Kitchari Recipe - to get you through the Winter!

We all feel a bit lacking in energy during the Winter months and if you are like me then you might feel attracted to comfort food.  But instead of reaching for some buttery mashed potato butties (completely carbtastic but can make you feel a bit sluggish for the rest of the day) why not have a go at Kitchari.  This is my new signature dish - makes the house fragrant and wonderful.

As a bonus you can actually help soothe and cleanse the digestive tract with this combo of ingredients, it is an Ayurvedic recipe and if juice cleanses are not your thing (and they are not mine - done too many extreme diets in this lifetime!) this can be a really great way to boost energy levels and feelings of well-being without feeling deprived.  You can eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner - or all three if you really like it. 

Recipes vary wildly - so here is mine which I have modified from several recipes I found online (as usual I have trouble following recipes exactly!)

Kitchari

2 tablespoons of coconut oil (the original recipe said ghee but coconut oil has so many health benefits and gives a lovely background flavour)
Half a cup of split yellow peas (soak these for a few hours or overnight)
One cup of brown basmati rice (the Tilda one is very good - worth paying a bit more for the rice as good quality rice makes a really great Kitchari)
4-6 cups of water - depending on how moist you want it to be
6-7 cups of mixed veg (I love cauliflower, broccoli, green beans)
2 inch piece of ginger - minced
1 Tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
Half teaspoon of ground coriander
Half teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Half a teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Himalayan salt or sea salt

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan
2. Add the mustard seeds until they start to pop, then add the ginger and spices but not the salt at this point.
3. Add the rice and the yellow peas.
4. Slowly start to add the water.
5. Add the veg and bring to boil.
6. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes - keep an eye on it and add more water if it looks like its becoming dry.
7.  Add the salt at the very end - I know it seems like a lot of salt but this recipe makes many portions.

This is a great recipe and you can change the proportions of spices and add other things like lentils or mung beans (this is very traditional but I couldn't get hold of mung beans in the town where I live!)
Just make it to your taste - some roasted sweet potato and a large spoonful of coconut milk makes it a more indulgent, rich dish but still healthy.  Try it - I am sure you will love it!

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