Looking for a quick and wholesome meal, well Kitchari will tick that box. This healthy one pot kitchari recipe is nourishing and easy to digest. Kitchari has gained popularity in the west with Ayurveda way of life gaining its foothold here. This wholesome dish is made with Basmati rice and moong dal and the skillful use of spices and vegetables can produce balancing effects for the three bodily doshas in addition to the taste.
WHAT IS KITCHARI ?
Kitchari means a mixture, usually of two grains. This easy one pot kitchari recipe is particularly nourishing and easy to digest. Not only is kitchari very budget friendly, but at the same time it satisfies your hunger without the need for food prepping or planning.
I usually make easy one pot kitchari whenever I haven’t planned ahead and in need of a quick meal. Because of these reasons and some more, this dish ticks all the boxes for me.
Tips to make one pot Kitchari
- Soak the grains after washing for 2 times in water for about 15 minutes to get soft and fluffy texture
- White rice is the best for Kitchari because it is easy to digest.
- Use spilt moong beans without the husk also known as dhal for this recipe because it is easy to digest.
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ONE POT KITCHARI ?
There are two ways to make kitchari. The first method is to cook the rice and dhal in a pot on the stove top for about 20 minutes till they turn soft.
The second method is to use a pressure cooker, which speeds the process especially if your are really pressed for time. I will give you instructions for both the methods.
INGREDIENTS :
- White Basmati rice – 1 cup
- Split moong dal – 1/2 cup
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Ghee – 2 tsp
- Turmeric pd. – 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Anis seeds- 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida – 1 pinch
- Salt 1 to 1/2 tsp
- Water – 3 cups
- Carrots and beans – 1 cup (optional)
- Ginger – 1 stick
- Dry red chilly (optional)
- Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon chopped
INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE HEALTHY ONE POT KITCHARI RECIPE
- Wash the rice and dal 2 times and drain the water. Soak the rice and dal with water for 15 minutes.
2. Chop the carrots and the grate the ginger and keep it aside.
3. Cook the rice and dal with the water and the turmeric powder and add 1 tsp of ghee.
4. If you are using a pressure cooker, use the gasket and cook the rice, dal, vegetables, salt and the grated ginger together. As soon as it reaches pressure till the indicator is at 1 level. Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook it for 8 minutes. ( I have a Swiss pressure cooker and this is the system ) Some of the pressure cookers have whistles, so I am not sure how that works.
If you are going to be cooking in a normal pot. Add 5-6 cups of water to the pan and bring to the boil. As it is boiling skim off the white froth on the surface of the water.
Add grated ginger, turmeric and salt. Cover and simmer gently until the dal and rice becomes soft.
- Warm the remaining ghee in a small saucepan. Sauté the asafoetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, anis , fenugreek seeds and pinch the red chillies till they are tempered. Stir in the sautéed spices to the cooked rice and dal.
- Add fresh coriander leaves before serving. Serve with a cut lemon or yogurt.
HOW TO MAKE KITCHARI VIDEO?
WHY IS KITCHARI A BALANCED FOOD?
During the beginning of spring and early autumn, my husband and I do an ayurvedic panchakarma detox program for about 3 weeks. We have been doing this for the past 2 decades. During these half -yearly cleansing, we eat only light food like porridge and this easy one pot kitchari.
Because, basmati rice and mung dal together create a balanced food this is a good protein combination and is tridoshic. Hence, this complete food is easy to digest and gives strength and vitality and nourishes all the tissues of the body. Kitchari is the preferred food to use when fasting on a mono-fast or while going through cleansing programs such as panchakarma. Kitchari is excellent for detoxification and de-aging of the cells.
Now, you know why some people call kitchari a super food.
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