healing kichari

Behold - the magical healing food of Ayurveda - Khichari. Breakfast, lunch or dinner..... it doesn't matter. This meal is like the chicken soup for the Ayurvedic soul- healing, grounding, nourishing, and oh so satisfying to the tastebuds.

So what is KHICHARI you ask? It’s is a simple stew of lentils, rice, veggies, ghee and spices - that can evolve with whatever delicousness is in season. (And it can be spelled many different ways… FYI)

So why is this stew healing you asking? Well because khichari is SUPER easy on the belly- it helps give your digestive track a break, thus allowing that unused energy to venture elsewhere in the body where it is most needed - such as areas that are weak, ailing, inflamed, or out of balance. Think of it this way- In the same vein as when people do juice cleanses (which provide nourishment while also giving the digestive tract a break so that your body can have extra energy to heal itself) Khichari works the same way - BUT with one major difference. You don’t have to starve yourself. (Juicing for extended periods of time can cause another host of problems, as digestion can get out of balance quite quickly if you aren’t providing actual food/fiber for fuel)

In many ways- this concept behind Khichari as a healing tool quickly gets to the core of what Ayurvedic nutrition is all about- providing food that is very easy on the belly - which in turn strengthens your digestion, boosts your energy levels, and allows the body to take care of all that housecleaning that she has been putting off for months (or years…) The result? The body heals itself, coming back into balance. Boom. The end. Ayurvedic nutrition in a nutshell. But I digress….

Khichari! Okay- so like I said - because it is so easy on digestion, it is a stellar option for breakfast, lunch or dinner! So if you're looking for and immunity boost, a grounding tool, or just simply a delicious meal, give khichari a go. She never disappoints.

SOAK TIME: 30 minutes
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

SERVINGS: 4

GLUTEN FREE, VEGETARIAN, VEGAN IF YOU SWAP GHEE FOR ALT OIL

INGREDIENTS

1/2 CUP YELLOW SPLIT MUNG DAL (substitute red lentils if you don’t have mung dal)

1/4 CUP QUINOA

1/4 CUP WHITE BASMATI RICE

2 TBSP CULTURED GHEE, DIVIDED (or cooking oil of your choice)

1/2 TSP TURMERIC

1 TBSP FRESH GINGER, MINCED

4.5 CUPS WATER

1/2 TSP GROUND FENNEL SEED

1/2 TSP GROUND CORIANDER

1 TSP GROUND CUMIN

4 CUPS OF WHATEVER HEARTY VEGGIES YOU HAVE - CHOPPED INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES
This is where Khichari gets super adaptable to the season - or what you’ve got in the fridge. Good examples of veggies would include sweet potato, summer squash, fennel, butternut squash, pumpkin, onion, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, celery, or carrot.
For this particular khichari- I used 3 cups of zucchini and 1 cup of fennel.

1.5 TSP SALT

2 CUPS SPINACH, RINSED (kale or swiss chard are great alts here - rinsed and chopped into 1/2 inch strips)

1/2 TSP WHOLE CUMIN SEEDS

1 TBSP LIME plus lime wedges for garnish

CILANTRO or DILL for garnish

CILANTRO LIME CHUTNEY GOES GREAT WITH THIS AS A TOPPER - see recipe HERE

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour dal, quinoa, and white rice into a medium sized mixing bowl. Fill bowl with water to completely cover the grains (plus a little extra water, as they will expand). Once they have soaked for 30 minutes, strain through a fine mesh strainer. Rinse through a few times until water runs clear. Set aside.

Meanwhile, warm 1 TBSP ghee in large dutch oven on low heat. Once melted, add turmeric and heat for 10-15 seconds or until fragrant. Add ginger and sauté, stirring constantly on low heat for 30 seconds. Do not burn.

Add the soaked lentils, rice and quinoa to the pot and toast the grains for about 1 minute or until the water has evaporated and the ghee is well incorporated

Add water, ground fennel, ground coriander, zucchini, fennel and salt. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam you see at the top (helps further reduce bloating from lentils) Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 30 minutes.

Check on pot after about 25 minutes. If it looks like the stew is a bit dry- add a quarter cup of water. (Should still be soupy).

Add spinach on top of the soup, no need to stir in. Cover pot and let continue to simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir the spinach into the rest of the stew.  (If it looks like it needs a splash or 2 of water to maintain a slightly soupy consistency - add it)

Meanwhile, warm remaining tbsp of ghee in another saucepan. Once melted, add whole cumin seed and temper on low heat for about a minute, or just until fragrant. Don’t burn.

Pour the tempered cumin seeds and ghee onto the top of the khichari. (Enjoy the sound of that sizzle!) Add 1 tbsp lime juice and stir to combine.

Season with additional salt/pepper as needed. Pour into bowls and serve with a few lime wedges. Garnish with some chopped cilantro or dill if you have it! Enjoy!