Celebrate Your Health with Kitchari

Many people ring in the New Year with a glass of champagne. This year, I rang it in with kitchari. No, not the latest kitschy cocktail creation. Rather, the rejuvenating “rice and beans” dish that is a staple of Indian cuisine and Ayurvedic healing practices.

I hadn’t made kitchari in years (five years, to be exact). It had fallen off my radar screen. But as I looked for a recipe that would symbolize a New Year’s toast to my well-being, thoughts of kitchari sprang back into my culinary consciousness.

So what is this celebratory dish I’m writing about?

Kitchari is a traditional dish composed of legumes, basmati rice, and spices. Simple ingredients, simply prepared.

Oh wait, I am forgetting what some may consider the piece de la resistance of the kitchari, the ghee. A type of clarified butter, ghee not only makes the kitchari creamy—and the kitchen smell amazing—but is also thought to add to its health-giving properties. And, unlike some other forms of cooking fat, ghee has a relatively high smoke point—400-500F/204-260C—and therefore can be used in cooking without much worry of oxidation.

Speaking of kitchari’s health-giving properties, there are many. It is easy to digest and yet provides the body with stores of energy, making it a perfect meal to use during mono-fasts and detoxification/cleansing programs; in fact, it is the staple meal used during the Ayurvedic detox ritual known as panchakarma. The spices included also have numerous healing properties while the balance of its ingredients allow it to be a beneficial food for all three doshas (constitutions). And, its creamy texture is soothing and nourishing, making it a veritable Ayurvedic chicken soup for the soul.

The Four Pillars of Kitchari

You’ll find a cornucopia of kitchari recipes in books and websites. While you’ll notice slight differences, more evident will be their commonality as each contains the four pillar ingredients of kitchari: legumes, basmati rice, ghee, and spices.

Legumes

Moong dahl (also written as mung dahl) is the traditional legume used to make kitchari. Moong dahl are mung beans that are split and have had their hulls removed, yielding a legume that is easier to digest and quicker to cook. While mung beans are green, moong dahl is yellow since it is bereft of its verdant hull. Markets that sell Indian foods and natural food stores are your best bet for finding these little legumes.

You will also find recipes that call for soaked whole mung beans or split beans that still have their hull. These make good options as well but in my opinion the moong dahl makes the creamiest kitchari and the one that is the most soothing.

If you can’t find moong dahl or just want to use another type of legume, try red lentils. This is what I used when I first made kitchari and still use it on occasion. Red lentils are also very nutrient-rich and are easier to find in food markets than moong dahl.

Basmati rice

Basmati rice differs from “regular” rice in that it is more delicate in flavor and aromatic in fragrance (in fact, basmati is derived from a Sanskrit word that means perfume). It also has a chewier texture.

This long-grained thin rice comes in both refined/white and unrefined/brown varieties. White basmati is typically called for in kitchari dishes but if you want a grain with more nutrients (including fiber), you can opt for the brown variety, which is the type I use.

Ghee

Ghee is a form of clarified butter. While it only takes a few minutes to make ghee, if you’d prefer, you can purchase it at the market. Since it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, look for it on the grocery shelves; it will probably be located in the “ethnic food” section.

At natural food stores, you’re likely to find ghee—including those from Ancient Organics and Purity Farms —made from organic milk. While they may cost more, I personally think that it’s worth it given the enhanced healthfulness of organic dairy products.

Spices

While all kitchari recipes feature traditional Indian spices, the combination and amounts vary. The spices range from the familiar—black pepper, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon—to the more exotic, such as fenugreek, asafoetida (also known as hing), and curry leaves (not to be confused with curry powder). My advice is to experiment with different ones, in different blends, and see what suits your fancy.

The spices not only add a wonderful flavor to the kitchari but also contribute to its health benefits. Most of these spices are carminative, meaning that they help soothe digestion. Additionally, they feature other healing properties; for example, turmeric and ginger are laudable anti-inflammatory compounds while fenugreek is good for blood-sugar balance. Asafoetida in small amounts helps reduce flatulence—it’s the Beano of the spice cabinet—and is especially good for enhancing digestive power (known as agni in Ayurvedic medicine).

Optional/Additional Ingredients

You’ll see vegetables included in some kitchari recipes. This is something I like to add as well. Often, I’ll add diced onions when sautéing the spices in the ghee. Several minutes before the kitchari is done cooking, I’ll add some finely chopped vegetables, like mustard greens or cauliflower; these crucifers add flavor as well as liver-health benefits. Sometimes, you’ll also see recipes that call for cashews, coconut, and cilantro leaves.

A Kitchari Recipe

As you experiment with kitchari, you’ll likely discover that you end up adjusting the ingredients, creating your own special recipe. For starters, here’s the one I use as a foundation recipe to which I may add other ingredients depending upon my mood.

Ingredients

2 TBS ghee
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup moong dahl (or red lentils)
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin seeds, ground
¼ tsp cardamon seeds, ground
¼ tsp ground fenugreek
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
a pinch of asafoetida
2-1/4 cup water

* Optional ingredients: onions, mustard greens, or other vegetables of your choice

Directions

1. Wash rice and moong dahl well under cold running water. Set aside.

2. Melt ghee in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

3. Add all spices as well as salt to melted ghee. Stir for about 1 minute.

4. Add rice and moong dahl, stirring for about 30 seconds so that they get coated with the ghee-spice mixture.

5. Add water and turn heat up to high, mixing all the ingredients together.

6. After the water has reached a boil, reduce to a slow simmer (depending upon your stove, this may be either low or low-medium heat).

7. Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring one or two times during the cooking process.

Makes 4 (1 cup) servings

* Optional ingredients: Add the onions to the ghee-spice mixture and cook until they approach transparency. Then continue recipe at Step 4. If you’re adding additional vegetables, do so a few minutes before the dish is complete; the specific amount of time depends upon the vegetable (for example, I add chopped mustard greens about 3 minutes before the kitchari is done).

Kitchari FYI

You may also see kitchari spelled as kitchedi but take note that they are not always one in the same. That’s because, as Lalitha Balasubramani of Nataraja Spices shared with me, what kitchedi represents depends upon the region of India in which you are located. In Northern India, it is one and the same as kitchari while in Southern India it is the name given to a spiced cucumber and yogurt dish. In the Southern region of India, pongal is what this legume/rice/ghee/spice recipe is called.

Not only is kitchari a wonderful healing food to use during fasts and cleanses, but it is a great go-to dish any time you want a meal that is rejuvenating and comforting, one with which you can toast to your health.

Do you have a favorite kitchari recipe or have you done a fast/cleanse using it? If so, please feel free to share your insights and experiences with me and other readers in the Comments section.