Healing Ayurvedic Kitchari

Kitchari is a traditional Indian dish made with a mix of Basmati rice and moong dal. This recipe is simple, easy to make, and one I grew up eating in my mother’s kitchen. It’s gentle on the digestive system and contains healing and detoxifying properties. The texture is creamy, soft, and velvety.

A Childhood full of Kitchari

When I think of my childhood, my mom’s kitchari is one of the first things that comes to mind. It was the first food I remember eating. I was a really picky eater growing up. My poor mom would struggle to get me to eat my meals. But not kitchari — it was one of my favorite meals (along with aloo tikki, chickpea curry, and a handful of other dishes), especially when it was served with a side of chopped tomato and onion salad

Benefits of Kitchari

Kitchari (pronouced “kitch-uh-ree”) is one of the most basic dishes in Ayurveda. It’s made with a handful of simple ingredients and cooked with a variety of Indian spices, including turmeric, cumin seeds, ginger, and black pepper.

Kitchari’s simplicity can have a balancing and detoxifying effect on the body. I usually enjoy it when I’m not feeling well as it’s traditionally prescribed when recovering from illness or when dealing with a digestive or gut issue as kitchari is easy on the digestive system.

While kitchari can be made with a variety of beans or lentils, they can be a harder for the body to digest. For that reason, it’s recommended to use split mung beans, also known as moong dal or washed mung dal.  However, it can be a little challenging to find them. I just order them from Amazon. I love that they are organic and come from a reliable source.

What does Kitchari Mean in English?

Kitchari literally means “mixture” or “mess” in Hindi and is pronounced “kitch-uh-ree” with a rolled “r.”  In this dish, the beans and rice are “mixed” and cooked together. Kitchari can also be spelled multiple ways, including khichadi or khichdi. I will stick to “kitchari” for this post as that seems to be the most popular spelling these days.

In Hindi, we also use the word “kitchari” in casual conversation to describe a mess or dramatic situation in our lives (for example, “oh gosh, my life is such a kitchari right now” =). You get the idea! And yes, I frequently mix English and Hindi words when chatting with my parents.

How to Make Kitchari

Kitchari can be made a variety of ways. The way I’ve explained it in this recipe is how I grew up eating it. All you need it Basmati rice, split mung beans, water, and a few spices. While kitchari is usually made with ghee, I use avocado oil in this recipe. Once you have all of the ingredients, making the kitchari is easy:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice and moong dal. Ideally, you want to soak the mixture in water for about 15-20 minutes. Pour the mixture into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cool running water until the water starts to run clear.
2. Add oil to a medium pot on medium-low heat. Once the oil starts to warm up, carelly add the cumin seeds and let it cook for about a minute until the seeds start to brown and become fragrant.
3. Add the ginger and ground turmeric. Stir and add the rice and moong dal mixture. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Stir and add the 4 cups of water.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the water to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a gentil simmer. Let the kitchari simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you get a porridge-like consistency. It should be soft and creamy.
5. Carefully (as it will be hot) taste the kitchari to make sure the rice and dal are fully cooked. If not, you may need to let it cook a little longer.
6. Turn off the heat. Adjust the seasoning, if needed, and stir again. Serve and enjoy.

How to Store Kitchari

Once you’ve made your kitchari, you can either enjoy it immediately or store it for later. If you’re going to store it for later, be sure to cool it down completely before moving it into your refrigerator. I store mine in an air-tight glass container and it’s usually good for up to 3-4 days.

Once you are ready to enjoy it again, scoop out the amount of kitchari needed and warm it up on the stovetop in a small pot. Feel free to mix in some water (I usually add 1/4 cup of water for every cup of kitchari I reheat) to get that same creamy consistency you had when you first made it!

I hope you enjoy this traditional Indian dish. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think!  Just tag your photos to #realandvibrant on Instagram. There’s truly nothing that inspires me more than seeing you guys trying out the recipes I post.

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This recipe was originally published on March 13, 2017. Since then, it’s been freshened up with new pictures, commentary, and made even more delicious!