About the Recipe
A kitchari cleanse is considered an introduction to the Ayurvedic diet. In addition to realigning your digestive health, practitioners believe the cleanse can also help balance your doshas. During your fast or cleanse, your body resets itself. You also give your digestive tract a bit of a break.
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
½ cup yellow mung dal
3 teaspoons Kitchari Spice Mix
2 tablespoons ghee
6 cups of water
1–2 cups chopped vegetables (optional)
NOTE: The kitchar Kit has all the basic ingredients you'll need to get started.
Preparation
Wash rice and mung dal and soak overnight. Drain soak water.
In a medium saucepan warm the ghee. Add the Kitchari Spice Mix and sauté for one to two minutes. Add rice and mung dal and sauté for another couple of minutes. Then add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Once the kitchari has come to a boil reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until it is tender (approx. 30–45 minutes).
If you are adding vegetables to your kitchari, add the longer cooking vegetables, such as carrots and beets, halfway through the cooking. Add the vegetables that cook faster, such as leafy greens, near the end.
Add more water if needed. Typically, kitchari is the consistency of a vegetable stew as opposed to a broth. A thinner consistency is preferable if your digestion is weak. You will notice that kitchari will thicken when it cools and you may need more water than you originally thought.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and add salt to taste (optional).