New Mama Kitchari
Kitchari is a fantastically nourishing and easy to digest dish which is perfect to eat when recovering from illness or needing a bit of a reboot to the digestive system. This particular version is aimed at the postpartum period, although it can be enjoyed at any time! The long cooking time, digestive spices, soupy texture and ghee nourish the new mother’s digestive system and slowly rekindles the digestive fire which greatly diminishes after childbirth. Enjoy this kitchari in the first few days and weeks postpartum and you will probably find yourself coming back to this recipe again and again as a comforting reminder of that precious time.
Ingredients (serves 3)
2/3 cup basmati rice, soaked for 8 hours or overnight
1/3 cup yellow mung dal, soaked for 8 hours or overnight
3 tbsp ghee (or sesame oil)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
1/4 tsp asafoetida
6 cups water (1.5 litres)
Directions
Drain mung dal and rice and rinse well. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large pot then add mung dal, rice and turmeric, Stir to combine. Add water, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for around 45 minutes until the mung dal is very soft and mushy. Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee to a frying pan. Once hot, add in cumin seeds and asafoetida. When cumin seeds start to brown, add the ground fenugreek and stir for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat. Once kitchari is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the ghee/spice mixture. Cover and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes for the flavours to infuse. Serve topped with black pepper and easy to digest vegetables such as courgette or asparagus.
With love x
