Ayurvedic recipes are designed to heal and restore balance in the digestive system and overall body. This Indian recipe is called Kitchari, which is a lentil and rice soup with delicious spices and vegetables and is a soothing porridge I especially love to eat in the Fall when it gets cool.
PrintKitchari – Ayurvedic Cleansing Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup split red or yellow lentils (also called dal)
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tsp coriander seeds (or 1 1/2 tsp powdered coriander)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 tsp cumin seeds (or 1 tbsp powdered cumin)
- 1 medium onion, peeled
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 6 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional: juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Place the lentils and rice in a large bowl and fill with water. Stir with your hands and allow to soak while you prepare your vegetables.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic, then cut the sweet potato and zucchini into small, 1/2 inch sized cubes. Pour the lentils and rice into a sieve and rinse with cold water, stirring with your hand to catch and remove any pebbles.
- Heat a large pot to medium low heat, add the ghee and the spices and seeds. Stir until the seeds begin to pop and become fragrant. Add the onion, garlic, sweet potato and zucchini and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the lentil and rice mixture and the water and stir. Cover the pot with a lid and once it comes up to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Stir, taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the heat off and add the spinach. When it wilts, add the cilantro, stir and ladle into soup bowls. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Keywords: kitchari, soup, dal, lentils, Indian food, ayurvedic medicine
