Heart warming Kitchari

Kitchari and more Kitchari…

The very first time I did a cleanse was in India, during my time in my favorite place in Nashik, while living and studying in an Ashram. We did a full body cleanse that included certain movements and breath work and… then for 3 days breakfast, lunch and dinner and anytime we felt hungry we had Kitchari, and only kitchari. And not to mix up with the fancy versions you see here in the West, we had the simple traditional Kitchari.
It was a challenging idea at first but I fell in love with it right away and couldn’t get enough of it :) plus my body was feeling amazing and rejuvenated. Now you don’t need to go for a cleanse to eat Kitchari. It’s such a hearty loving food that you can make it anytime, but especially when your stomach has been unwell or you just feel that you need to take a break from heavy challenging food, then Kitchari is your best friend.
Here’s a simple quick recipe courtesy of "yoga point", my beautiful Ashram.

YOU NEED:
1 cup rice
½ cup Mung dal
3 cups water approximately – the amount will vary depending on if you want it soupy or more dry.
Any spices to taste - Pinch turmeric, ¼ tsp cumin seeds, pinch asafoetida, ¼ tsp coriander powder & salt to taste

YOU DO:
- Mix dal and rice and wash it 2-3 times prior to cooking.
- Place water, rice and dal in the pressure cooker or in a pot with a lid.
- Add any spices and salt.
- Cover and bring to boil and simmer until both the dal and rice are cooked. It should take about 15-20 minutes from boiling but will vary depending on how soft you want the rice to be.
- Serve with a spoonful of ghee (the original version) or Coconut oil/ Olive oil for the vegan version.
* Other lentils can be used (though not as easily digestible), other grains can be used as well, such as millet, cracked wheat etc... Experiment!

Get cooking and let me know in the comment below, how you like it. I truly hope you’ll enjoy this healing food as much as I do.

Love,
Nousha