Kitchari: A healing food in Ayurveda

Kitchari: A healing food in Ayurveda

Taken from: Food As Medicine: The Theory and Practice of Food

Kitchari is the classical Ayurvedic panacea, eaten whenever there is ill health or during a therapeutic regimen such as panch karma and detoxification. Essentially made from rice, kitchari is a universal food found in other cultures, with similar sounding names such as ‘kushari’ in the Middle East and ‘congee’ in China. There are an infinite array of variations, and based on the herbs and spices chosen, can be prepared to reduce vata, pitta or kapha. The following recipe is definitely Indian-inspired, using the herbs and spices of Ayurveda to enhance digestion.

The following recipe calls for fermented, whole grain mung and brown rice. Prepared in this way, kitchari is more nourishing, but harder for digestion. For people with weak digestion, or undergoing the graduated diet, the whole grains can be substituted with white basmati rice and washed mung dahl. While these don’t need to be fermented before use, ensure that you soak them overnight to enhance digestibility.

This recipe produces a soupy kitchari which is easy for digestion, but if you are looking to make this dish more substantial, reduce the amount of water to around 5-6 cups.

Ingredients
2 cups brown or white basmati rice (fermented, p. 144)
1/2 cup green or washed mung dahl (fermented, p. 144)
8 cups water
2 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. coriander powder
2 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
2-3 cinnamon sticks, broken into large pieces
10-12 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp. whole black pepper
½ tsp. hing powder
½ tsp. turmeric powder
sea salt, to taste

Directions
If you are using the whole grains, ferment (p. 144) the rice and mung beans first, and drain before use. For the white rice and washed mung dahl, simply soak over night in water. When the rice and beans are so prepared, melt ghee over medium heat in a large pot, and add in cumin seed, mustard seed, cinnamon bark, cardamom pods, black pepper and hing. Just as the mustard seeds start to pop, add in the coriander powder, turmeric and salt. Stir for another half a minute or so, and then add in the rice and dahl, frying in the fat and spices for a few more minutes before adding in 8 cups water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours (~1 hour for white rice and washed mung dahl), until the rice and dahl is soft.

Asian kitchari is a variation on this recipe, substituting short grain brown rice for basmati rice, and adzuki bean for mung. Follow the same recipe but use flavors such as fresh ginger, garlic, seaweed and tamari. When it’s done mix in a couple tablespoons of miso paste and garnish with fresh chopped shiso leaf or cilantro.

Were they wrong about salt?

Were they wrong about salt?

In a recent study, the link between salt and cardiovascular disease has been questioned.

“In a study that seems likely to re-energize the debate over dietary salt, European researchers found that the changes in the amount of sodium excreted in the urine were related to changes in systolic blood pressure. But they were not linked to diastolic pressure or the risk of developing hypertension, according to Jan Staessen, MD, PhD, of the University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium, and colleagues. And levels of urinary sodium excretion were inversely related to the risk of dying of cardiovascular causes, Staessen and colleagues reported in the May 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Taken together, Staessen and colleagues argued, the findings do not support “the current recommendations of a generalized and indiscriminate reduction of salt intake at the population level.”

As a practitioner of Ayurveda I have never been keen on the notion that salt is atherogenic, considering its traditional importance.  To be sure, the ubiquitous use of refined salt spiked with inorganic iodine in equally unhealthy junk foods is certainly problematic, but there is no evidence that a moderate amount of unrefined salt added to homemade food is unhealthy.  In Ayurveda, salt is used to balance vata dosha, and treat problems including poor digestion, diarrhea and dehydration.  Several different types of salt are used in the diet, including sea salt (samudra lavana) and pink salt (saindhava).  Sea salt in India is identical to most other types, and is collected from evaporated sea water, and naturally contains small amounts of iodine.  Pink salt is harvested from rock quarries in the Himalayas, and contains an abundance of trace minerals, including sulfur, which gives pink salt its “stinky” taste and makes it particularly good for digestion.   For general purposes I recommend adding only 1 tsp of salt to most dishes during cooking, and then if required adding a little bit more with the meal, for taste.  Pink salt is also found in the Ayurvedic formula Hingwastak churna, prepared with spicy herbs including hing (Ferula assafoetida), and is taken with meals as a condiment to enhance weak digestion.  Hingwastak is also very good for gas and bloating, excess mucus, and parasites.