Kitchari
Kitchari is Ayurveda’s go-to cleanse & comfort food: warm, grounding, and easy to digest, which is deeply balancing for body and mind. It’s a simple stew made of mung dal, rice, and digestive spices—perfect when you want to reset your system, give your digestion a rest, or just cozy up with something nourishing for your body.
Ingredients (4 servings):
1 cup split yellow mung dal (soaked overnight & rinsed well)
1 cup basmati rice (soaked overnight & rinsed well)
1-2 Tbsp ghee (or coconut oil)
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground ginger (or 1 tsp fresh grated, to taste)
1–2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
½ Kombu sheet (dried seaweed)
4 cups water or broth (more for a soupier texture)
Sea salt to taste
Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
Squeeze of lemon or lime to serve
Directions:
Soak mung dal and rice overnight and then when ready to cook, rinse them until the water runs clear.
In a large pot, warm the ghee. Add fennel, cumin, mustard, and coriander seeds and let them pop for a few seconds.
Stir in turmeric, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the mung dal, rice, water, kombu and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the dal and rice are soft, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes with the lid on.
Adjust salt, then serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime.
Ayurvedic Note:
Here’s what I love about kitchari… it is easy on digestion and brings balance to the body. Once you’ve made it a couple times, it becomes so easy to make. The main thing is remembering to soak the grains the night before. My favorite is to serve this on the side of some sauteed or roasted veggies.
Always enjoy your meal sitting down and say a prayer, This is a powerful habit that connects you to your food and tells your body it’s about to take in “medicine.” Small moments of pause are imperative to our overall health. Hop into the next Ayurvedic Reset to learn more ways to improve your health and wellbeing each day.
