Mung Dal is tridoshic’ which means suitable and balance all three Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Adding rice, it also adds some extra protein to the dish and becomes more filling.
Ayurvedic Kitchari Mung Dal
This dish is a perfect for detoxifying as it’s light, easy to digest, nourishing, great for removing toxins and cleansing the digestive system. Once you get hang of the dish – a formula, you can then experiment with other seasonal varieties of beans and grains and vegetables. In this dish, I will be using sweet potatoes. But, equally courgettes are great to add instead of sweet potatoes as you tried on the recent Day Retreat at Tofte Manor.
Ingredients you will need. Serves 4 people ( 10mins prep 20mins cooking time )
- 1 smaller mug of mung dal yellow
- 1 smaller mug of basmati white rice
- 1 white onion or leek
- 2 garlics
- 2-3 small carrots
- 4-5 small cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp fresh ginger ( use only 1/2 for Pitta type )
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chilly flakes ( use on 1/2 for Pitta type )
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 asofoetida
- 1/2 himalayan salt
- black pepper
- 1 1/2 mugs boiling water
- handful fresh coriander leaves ( half for cooking a half for garnish )
- fresh slice of lime to serve ( or a slice of lemon )
First cook rice and, leave it with a lid on and let it cool down. Meantime, start cutting onion on small slices and place on the separate saucepan in already hot oil. Add spices – mustard seeds, chilly, ginger and fry it all for about 2 minutes. Then, add carrots, and other powder spices together including cherry tomatoes, add hot water, salt, black pepper and cook for 15mins on a small heat. I always check and taste if a dish is ready or what else I might need to add for more flavour. Probably another 5 mins on smaller heat. We have induction cooker and, I always start on n.5 and after 10mins , I turned it down to n.4. if thats helpful.
I cooked sweet potatoes separately and just add them on the top as your extra protein. Handful of fresh coriander and I always like fresh squeezed lime juicy and, a touch of fresh ground black pepper.
You can see 2 pictures of the final dish. So for your own taste, you can mix Kitchari with rice or, serve it separately on the plate. Everyone to own its taste. Mixed or not, the flavours are delicious, warming and so tasty. Enjoy cooking as well as eating it! Do let me know if you manage to enjoy it.
May this simple but a full of flavours dish – Kitchari’ warms you up, cleanses you, keeping your ‘agni’ digestive fire working well throughout new season.
Till next time, in the kitchen,
Julia xx