Here’s another wonderful recipe you can use to spice up your life and your palette!
Kitchari is a staple in Ayurvedic cooking/medicine. Aside from being a highly nutritional and inflammation reducing food, traditionally kitchari is used during fasting to balance constitutional tendencies. It is soothing to the body and spirit. There are many variations and additions for support in balancing specific constitutions. This is a standard, basic recipe for delicious kitchari!
Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice/ Brown Basmati Rice
1 cup Mug Dal (split yellow)
4 cups water (or more – consistency preference)
2 tsp. Ghee
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1tsp. cumin seeds (whole)
1 tsp. turmeric (powder)
1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) – can purchase at Indian grocery – useful for eliminating gas-creating quality of beans.
1 pinch sea salt
Directions:
Begin by melting ghee in a large pan or pot (that can hold at least 6 cups liquid) over medium heat.
Add mustard seeds and allow to heat up until popping.
Once popping, add cumin seeds and turmeric. Stir and allow to cook until aromatic (1-2 minutes)
Add rice and mung dal and stir, coating with oil and spice mixture.
Add water and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, turn down heat to low, stir in Asafoetida and salt and cover tightly with lid. Cook covered for about 20 minutes or until soft. Check occasionally and add water if necessary. Try not to uncover for too long while checking.
+Optional – for more vitamins and minerals, add seasonal vegetables (1 – 1.5 cups, chopped) to rice/bean pot after about 10 minutes of simmering.
Take off heat when desired consistency is achieved.
Add salt/pepper to taste.
Enjoy a hearty and nutritional meal!