Ayurvedic Kitchari recipe

Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic dish that is so nourishing and very simple to make. It is easy to digest and often used in Ayurveda when doing a cleanse or gut reset. It can be eaten at any time of the day and even daily. Kitchari is tridoshic which means it helps to balance all three doshas.

Because it is so easy to digest, it helps to kindle the agni (digestive fire) and gives the digestive organs a break from the harder foods to digest. In Ayurveda, fasting is not often advised unless there is a particular reason when somebody really needs it. In general, Ayurveda suggests to never suppress natural urges of the body, (eg hunger) so instead to have something light, nutritious and easy on digestion. Therefore kitchari is one of the most common foods used and it actually helps to strengthen the digestive fire. 

Kitchari can also be cooked with additional vegetables and spices, but when doing it for a cleanse, I like to keep it as simple as possible. It is very tasty, soft, smooth and nourishing. I often describe it as a blanket for the stomach, because it’s like a comfort food. It feels so soothing to the stomach. Kitchari helps to satisfy the hunger, but has a light feeling for the stomach so there is no heaviness or bloating usually.

It’s also really important to eat mindfully, take your time and savour each spoonful. Bloating and digestion discomfort can sometimes be experienced if we eat too fast, don’t chew the food properly or breathe irregularly when eating. So it’s useful first to take some deep breaths before eating, bless the food, send gratitude for the nourishment and then start eating. Ayurveda advises to always be calm and centred when eating and avoid eating in a rush or when feeling very stressed or worried.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Basmati rice (soak for about 10 minutes before and wash it well)

1/2 cup mung dal (wash/rinse well)

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

Fresh ginger (grated)

1 tbsp Turmeric

1/2 tbsp pepper

Olive oil (or ghee if you are not vegan)

Preparation:

1. In a pan heat up the oil or ghee and add the spices. Cook them together for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the Basmati rice and the mung dal.
3. Add hot water and salt. (You will need to add plenty of water so that it can cook well).
4. Stir everything well together and cook for about 45-50minutes. Make sure that the rice and mung dal are cooked well. The dish should be like a porridge/soft and mushy like result.