"What is in Kel's hands this season"?
Kitchari Through the Changing Seasons
It's the kind of dish you can eat for days on end and just let your digestion take a breather. The lentils and rice cook down together so easily, and the spices are there to help things along rather than sit heavy. Honestly, that's exactly what I need right now with the seasons shifting. Winter's been about slowing down, turning inward, and spring is starting to ask for something different, not a big burst of energy, more of a soft emerging. Kitchari feels like it lives right in that in-between. Still a nourishing hug in a bowl, but light enough to carry me into spring. And I always make mine with ghee. It's such a small thing but it carries so much of what this dish is about, warming, grounding, the kind of fat that actually helps your body use everything else in the bowl instead of just filling you up.
Honestly, it's the bit I look forward to most. Makes the whole thing feel indulgent even though everything in it is so simple and gut-friendly.
This healing kitchari recipe uses cooked lentils, rice and spices. It's a gluten-free, vegan staple of Ayurvedic diets and is layered with supportive spices and ginger.
Servings 4
Ingredients
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1 cup dried yellow split peas or lentils
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1/2 cup long grain brown rice
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3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
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1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
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2 teaspoons ground cumin
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1 teaspoon ground coriander
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1 teaspoon fennel seeds
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1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
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1 teaspoon ground turmeric
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1 teaspoon sea salt
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5 cups vegetable stock or water
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1 small crown broccoli finely chopped into an almost rice-like texture (about 2 cups total)
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1 medium zucchini coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
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1 cup packed baby spinach roughly chopped
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1/4 cup cilantro leaves
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Plain full-fat Greek yogurt for serving
Instructions
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Rinse the yellow split peas or lentils and rice in a fine mesh colander under cold water until the water runs clear.
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In a large lidded saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil or ghee. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, fenugreek, and turmeric. Cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add the split peas or lentils and rice and stir to coat in the spices. Add the salt and pour in the water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas/lentils are tender but not mushy and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (You may need to add more water if the mixture becomes to dry or begins to stick to the bottom of the pan).
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Stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and spinach, then remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm scattered with the cilantro and plain yogurt, if desired
