Kitchari

At this point I've made it more than halfway through my ayurvedic cleanse (the last day is Sunday). Originally I wasn't going to shoot a post during the cleanse because I figured the food I was making wasn't worth sharing. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that was really silly. What's so wrong with basic dishes? Since when did blogging have to be about making things complicated or trying to come up with the newest and best flavor combinations? I think I've created a lot of arbitrary blogging rules for myself in the past that I'm slowly chipping away at and discarding. It's rather freeing. And, it's all a part of the cleansing process. I've found this trend carrying over into other parts of my life outside of blogging. Time to shed things that aren't serving me.

I had a feeling I would like kitchari because I love basmati rice. And Indian spices (duh). It's meant to be nourishing and grounding and it definitely is both of those things. The smell wafting through the house while it was cooking was wonderfully earthy and spicy. This is my third day eating it and to be honest, I'm not tired of it. It is now my go-to comfort food, especially with the weather finally getting cooler.

If you want a bit more substance, you can top your serving of kitchari with half of an avocado. Or, eat some nice roasted or steamed seasonal veggies alongside it. Feel free to change up the spices to your liking. You can use a heaped tbsp of curry powder instead of the spices listed below to make it easier if you like. Or not It's completely up to you and what your body needs. Enjoy your weekend friends! Go out and buy some pumpkins and drink some hot tea! :)

Kitchari

1 cup split yellow mung beans (moong dal)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
6 cups filtered water
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
fresh cracked pepper to taste
a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt

fresh cilantro and lemon or lime juice to serve

Rinse the mung beans and rice then add them to a large pot or dutch oven. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, stick, spices, & salt then pour the water in. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the mixture until all of the water has been absorbed (this took me about 25-30 minutes). Make sure to stir often so the bottom doesn't burn. Once all of the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Serve up your kitchari with a heavy sprinkling of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. Makes about 6 servings.