Kitchari, Ayurveda’s famous healing food.

There’s a reason kitchari has been called the “chicken soup” of Ayurveda. This humble dish, made from rice, mung dal and spices, is simple, nourishing and the perfect meal for a reset. When life gets busy, your digestion feels heavy, or you just want a gentle reset, a bowl of kitchari is the perfect meal.

Why is Kitchari so beloved in Ayurveda?

• Gentle on digestion. The combination of rice and split mung dal creates a complete protein that is light yet satisfying, giving your digestive system a rest while still nourishing your body.

• Mung dal is considered the easiest legume to digest. With its astringent and slightly sweet taste, it has a gentle scraping effect which helps remove toxins from the body while still rebuilding strength. This is why it is the key ingredient in Ayurvedic cleansing.

• Balances the doshas. With the right spices, kitchari can be adapted to suit all constitutions (vata, pitta, kapha). It is grounding, warming and harmonising.

• Detox and rejuvenation. Kitchari is often used in seasonal resets and Ayurvedic cleanses because it helps clear out ama (toxins) without weakening the body.

Simple Kitchari Recipe

This is a stripped back version, perfect for everyday cooking. You can adapt the flavours or add seasonal vegetables to make this your own. Once you get the hang of making Kitchari it becomes an easy intuitive process.

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

• ½ cup basmati rice

• ½ cup yellow split mung dal (or red lentils if you cannot find mung)

• 1 tablespoon ghee (or coconut oil for dairy free)

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• fresh grated ginger about 1 tbsp

• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (available from Indian grocery stores)

• 1 small carrot, diced (optional)

• 1 celery stalk, diced (optional)

• 5 cups water (or more for a soupier consistency)

• Salt to taste

• Fresh coriander to serve

Method

1. Rinse the rice and mung dal a few times until the water runs clear.

2. In a pot, warm the ghee. Add cumin seeds and let them pop for a few seconds.

3. Stir in turmeric, coriander, ginger and asafoetida. Let the spices become fragrant.

4. Add the rice, mung dal and chopped vegetables. Stir to coat with the spices.

5. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes until everything is soft and porridge like. Add more water if needed.

6. Season with salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon and garnish with fresh coriander. Enjoy this dish freshly made and warm.

How to get the most out of this healing food:

Eat kitchari on its own for a light, cleansing meal, or serve with a spoon of chutney, a dollop of yogurt, or a squeeze of lemon. You can make it soupy and light, or thicker and heartier when you are hungry.

Make sure to always soak and rinse mung dahl well. Check that the mung is fully cooked with no white powdery texture in the middle to ensure this is easy for your body to digest.

Kitchari is such a great reminder that healing food does not need to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest meals are the ones that bring us back into balance.