Kitchari: The Ayurvedic Healing Meal

Tagged in: Recipes
Kitchari: The Ayurvedic Healing Meal

Photo credit: Darn Good Veggies

Looking for a healthy fall meal that will delight your senses and help you find lightness in your body? Look no further….We’ve got you covered!

KITCHARI

Autumn is the season that nudges us to slow down, turn inward, and enjoy warmer, heartier, and grounding foods and beverages to balance the dry, rough, and cold quality that is present. Listening and honoring nature’s cues can support our physical and mental health and well-being as we transition to winter.

One of our favorite nourishing meals to enjoy this time of year is Kitchari - a healing Ayurvedic dish. The ingredients include mung dahl which is an easily digestible, high protein containing legume, a variety of spices (to support healthy digestion!), white Basmati rice and a variety of vegetables.

As a popular dish in India, there are thousands of versions of Kitchari. Our Tuesday Foods version comes from Kerrie Schur, Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher at True Nature Healing Arts. Traditional recipes include ghee, which is clarified butter, but we substitute coconut oil in our vegan TF version.

KERRIE'S KITCHARI

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup split yellow mung beans (rinsed and sorted & soaked overnight)

  • 1 cup white basmati rice

  • 2 tablespoons ghee (we used coconut oil)

  • 3 teaspoons whole mustard seed

  • 2 teaspoons fennel powder

  • 2 teaspoons turmeric

  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) or small piece of komba

  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

  • 5 cups water

  • 3 cups diced seasonal veggies (sweet potato, carrots, beets, zucchini, cauliflower or any combination of these)

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

To serve:

  • Fresh cilantro 

  • Fresh lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Measure the yellow mung beans, rice, and spices. Grate the ginger and break off a small piece of kombu, if using. Kombu is an edible sea vegetable rich in iron and calcium that aids in digestion.

Melt the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add the mustard seed and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the remaining spices to the skillet, along with the ginger, yellow mung beans, and rice. Stir to coat the yellow mung beans and rice in the spice mixture and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Pour in the water, and bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Set your timer for 20 minutes.

Add the diced vegetables - Continue to cook covered until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more.

Remove from heat. Season the kitchari with salt and pepper

To serve, ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, and lemon. Enjoy and feel nourished!

Kerrie is a Holistic Health Coach and Restorative Yoga Teacher. She has a background in Ayurveda, mind-body nutrition, and eating psychology. She relies on the wisdom of Ayurveda (the sister science to yoga) to inform and support her clients and her personal daily/seasonal self care routines.

Kerrie offers postpartum Ayurvedic meals prepared and delivered for new mamas!

kerrie@liveinrhythm.com