Kitchari recipe

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder, or 1 tablespoon of fresh grated turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds
• 1 clove garlic – crushed or grated finely
• ½ onion – diced finely
• **Note – instead of garlic and onion, substitute ½ teaspoon asafoetida
• ½ centimetre piece of ginger – finely grated
• ¼ cup moong dal
• ¼ cups rice
• 3-6 cups water
• Salt to taste

Method

• Heat ghee in frypan.
• Saute the fenugreek first, then the cumin and then the ajwain seeds until beginning to brown.
• Add the onion and fry for a minute or two followed by garlic, or add the asafoetida.
• Add turmeric and ginger and continue to fry
• Add the dhal and rice and fry for a few more minutes
• Add the water and salt
• Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer
• Simmer gently until the rice and dhal are completely cooked – the dal and rice will break up completely making a thick soup-like consistency.

Notes

• 3 cups water will yield a thicker kitchari while six cups water will yield the consistency of thin porridge.
• You can add a variety of chopped vegetables when the rice and bean seeds are nearly broken up. Vegetables create a more balanced meal.
• Rice can be replaced with quinoa, buckwheat, pumpkin or sweet-potato and moong dhal can be replaced with red lentils, or other soaked beans and pulses.
• You can also vary spices according to your taste.