| Synergy Yoga South Beach

Jan 27, 2011 Synergy Yoga South Beach Recipes No Comments

Gourmet Kitcheri in 5 steps

What is it? Kitcheri is spiced blend of beans, rice and vegetables.

Who eats kitcheri? Yogis all over the world.

Where does it come from? It is THE basic meal in an Ayurvedic Diet because of its balancing properties.

Why? Kitcheri not only provides nourishment for the body, but, due to its spice combination, also benefits digestion. This makes kitcheri an ideal food of choice during times of stress on the body, such as during an illness, periods of overwork or change of seasons. It is also an especially good food to use while on a mono-diet as part of an internal cleansing regime. Since all ingredients are cooked together it is easier on the digestion. The simplicity of kitcheri is also favored by those practicing a yogic lifestyle.

What you will need to make enough Kitcheri to feed approx. 6 people:

1 cup yellow split mong beans

1 cup brown basmati rice

2 large sweet potato cubed

1 can organic coconut milk

3-4 tbs organic extra virgin coconut oil or organic ghee

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fennel seed

1/4 tsp asofetida powder (also known as Hing, from Indian store, I like the yellow one best)

1/4 tsp coriander

3 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 tsp organic molasses

1 tsp black salt (from Indian store)

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1 habanero or jalapeño chile finely chopped (optional, you can also add cayenne pepper powder or any pepper you like for heat, if you wish)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Favorite garnishes: organic plain yogurt, ghee (especially for those with aggravated vata and pitta doshas), mango pickle, lime wedges, cilantro

Good sides: Steamed veggies or salad

Ok, so the first thing we will do is dry roast the mong beans, being sure to stir frequently so they do not burn. Once they are nice and golden roasted, add 6 cups of water, this is approximate, Kitcheri can be thick or soupy, as you like.
About 10 minutes after mong beans have boiled add the brown basmati rice. Make sure there is enough water for both beans & rice to cook and expand, you may need to add more water later to get desired consistency. Stir as needed.
Chop veggies, grate ginger and assemble all ingredients.
Then we start on the chaunce, which is the frying of spices, herbs & veggies to bring out the potencies and flavors. Add desired oil to pan and make it hot, being careful not to burn, you can tell if its hot enough, by throwing a couple mustard seeds to see if they pop. When they do add the rest of the mustard seeds and then allow them to pop first, then add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, asofetida powder, coriander powder, grated ginger, finely chopped pepper of choice, cubed sweet potato, molasses, salt and black salt. (in that order). Stir as needed.
Now we will allow both pots to cook separately, after the rice and beans are about halfway cooked add the chaunce to the rice and beans mixture and stir. Allow to cook until everything is soft being careful not to let the rice and sweet potatoes get too mushy. Once all ingredients are cooked thoroughly, add organic coconut milk, stir well, and then add cilantro ( you can leave some aside to garnish as well). And voila, you have kitcheri, taste it, make sure its good on salt, I usually use more than the amounts listed here but its really up to you. Once you got it right, offer your Kitcheri Creation to God first, then serve to your guests and enjoy!