Ayurveda, the sister science of Yoga is the art of longevity and vitality. Ayurveda has delicious recipes for the body, mind and spirit. Here’s a first one and an all-time favorite!
Kitchari is pronounced : kich-ah-ree and it has been used to nourish the healthy, sick, babies to the elderly, during detox, cleansing, and deep spiritual practice. This Indian comfort food is a perfect protein and has been around the world for 10,000 years.
For cultures that have been maintaining on a plant-based diet, this combination of rice and beans is often what allowed their diet to be nutritionally sustainable. So warm, comforting and easy to cook, it will become a new favorite in your kitchen especially in the winter time!
If you have these signs, your digestive system is weakened : lack of physical hunger, fatigue after eating, bad breath and body odor, acne and other skin inflammation and irritation, smelly gas and bloating, irregular bowel movements and heavy feeling in the stomach after eating.
Traditional Kitchari contains carbs. If you do not eat carbs because it is inappropriate for you, simply eliminate the grain altogether or add seed-grains like quinoa or amaranth. You can also make the kitchari more soupy and increase the amount of vegetables and decrease the amount of mung/rice (or mung/quinoa).
So why should you eat Kitchari? For these benefits :
1. Easily prepared
2. Easily digested
3. Nutrient rich
4. Complete protein
5. Builds vitality and strength
6. Excellent detox dish
7. Spices bring aroma, flavor and reawakens the digestive fire
8. Cleanses toxins from bodily tissues
9. Restores sagging energy
10. Dish brings the body in a balanced state
Ingredients
Serves 4 people
– 1/2 cup whole or split mung beans
– 1 cup basmati rice
– 6 cups of water
– 1 tbsp of Ghee (clarified butter), coconut or olive oil
– 1 tsp cumin seeds
– 1 tsp coriander seeds
– 1 tbls fresh ginger
– 1/2 tsp fresh garlic
– 2 tsp of turmeric
– 1 small onion chopped
– 1 tsp black pepper
– 1 tsp chopped cilantro leaves
– Himalayan salt to taste
– Vegetables if desired, for example : 2 medium sweet potatoes to add a sweet taste!
Instructions
1. Rinse rice and mung beans until water is clear.
2. In a heavy bottom soup pot, add rice, mung beans and water ; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue for about 40 minutes or until beans and rice are cooked.
3. In a separate pan, heat the oil. Add spices and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds or until aroma is let off.
4. Add spice mixture to rice and mung beans. Add salt. Stir well.
5. Serve and sprinkle each bowl with fresh cilantro leaves.
