Have you heard of it? Do you even know what I’m talking about? Kitchari (pronounced kich⋅ah⋅ree) is the traditional Ayurvedic cleansing food. It consists of mung dal beans, white rice & spices. Weird right? When you think of a “cleanse” or “detox” we usually think of green juices, broths, vegetables & the like.
A couple of reasons this is considered a cleanse food, both white rice & mung dal beans are easy to digest. When the yellow mung beans are split, the husk naturally falls off which often causes gas & difficult to digest. Same goes for white rice, the hull is removed making for easier digestion.
The second reason is because together these two foods make a complete protein–meaning, eaten together they provide all nine essential amino acids (the ones our bodies don’t naturally produce).
Lastly, it is said that combined with the spices this nourishing meal helps to remove toxins from the body & promotes regularity.
I won’t dive deep into the whole Ayurvedic side & balancing doshas–I don’t know much about it & may be a little too hippie dippie for some! (I guess that’s what happens when you begin yoga teacher training!)
So on with the recipe!
Modified Kitchari Recipe
1cup cooked quinoa
1 can black eyed peas cooked down with 1/2cup organic chicken stock (I didn’t have mung dal—then I read later that I should avoid black eyed peas based on my dosha type!)
I added spinach, asparagus & English peas but forgot the sweet potato!
First, add 2 tablespoons of grass fed butter to a pan on medium heat. Then add 1 tsp of each: Tumeric, Curry, Dried Mustard, Coriander, Cumin, Ginger & Salt—mix & allow to get aromatic. Stir in your rice/quinoa, beans & vegetables. Enjoy! Let me know if you end up making this!
Disclaimer: I’m aware it does not look appetizing, but all those spices bring a nice flavor! Promise!
