Kitchari

My new ancient obsession - KITCHARI! Kitchari is an Ayurvedic rice and mung bean porridge that is extremely nutrient dense and healing for your gut. I’m no Ayurvedic chef so please don’t ask me what Pita means but I do know that this dish makes you feel warm and tingly inside! It is great to make if you’re having tummy troubles or just trying to get back on track after a bad girls club weekend. It’s packed with turmeric and ginger so it’s good for those of us on an anti-inflammatory diet! There are thousands of recipes out there for kitchari (the Ayurvedic Institute has a simple one and obvi @goop has one) and it’s infinitely customizable - but this is how I make mine. Definitely add toppings for extra depth, flavors and textures. Some of my favorite are roasted diced sweet potatoes, sautéed kale, yogurt, cilantro and fried garlic, ginger or shallots. But this is the recipe for just the kitchari itself, here’s what you need:

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs ghee
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 Tsp black pepper
1 Tsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 inches fresh ginger, minced
2 inches fresh turmeric minced, or 1 Tbs dried
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup mung bean (also called yellow mung dahl)
1/2 cup basmati rice
6 cups filtered water
1 Tsp salt, plus more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large pot on medium heat melt ghee and add ginger and garlic, cook till fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add all spices and toast for 1 minute
3. Add rice and mix to make sure completely coated in spice and ghee. Toast for 1 minute.
4. Add mung beans and repeat
5. Add 6 cups water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then simmer for one hour. Cook until porridge consistency. May need to add 1-2 more cups of water. *make sure to remove bay leaves and crushed cardamom pods before serving