This delicious and easily digested dish makes an excellent food option for individuals seeking a nutritious meal to aid in recovery from illness, boost overall strength, and support general well-being. Whenever you’re seeking a culinary pick-me-up or an opportunity to nourish both body and soul, kitchari emerges as a thoughtful and revitalizing option for oneself and others.
Kitchari [Vegan]
Mung beans, split yellow mung lentils, and basmati rice?
- 1 cup white basmati rice, brown rice, or cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cups yellow mung dal beans
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon each of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and fenugreek seeds
- 6 cups of water
- One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced.
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves optional
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt or a pinch of sea salt
- pinch ground black pepper
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Up to 5 cups of finely chopped organic, seasonally available vegetables including spinach, carrots, green peas, celery, kale, and bok choy, with a focus on excluding nightshade varieties.
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional
How to Prepare Kitchari [Vegan]
- Rinse the rice and mung dal beans thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer, continuing to wash until the water remains crystal clear. Set aside.
- Heat a substantial pot over medium-high flames until the oil dissolves into its liquid form. Stirring constantly, toast the mixture of seeds for approximately one minute, or until the mustard seeds have popped. Add the rice and beans. Continue cooking and stirring for an additional minute. Combine the water, ginger, cardamom pods, bay leaves, cloves, turmeric, salt, and pepper, allowing their aromas to meld together harmoniously. Then, add the chopped vegetables, carefully incorporating them into the flavorful liquid. Simmer vigorously until desired consistency is reached.
- Let the kitchari simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the beans and rice have broken down into a creamy, porridge-like consistency.
- Discard the bay leaf, cardamom pods, and cloves. Serve warm, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, if you like?
