Summer Kitchari

Kitchari is a simple Ayurvedic dish used for cleanses but can also be added into your meal mix to bring balance into your diet. All together, prep and cook time is just around an hour, with minimal dishes and a one pot meal makes this an easy recipe during the busy summer season.

Kitchari is traditionally made from a combination of mung dal and rice (a pairing that brings nourishment from the rice as well as detoxification from the mung dal), as well as particular spices and vegetables to compliment your individual constitution as well as the season.

Below I have included a Kitchari Recipe which highlights cooling spices such as Coriander and Fennel along with vegetables such as Spinach and Carrot which help to cool down that extra heat we build up in the summer. Optional add-ins include: Radish greens, Dandelion greens, Burdock root.

Kitchari can be made with more water as a soup or drier as a rice. My recipe falls somewhere in the middle. If you are suffering dehydration, add extra water!

Feel free to make it your own and add what vegetables and spices you have around, favor what is local and in season.

Summer Kitchari Recipe

*Recipe makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2/3cup Basmati or Jasmine Rice
1/3cup Mung Dal (prefer yellow or green)

**2cup Water, Vegetable or Bone broth

2tbs Ghee (Coconut oil or Butter as substitute)
2tsp Fennel
2tsp Coriander
1tbs Ginger root
1 stick Kombu Seaweed
Pepper
Parsley or Cilantro

1/2cup Carrots
1 handful Spinach (or other dark, leafy green)

*Option to add Coconut milk if you live somewhere particularly hot.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse and soak rice and mung dal together overnight or at least 5 hours.
   *this helps break down the starches and proteins to allow for easier absorption
2. Heat oil (Coconut, Butter, Ghee) in wide pan or pot.
3. Add whole spices fennel, coriander, grated ginger along with carrots until fragrant (~5min).
   *Favor whole spices to add and saute, if you only have powdered start with less and wait until you add the water, step 5.
4. Drain water and add rice and mung dal to pan. Let saute a few minutes (~3min).
5. Add liquid, leafy greens (any powdered spices), Seaweed Kombu, Parsley or Cilantro and bring to a boil.
6. Return pan to simmer for ~30-45 minutes, or until the rice and vegetables are soft.
7. Turn the heat off, and let sit ~5min for the flavors to absorb.
8. Serve alone, on a salad, or with Naan bread and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments!