when i was first introduced to kitcheri, it was you can make it like THIS, or like THIS, or use THIS, and try THIS and THAT - talk about choice overload!!!
so i paused, and said, what the heck is the recipe for a basic kitchari - and really the answer was simple - the spices used and the combination of rice and lentils - the rest?! totally choose your own adventure!
so here is my foundation, followed by the multitude of options you can choose!
- 1/2 cup yellow mung dal
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
i combined the dal and rice together and let them soak for a minimum of 2 hours before starting - this allows the beans to really "gas out" and also allows me to get a wash or two in for my rice!
for the spices, you can go to a local indian market and see if they already have a "kitchari spice blend" but if you are unable to find one, i combined the following:
for the spices, you can go to a local indian market and see if they already have a "kitchari spice blend" but if you are unable to find one, i combined the following:
- 1 teaspoon whole black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 pods cardamom
- 2 pods star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- should be cassia leaves but i could not find these!
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon himalayan sea salt
add these spices to 2-3 tablespoons of ghee in a sauté pan and once your mustard seeds begin to pop, add your dal and rice mixture. coat the dal and rice with the spice blend. once coated, add to your crock pot.
here's where your own adventure comes in now that you have a solid base established! what veggies do you like? what veggies are in season? what do you have on hand? this can be anything and you can choose from the following:
- carrots
- beets
- cauliflower
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- bok choy
- sweet potato
- green beans
the list can go on and on so pick something that you enjoy! i throw these back into the pan to pick up any remaining spices that didn't come out but don't sauté for long - just enough to give a bit of flavor, and then into the crockpot they go! lastly, i add 2-3 cups of water (another part of the adventure - this can be as "soupy" or as "stewy" as you would like it to be - i mainly add enough water to ensure the rice and lentils have what they need. i also add vegetable broth to amp up the flavor a bit more!
because these have lentils, i then add a pinch of hing to help with the "bean gas" again (me and beans/lentils are not friends!) and then i set it and forget it! i also will always cook these overnight to ensure that everything is cooked through (aka the rice and lentils are fully cooked and not hard!) - if the kitchari seems too thick here, i'll add a bit more water but otherwise it's good to go.
top with some ghee and even perhaps some cilantro if that tickles your fancy and you are all set for one hearty meal that is filling, flavorful and delish!
let me know what you think and how you would do it up! enjoy!
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BASIC KITCHARI RECIPE
Makes 5 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup yellow mung dal
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 2-3 teaspoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon whole black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 pods cardamom
- 2 pods star anise
- 2 bay leaves or cassia leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon himalayan sea salt
- pinch of hing
- 2-3 cups of water
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- 2-6 cups veggies of your choosing
- 1-2 teaspoons cilantro (optional)
Directions:
- soak (minimum 2 hours and up to overnight) dal and basmati rice
- in a sauté pan, add ghee and spices
- sauté until mustard seeds pop
- drain water from dal and basmati rice
- add dal and basmati rice to sauce pan and coat with spice mixture
- once coated, add to crock pot along with water and vegetable broth
- if adding veggies, add to pan to collect remaining spices
- add veggie mixture to crock pot
- set on LOW for 8 hours
- serve warm topped with ghee and cilantro
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