Healing Kitchari Recipe (2024)

Published: Jan 5, 2021 · by Laurel Perry · About 4 minutes to read this article. · This post may contain affiliate links

This Healing Kitchari Recipe is easy-to-digest and packed with both flavor and nutrients! Featuring mung beans, basmati rice, and lots of Indian spices.

Kitchari! Healthy enough to be considered a cleanse, flavorful enough to want seconds, and easy enough to have on a weeknight... This Indian recipe is an all around winner!

Each bite is filled with creamy mung beans, fluffy rice, and tender vegetables, which turn into a creamy porridge/dal texture, and have been infused with fragrant spices and fresh ginger. I love it served with a dallop of coconut yogurt, pinch of red pepper flakes, and a juicy squeeze of lime!

Hearty, healthy, and warming!

Reasons to love this recipe!

• The ultimate cleansing food - eat while you cleanse!
• Made in just one pot and keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free.
• You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make it your own!

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Coconut oil - or ghee
• Fresh ginger - I strongly recommend fresh!
• Cumin seeds - If needed you can use ground for all the spices.
• Fennel seeds
• Brown mustard seeds - or black
• Ground coriander
• Ground turmeric
• Moong dal - aka split mung beans. You can also use yellow split peas, golden lentils, or red lentils - any bean that cooks down to a soft, mashable consistancy.
• Basmati rice - white rice is traditional, but you can also use brown basmati. Use 6 cups of water and cook for 40-45 minutes.
• Chopped vegetables - cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, kale, etc. Clean out your fridge!
• Water
• Salt - can omit, but it really brings the flavors together.

How to make Ayurvedic Kitchari:

Sauté the spices: Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add in the ginger and cook for 1 minute.

Next, add the whole spices, and sauté until fragrant.

Add in the ground spices and sauté for another few seconds. This step really enhances the flavor of the spices!

Simmer:Add all the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the beans are broken down.

What exactly is kitchari?

Kitchari is an Ayurvedic dish originating in India. Its name, Kitchari, is literally translated "a mess" which is quite fitting considering its appearance. All of the components of this dish are cooked down - in only one pot I might add - until soft and the beans begin to coat the other ingredients.

This slow break down creates a unique creamy consistency, almost like a good risotto. The result is a hearty fragrant dish that fills you up without leaving you feeling heavy.

It is rich in protein and grains, but is easily digested by the body. In its most basic form, it always includes basmati rice and mung beans cooked with a variety of Indian herbs and spices. It is often prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors for those who are recovering from sickness or need to reset their bodies.

Easy spice variations:

Kitchari spices can vary depending on the recipe - feel free to experiment!

In addition to the spices listed above, you can also add:

• a pinch of cloves
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds or ground fenugreek
• a cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods
• pinch asafoetida

If you don't have whole spices, you can substitute the same amount of ground spices. Add them in with the turmeric in step 3 and skip adding the spices in step 2.

Storage:

This Kitchari recipe stores incredibly well! The flavors continue to develop as it sits and is reheated for serving.

Store in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Reheat on the stove on medium low heat, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

The Kitchari Recipe Cleanse!:

Anytime my digestion feels sluggish, I try and do a kitchari cleanse. This is a great way to reset your system while eating! A cleanse with food is a cleanse I can get behind!

I typically take 3-5 days and follow the following meal plan:

• Breakfast: Room temperature smoothie with fruits and vegetables. Usually a tablespoon of flax seed. Avoid powders including protein - only whole foods!
• Lunch: Bowl of kitchari with a dollop of coconut yogurt
• Dinner: Same as lunch
• Dessert: A warming superfood latte like Pumpkin Spice Golden Milk, Orange Beet Latte, or Superfood Hot Chocolate.
• Drinks: LOTS of water and tea (preferably caffeine free) throughout the day

More healing recipes:

• Ginger Juice
• 10 Minute Immune Boosting Broth
• Delicious Detox Lentil Soup
• Cranberry Cherry Smoothie
• 30 Minute Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry

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