Finish with the rest of the cilantro. Sit down, away from distractions and enjoy!!!

Feel free to add the vegetables that help you balance, here are a couple suggestions:

For Vata imbalance, you can skip on the leafy greens and add ginger and cinnamon

For Kapha imbalance, keep greens while adding ginger, garlic and cinnamon, maybe clove

For Pitta imbalance, add coconut and fresh fennel, use coconut oil

I love using a pressure cooker or instant pot for this! It definitely reduces the time, do all of the preparation and saute to begin, when ready to let boil, set the cooker pressure cooker to 15 minutes and then depressurize!