Spiced Yellow Dal with Rice (Kitchari)
It’s been a long few months of rich cooking and eating, so the idea of eating simply and clean as summer approaches is attractive. In Ayurveda, a dish called Kitchari is often prescribed for its ease of digestion and detoxifying qualities, and lately I’ve been eating it a ton.
Kitchari literally means a mix or a mess, so this dish is a mess of rice, usually basmati, and beans, usually split mung beans. The spices I use are traditional Indian ingredients, but there is no reason why you can’t experiment with others. If you’re eating this dish specifically to give your digestion a break, steer clear of spicy ingredients like red pepper flakes or cayenne.
Like chili to Americans, there are thousands of recipes for Kitchari in Indian kitchens. This is my version, with amped up ginger and a pinch of asafoetida (hing), which gives the dish a satisfying depth of savory flavor that I find missing from a lot of vegan cooking.
Kitchari
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup
split yellow mung beans
- 2/3 cup
basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon
coconut oil or ghee
- 2 teaspoons
black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon
fenugreek seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon
asafoetida
- 1 tablespoon
minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon
ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon
ground cumin
- 2
bay leaves
- 1 quart
(4 cups) water
- 1/2 cup
chopped fresh cilantro
Bragg's Liquid Aminos or sea salt
Instructions
Rinse the mung beans and rice together under running water until the water runs clear.
In a 3-quart or larger heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and toast until the mustard seeds pop. Add the asafoetida, ginger, tumeric, and cumin and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the beans and rice and stir until they are coated with the spice mixture.
Add the water and bay leaves to the rice and bean mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the beans and rice are soft, but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with chopped cilantro and either Bragg's Liquid Aminos or sea salt, as needed.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.