Kitchari: A Dish for Every Body

Kitchari: A Dish for Every Body
Authored by Matthew Mitlas

According to the holistic Indian science of health and preventative medicine called Ayurveda, spring time is a time to cleanse the body. To do so in Ayurveda, it is advocated to eat a very popular dish called Kitchari. Kitchari is a very common dish consisting of basmati rice and mung beans and several digestive spices. A vegan dish, Kitchari is packed with protein. The mung beans in Kitchari have been used for thousands of years as potent blood purifyers. In addition, the spices in this dish, and in most Indian cooking, make the difference between a flavorful and bland dish and they give power to the digestive system to assimilate and absorb the nutrients of the food eaten.
Kitchari is a dish for every body. In Ayurveda, it is considered Tri-Doshic- it balances out the elements in the body, bringing us back to a somewhat neutral state. Kitchari is a one-pot dish. It is simmered in a pot as it cooks which allows all of the ingredients to assimilate with each other before they enter the body. This makes digestion easier for the body. When there is less energy put into the digestive process, we feel better and can devote energy to different things. In essence, Kitchari is letting the digestive system take a break. Many people choose to eat only this dish three times a day for one to five days to further its healing powers. To learn about the qualities that take place in your own body and how you can modify this dish further to balance them, visit http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/ and read our basic introduction to Ayurveda on our blog HERE. 
Kitchari can be paralleled in the west to Grandma’s Chicken Soup. It is delicious, comforting, warming, and there are endless variations you can make to fit your personal tastes. Below is a basic Kitchari recipe from Banyan Botanicals. For a more savory dish, add carrots and celery. For pep in your step, add some cayenne pepper! Play with the ingredients to suit your own tastes and enjoy!

Ingredients 
1 cup white basmati rice 
½ cup organic yellow split mung dal or whole green mung beans 
6 cups of water 
2 cups vegetables such as zucchini, green beans or leafy greens like kale or collards 
1 T ghee 
½ small onion, chopped 
½ teaspoon of black mustard seeds 
1 teaspoon cumin seeds 
1½ teaspoon coriander seeds 
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 
2 teaspoons of sea salt 
½ teaspoon of turmeric 
1½ teaspoon of oregano 
3 bay leaves 
1 stick of kombu (seaweed – you can substitute a little wakame – one “leaf” per pot of soup)

Wash rice and mung dal and soak for three hours or overnight. Drain soak water. Cut vegetables in your favorite way. In a saucepan, warm the ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they are transparent. Add the black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and ginger, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add rice and mung beans and sauté for another couple of minutes. Then add the green beans and zucchini, if using them. Stir for a minute. Then add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the kitchari has come to a boil, add the salt, turmeric, oregano, bay leaves, seaweed, and leafy greens, if using, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until everything is tender (approx. 30-45 minutes). If you need to add more water to prevent scorching, please do so. The consistency should be that of a vegetable stew as opposed to a broth. Garnish with fresh cilantro and add salt to taste. You may add a little chutney to make it tastier.

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