Kichari
This recipe includes options to balance your Doshas. For instance, coming into Fall which is the Vata season, even though I’m Pitta Predominant, I’m in the Vata stage of life AND it’s getting cold and windy, these seasonal changes that may throw my Vata Dosha out of Balance. So today I’ll opt for a Vata Pacifying. During the heat of summer, I’d likely opt for more Pitta Pacifying options.
Kitchari is typically a “tridoshic” meal, in that it balances all Dosha’s. But! you can customize it to be more beneficial for particular imbalances. Kitchari will support the tissues, detoxify the body and purify the digestive system! You can do a short 1-4 day “mono-cleanse”, where you only eat Kitchari for all three meals daily. A great way to re-set the system. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup/200g yellow mung dal
½ cup/100g white basmati rice
2 tbs ghee (or coconut oil)
4 cardamom pods, cracked or ½-1 tsp. ground cardamom
5 cups of water or more
2–5 cups of chopped seasonal veggies’ (see Dosha-specific ideas below)
½ -1 tsp. Black pepper
1 tsp. each Ground coriander, cumin and ginger
1 tsp. Fennel seeds and 2 tsp. cumin seeds 2 tsp. Black mustard seeds
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt or to taste (added at the end)
2 tsp. dried Turmeric powder OR 4 tsp. finely grated fresh
METHOD
Rinse the mung dal and rice until the water runs clear. For Vata Dosha, you can soak the rice and mung dal for up to overnight.
Measure out all of the spices into a cup.
Heat the ghee or oil in a One Pot or Pressure cooker OR into a large pot. Add all of the spices and sauté together on a medium heat for a minute until fragrant. Don’t leave them and multitask, it’s easy to burn them, which is NOT healthy or tasty. The pressure cooker will speed things up and create a more digestible outcome.
Stir in the mung dal and rice. Add 5-6 cups of water and any chopped vegetables and stir well. Put on lid of the One Pot and set to soup or chili setting. OR if cooking on the stove, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, lid on.
If cooking on the stove top, cook for at least 40 minutes (longer if using whole green mung beans), or until the dal and rice are completely soft (easily squashed between finger and thumb), the kitchari has a porridge-like consistency and the ghee has risen to the top, adding more water if necessary. Adjust the seasoning and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if you like.
TIPS
You can use less or no black pepper and cardamom if serving to “wimps” or children.
Mung dal* - 'mung' is the type of lentil and 'dal' means split. These small split yellow lentils should not to be confused with yellow split lentils or yellow split peas which are something different. It's extremely nourishing and the most easily digested when well cooked with spices. If you cannot source the split you can opt for the whole green (recognisable by their green jackets) which can be found in most supermarkets. If using these make sure to soak overnight, rinse and drain before cooking. Basmati rice** - white is the golden grain of Ayurveda. Brown basmati rice has a higher nutritional value but is not as easy to digest - if using, be sure to soak overnight, rinse well and overcook.
Ghee - an Ayurvedic panacia, organic ghee can be found in most health food shops or even better, make your own (recipe can be found here). For vegans sub with coconut oil.
Use ½ inch of chopped, fresh ginger instead of ground ginger and add 1tsp of cinnamon in winter.
Doshic VARIATIONS
To reduce or pacify VATA Dosha - Air and Either
Use twice the amount of ghee.
Try quinoa instead of rice or homemade bone broth instead of water to increase the protein content.
Use double the amount of rice.
Choose carrots, zucchini, peas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and asparagus.
To reduce or pacify PITTA Dosha - Fire and Water
Omit the mustard seeds and fresh ginger and halve the black pepper.
Use coconut oil rather than ghee.
Enjoy with plenty of chopped fresh coriander.
Choose leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zuccini and carrots.
To reduce or pacify KAPHA Dosha - Earth and Water
Reduce the ghee or skip altogether and throw the spices into the pot with the dal and rice.
Try quinoa, millet, or amaranth instead of rice. You can also emit altogether and use “cauliflower rice” instead. Blitz ½ a head of cauliflower in the food processor and add with the vegetables.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Choose leafy greens, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, and celery.
adapted from food blogger - with thanks: Jasmine Hemsley