Kitchari

When you or your digestion need a chance to take a break due to illness, stress, and or over-indulging in food or other activities use this simple recipe to make a simple, nourishing and easy to digest meal..

Kitchari is a dish made from rice and mung beans that is a complete protein and easily digestible.  At times after over-indulgent foods, with illness, or stress, kitchari can be easily prepared and consumed for healing and is quite satisfying, giving the digestive system a chance to rest and clean up.

Kitchari can be eaten for one meal or all meals for consecutive days or weeks to help the body reduce build up accumulated over a period of time and return to balance.

Below find both stovetop and a super-easy portable rice cooker method I use quite regularly at work. 

Ingredients:

1 c basmati rice

1 c dry mung beans or 2 fully sprouted mung beans

1 tsp each: cumin, black mustard, fenugreek seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 inch ginger minced

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter) or butter

2 bay leaves

2 cloves (whole) or pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of hing or asofetida (optional if available)

Large handful chopped cilantro (fresh)

Juice 1/4 lemon

Salt to taste

Vegetables** think beets, carrots, or greens

Stovetop:

Soak* rice and mung beans with hing/asofetida (aids in digestibility) 6-8 hours or overnight.

Melt ghee, add seeds, cloves, and ginger, sauté a few minutes until seeds release fragrance and the mustard seed pop.  Add rice and sauté for a few minutes.  Add mung beans, bay leaves, and enough water to cover the mixture by 1/4 inch.  Bring to a boil and then simmer covered on low heat until the rice and beans are cooked.  You may need to add a little bit more water if the mixture is not soft and water has evaporated.

Rice cooker:

Soak* rice and mung beans with hing/asofetida (aids in digestibility) 3-4 hours or overnight.

Place rice, mung beans, seeds, cloves, ghee, ginger, and bay leaves in the rice cooker.  Cover with water and cook according to the rice cooker directions.

*Soaking releases the natural enzyme inhibitors of the rice and beans and initiates the sprouting process making them much more digestible.  For either cooking method:

**Vegetables can be added towards the end of cooking to soften. 

Root vegetables need more time. 

Greens need only a few minutes. 

Salt to taste. 

Serve with chopped cilantro and juice of lemon or lime squeezed over top. 

Enjoy!