Kitchari - what is this?  

 Kitchari, traditionally made of yellow mung dal and basmati rice, along with digestive spices and ghee, is used as a cleansing and detoxifying food in Ayurveda. 

As we hear more about grains being an inflammatory and looking for solutions to the digestive problems we are facing today, Ayurvedic ancient wisdom support kitchari’s healing properties.

In Ayurveda digestion is the key to proper health and wellness. If we’re not digesting, assimilating, and eliminating our food properly, disease can set in. 

Kitchari is offered as a way to help our digestive system as well as a much-needed break from having to digest other complex foods. It is a cleansing but not the way the diet culture thinks of it. Instead it allows the digestive system to rest.

Mung dal beans, one of the two main ingredients, are high in protein and carbohydrates, offering satiety and energy. Protein is important for maintaining insulin resistance and steady blood sugar; therefore stable mood. Basmati rice is easy for the body to digest, allowing the system to work with ease. The spice “churna,” or mixture, sparks the agni or digestive fire within us. The ghee (or oil) lubricates and aids to the digestion. You can add seasonal vegetables to the recipe to offer variety and to boost the vitamin and mineral content.

Kitchari travels well—take it with you and Paige often makes a big pot (seen in picture of before and after) and it lasts all week. She will use it as a base for her meals. At breakfast have a bowl of Kitchari and add eggs, potatoes and veggies as you like. For lunch and dinner she may have her bowl and top it with other proteins. Sometimes adding Miso broth is nice with it as well.

Read on for how to make the perfect kitchari, with vegan and gluten-free variations as well as options for all three doshas: vata (air and ether), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (earth and water) from Kripalu:

https://kripalu.org/resources/kripalu-recipe-nourishing-kitchari

Kripalu Recipe: Nourishing Kitchari

From: Kripalu School of Ayurveda

Here’s how to make the perfect kitchari, with vegan and grain-free variations as well as options for all three doshas: kapha (earth and water), pitta (fire and water), and vata (air and ether).

Basic Kitchari Recipe

2 cups yellow mung dal beans
2 tablespoons ghee or organic sesame oil
2 teaspoons each black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds (cinnamon optional in winter)
1 cup white basmati rice
3 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
2–5 cups of chopped, organic, seasonal vegetables such as spinach, carrots, celery, kale, and bok choy (avoid nightshades)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Rinse the mung dal beans and strain them five times, or until the water runs clear. Heat the ghee or oil in a large pot. Add all the seeds and toast until the mustard seeds pop. Add the bay leaves and powdered spices, and mix together.  Stir in the rice and beans. Add eight cups of water, cardamom pods, cloves, and chopped vegetables. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook at least one hour, or until the beans and rice are soft and the kitchari has a porridge-like consistency. Serve warm with fresh cilantro on top, if desired.

Variations

Tweak the recipe according to your dosha, or to make it gluten or dairy free.

Don't know what a Dosha is or what your type is? Look under Resource Tab for more.

Kapha

  • Omit the ghee or oil, and instead soften the spices by cooking in two inches of water before adding the rice and dal.

  • Use quinoa, millet, or amaranth instead of rice.

  • Add about ½ inch of chopped, fresh ginger to the oil when cooking the spices.

  • Add a pinch of cayenne while cooking.

  • Use half the amount of ghee or oil.

  • Best veggies for a kapha variation are leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, and celery.

Pitta

  • Use half the amount of mustard seeds and black pepper, or omit mustard seeds altogether.

  • Replace ghee with coconut oil.

  • Best veggies for a pitta variation are leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini, and carrots.

Vata

  • Use twice the amount of ghee or oil.

  • Add a pinch of cayenne while cooking.

  • Add about ½ inch of chopped fresh ginger to the oil when cooking the spices.

  • Use quinoa instead of rice to increase the protein content.

  • Use double the amount of rice.

  • Best veggies for a vata variation are carrots, zucchini, peas, sweet potatoes, and asparagus.

Vegan

  • Use oil rather than ghee.

Grain-free

  • Omit the rice and instead chop half a head of cauliflower in a food processor until it reaches the consistency of rice. Toast the mixture in a pan, in 1 tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil. Add after the mung dal beans have cooked.

  • Use two cups less water.

Alternative Grains

  • Use quinoa, amaranth, or millet instead of rice.

If you’re new to some of the ingredients in this recipe, ask your local natural grocer to help you locate them. The spices and grains are typically sold in the bulk section and/or prepackaged; the mung dal beans and ghee can usually be found in the International Foods aisle.

For a quicker solution Banyan Botanicals sells a pack online at Amazon that will have the beans, rice, spices and ghee in one box.