Recipe by Rianne Chittenden
Photo by Salima's Kitchen
A staple in Ayurveda, this meal has been a game-changer for me. The ingredients are simple and very easy to digest and the added spices increase the digestibility even further. If I slip off the bandwagon of the diet/routine I know my body needs to thrive, this is my go-to to reset my digestion and return to center. You will find both a stove top and instant pot instructions below.
Ingredients from our kitchadi kit (minus water and veggies)- ⅓ cup rice
- ⅓ cup dahl
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp Ahara Ghee
- 2 tsp Ahara Kitchadi Spice Mix
- 1 cup chopped seasonal vegetable of choice*
Instant Pot
Instructions
- The night before thoroughly rinse the rice and dahl. Soak in separate containers. For the rice, the water level needs just a tad over the height of the rice. For the dahl, the water needs to be about 2x the height of the dahl(they will expand!).
- On the day of, discard the soaking water and give a final quick rinse to the rice and dahl.
- Set Instant pot to Saute. This does not take long to heat up. Add the ghee and then add the Ahara Kitchadi Spice mix. With a spatula, stir the spice mix evenly into the ghee for about 30 seconds. This process releases the volatile oils of the spices which contain the benefits of the spices.
- Cancel Saute Option and Select Multi-grain button and set to 30 minutes.
- Add the water and then the rest of the ingredients. *Do steps 4-5 quickly and have all ingredients ready so spices do not burn
- Put the lid on, make sure the pressure seal is in the closed position and let the instant pot do its magic!
- Once the 30 minutes is up, allow the instant pot to naturally release (usually 10-15 minutes).
- Enjoy!
*if you’re in a pinch, throwing the veggies in the instant pot is a great option, this does however make them soft (still just as nutritious though!). If you have the time and want to offset the porridge texture of the kitchari, I recommend sautéing the veggies on the stove to add texture to the meal.
Stove Top
Instructions
- The night before thoroughly rinse the rice and dahl. Soak in separate containers. For the rice, the water level needs just a tad over the height of the rice. For the dahl, the water needs to be about 2x the height of the dahl(they will expand!).
- On the day of, discard the soaking water and give a final quick rinse to the rice and dahl.
- Heat saucepan on medium and add Ghee
- Once hot, add the spice mix and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant
- Mix in rice, dahl and water. Cook uncovered, on low boil for about 5 minutes
- Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes (rice and dahl will be soft)
- Add vegetables in last 10ish minutes depending on firmness of vegetable or saute up in a separate saucepan for more texture!
- Enjoy!
This is my preferred way to cook kitchadi but there are so many variations out there! All are wonderful and as you experiment with the recipe, you will learn over time what you prefer:).