Spring Cleansing Kitchari Recipe

I cleanse my body every Spring the Ayurvedic way, following a simple monodiet protocol of kitchari, daily abhyanga, gentle yoga, and an earlier bedtime for 5-7 days! Never done a cleanse? A plethora of Spring cleanse options are available online, and I endorse these trusted ones: be guided by or cleanse collectively with Alicia Hunter, Kate O’Donnell, or Dr. Vasant Lad. 

And if you just don’t feel like doing a cleanse, but want to eat a little cleaner, try my favorite kitchari recipe for a couple of days, along with yoga and bed time, for a mini reset. 

Michelle’s Kitchari Recipe (adapted from the Ayurvedic Center of Vermont's One Pot Kitchari Recipe)

This is a great recipe that I've done dozens of times and really love. It can be made all in one pot by skipping the tempering of the ghee with the ground spices in a separate pan by simply adding these all to the pot instead.

• 1/2 cup white basmati rice
• 1/2 cup split mung beans/yellow split dhal (adjust ratio of rice to dhal based on your needs)
• 7+ cups water
• 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 inches fresh ginger root, grated or diced (or 1 tsp dried powdered ginger if you don't have fresh)
• 2 inches fresh turmeric root, grated or diced (or 1 tsp dried powdered turmeric if you don't have fresh)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida aka hing (optional)
• Seasonal veggies - carrots, zucchini, squash, fennel bulb, chard, kale, bok choy, cilanatro, etc. -approx. 2 cups

Tempered ghee 

• 1  teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric (yes, more turmeric!)
  
• 2 tablespoon ghee 
• 8-10 curry leaves (optional)

Finishing

• 1 cup greens (use bitter ones, like dandelions, for Spring Cleansing!)
• cilantro leaves, more shredded coconut, a wedge of lime, sautéed greens, more tempered ghee if your cholesterol is low.
• Salt to taste (no more than 2 tsp - and 1 tsp max if you are pitta predominant) 
• Other optional spices, including curry powder, garam masala, bay leaf, black pepper

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1. Wash and rinse rice and dhal in a deep steel pot or dutch over thoroughly with cold water, 2-3 times, draining off cloudy water each time. 
2. Add 7 cups of water to pot and bring to a gentle boil for 5-10 min. Skim off most/all of the foam that forms.
3. Lower heat and add the chopped ginger, turmeric and the ground coconut. If using beets, add them at this time, too.Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add remaining veggies except the greens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. While kitchari cooks, grind spices in a spice grinder, or a mortar and pestle. (You may substitute powdered spices for whole in the same amounts, if necessary.) In a small pan, melt ghee and add spices, and curry leaves if you have them. Warm on medium-low until spices are fragrant, then set aside off heat. Be careful not to scorch the spices! 
6. Stir this "tempered" ghee into the pot. Add the hing and salt to taste. Cook 5 minutes. 
7. At this point, the kitchari should be getting fairly thick, so test for doneness - it should be very soft. If not, add more water, and cook until it reaches a consistency you prefer, from hearty stew to a thinner nourishing light soup. More water, more soup-like!
8. Stir in the greens until they wilt (or alternatively steam your greens separately and add on top when serving.) Taste and add more water or any more of the suggested spices. 
9. Serve in bowls, topped with cilantro and a wedge of lime, some shredded coconut, and maybe a pinch of curry powder. Sometimes I temper a tsp of ghee with a pinch or two of whole fennel, coriander and cumin to add on top as well (see image.) Enjoy!