Ayurvedic Kitchari Recipe
Eating Kitchari for 1 to 3 days eases your transition into a new season ~ and winter … can be tough on your physical body and mental/emotional state. 😕
Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic cleansing food made from split peas, mung, or lentils, rice, and fresh ginger and digestive spices like turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds and fenugreek. This meal is a complete protein so you will be fueled with energy and it’s easy on your digestion, so eating this meal only for 1 to 3 days can help to reset your digestion and support your liver.
Benefits:
Primarily just kitchari for several days offers the digestive system a rest.
The spices enhance digestion, assimilation, and absorption of nutrients while enhancing healthy digestive energy and metabolism.
Kitchari can help loosen toxic buildup and eliminate it from your system.
So, if you are feeling digestively sluggish and like your liver may need a little support before this next weekend’s round of holiday events — make this yummy, super nourishing, and warming meal.
Ayurvedic Kitchari
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4
Recipe adapted from Phoebe Lapine
Ingredients
1 cup dried yellow split peas or lentils
1/2 cup long grain white rice
3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
Optional therapeutic nourishing herbs: small handful of burdock root
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 small crown broccoli finely chopped into an almost rice-like texture (about 2 cups total)
1 medium zucchini coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
1 cup packed baby spinach roughly chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Optional: Plain full-fat yogurt for serving and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Method
Rinse the yellow split peas or lentils and rice in a fine mesh colander under cold water until the water runs clear.
In a large lidded saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil or ghee. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, fenugreek, and turmeric. Cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the split peas or lentils, rice, and burdock root, if using and stir to coat in the spices. Add the salt and pour in the water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas/lentils are tender but not mushy and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (You may need to add more water if the mixture becomes to dry or begins to stick to the bottom of the pan).
Stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and spinach, then remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm with the cilantro, lime squeeze, and a dollop of plain yogurt.
