Kitchari

Delicious belly-warming classic Ayurvedic one pot dish especially for the convenient for the winter. This recipe can be used any time of the year. Just switch out out the veggies to suit your Dosha or use what’s in season.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup split yellow mung beans
1/4 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (leave out for Pitta)
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon of asafetida (hing)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
1 bay leaf
4 cups water
1 handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Rinse the mung beans and rice under running water until the water runs clear.
Put the mung beans and rice in a large pot with water and bay leaf. Put on high heat. As the beans start to boil, skim off the foam from the top of the pot and discard. Turn down to a medium high heat. In a smaller pot or saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and toast until the mustard seeds pop. Add the ginger and the rest of the spices and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring. Then, add the spice blend to the pot with the rice and beans. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the beans and rice are soft, but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with chopped cilantro, a sqeeze of lemon and ghee on top.

When to add your veggies: add root vegetables in the beginning; other vegetetables such as zucchinis in the middle of cooking; green leafy vegetables at the end of cooking, after turning off heat.

Enjoy!