Kitchari
Ayurveda speaks a lot about how the food we eat affects our ability to digest food, and by extension, how we digest life. Tending to our agni, or digestive fire, is central to maintaining good health. In fact, Ayurveda flips the common phrase ‘you are what you eat’ on its head and states ‘you are what you digest’. It’s all well and good to smash a big kale salad, but if your agni is weak and unable to digest it, it ends up causing more harm than good. Instead of loading up on ‘healthy’ but hard-to-digest foods, we nourish and stoke the fire of our digestion with fresh, cooked and warm foods.
One of the simplest and most delicious ways to do this is with kitchari. Kitchari is like a warm hug – nourishing, satisfying and comforting. It’s a blend of split yellow mung beans (not split peas, they are different!) and rice simmered down with spices and ghee. It is perfect if your digestion feels a little sluggish, if you’ve been unwell, or you simply want a quick one-pot dinner everyone can get around.
It’s also incredibly versatile, and the flavours don’t need to be ‘Indian’ - I’ve made many delicious bowls of kitchari using Japanese and Italian flavour profiles.
Serves 2
You’ll need
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 cup split yellow mung dhal
1/2 cup basmati rice
8 cups water
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon hing
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder
To serve:
Freshly chopped coriander
Lemon wedges
Black salt
How to
1. Soak the dhal and rice for 2 hours, then rinse well until the water runs clear.
2. Heat ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until softened then add cumin seeds and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the dhal and rice and stir for about 1 minute.
4. Add powdered spices and stir well. Add water, cover and bring to a boil on high heat, then turn the heat down and allow to simmer until you have a soft, creamy consistency and the rice and dhal have totally broken down. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of black salt. Eat mindfully, without distractions and enjoy!
