Perfect Kichari
4 servings
30 minutes
Kichari is an ancient dish of Indian cuisine, revered for its healing and nutritious qualities. It symbolizes balance and harmony through the combination of basmati rice and mung beans, creating a complete protein profile. Enriched with aromatic spices—cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and black pepper—kichari fills the home with warmth and comfort. Its velvety texture with a coconut note, complemented by the freshness of cilantro and the spiciness of ginger, makes it a refined and satisfying dish. In Ayurveda, kichari is considered an ideal means for detoxifying the body and restoring energy. Its soft, warming consistency is perfect for both daily meals and cleansing diets. This dish reveals the depth of Indian traditions by combining simplicity in preparation with complexity in flavor nuances.
1
Rinse the rice and mung beans until the water is clear.
- Basmati rice: 1 glass
- Mung beans: 1 glass
2
Heat the ghee in a pot over medium heat. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, 10 peppercorns, turmeric, stir and sauté until fragrant.
- Clarified butter (ghee): 1 tablespoon
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
- Cinnamon sticks: 1 piece
- Cloves: 5 piece
- Green cardamom pods: 5 piece
- Black peppercorns: 10 pieces
- Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
3
Then pour hot water over the spices and add the washed rice and mung beans. Stir and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Water: 4 glasss
- Basmati rice: 1 glass
- Mung beans: 1 glass
4
Then cover with a lid, leaving a small gap, and cook for another 20-25 minutes until the rice and mung beans are ready.
5
Blend ginger, coconut flakes, and cilantro with a little water until a liquid paste. Add to the pot with the other ingredients 5 minutes before cooking is done and salt to taste.
- Fresh ginger: 1 tablespoon
- Desiccated coconut: 2 tablespoons
- Fresh cilantro (coriander): 1 bunch
- Rock salt (halite): to taste