Kitchari
Kitchari
Kitchari is a simple Ayurvedic dish of rice and lentils. This is a jazzed-up version to remind you why, at least for one meal, it can be such a soothing reset.
Servings
4
Prep time
Cook time
Recipe
Vegan, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, plus extra fried in ghee to serve
- 2 tsp grated ginger Pinch asafoetida (from Indian grocers)
- 100g red split mung dal (or any other dal)
- 110g green lentils
- 155g firm vegetables (pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato), finely diced
- 100g brown basmati rice
- 750mL filtered water
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ¼ tsp mustard seeds
- 25g spinach, chopped, plus baby leaves, to serve
- ½ zucchini, diced
- 320g natural yoghurt
- 1 Lebanese cucumber grated
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Juice ½ lemon
- Pinch salt
- Lemon wedges
- Dukkah (optional)
Method
- Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add cumin and ginger and stir for 2 mins until fragrant. Add asafoetida, dal and lentils. Stir to coat and then fry, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 mins or until lightly roasted.
- Add firm vegetables, stir to coat, then add rice and stir again. Add the water and remaining spices.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 45 mins to 1 hr, adding more water if necessary and stirring often to avoid sticking, until vegetables, dal, lentils and rice collapse into each other and water is absorbed.
- Stir spinach and zucchini through the kitchari. Season to taste and turn off the heat.
- For the raita, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.
- Divide kitchari among bowls, squeeze over some lemon juice and sprinkle with extra cumin seeds fried in a little ghee. Dollop on raita and chutney, add some spinach leaves and sauerkraut and finish with a sprinkle of dukkah, if you have it.
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