Mung bean kitchari with turmeric and cauliflower rice

Kitchari, the pillar of Ayurvedic cuisine

When settlers landed on the Indian continent, they discovered a new culinary culture: vegetarian and devoid of artifice. Kitchari thus becomes the symbolic dish of Indian food. Some emperors used it during fasting and lean days. English settlers were inspired by kitchari, the “kedgeree”, to make a savory porridge, a staple of the English breakfast.

Kitchari is an emblematic dish and a staple of Indian cuisine. Our recipe for “CHOUX RICE -FLOWERS” is as good as a starch, as healthy as a vegetable! It contains more nutrients, fewer calories, lower index and glycemic load than rice, mung beans, vegetables of the moment, spices such as turmeric, cardamom, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, fennel and ghee (Indian clarified butter), and is eaten by the people and monks alike. It is also found in ashrams (Indian monasteries) and is especially indicated as a healing dish in Ayurveda.

The benefits of mung beans

Native to India, the mung bean is also known as “green soy”. It’s a fabulous legume, rich in protein and micronutrients. Green soybeans contain many vitamins from the A, B and C groups, as well as important trace elements (omega 3, 6 and 9, phosphorus, sodium and potassium). They are the only beans that absorb air in the belly, so they prevent intestinal gas and bloating.

Kitchari is used to aid detoxification in Ayurveda. It is found with meals during “Panchakarma” purification cures, and can be prescribed during treatment or taken during convalescence after a cure. With rice and mung beans in equal quantities, and vegetables of the moment, the result is an energetic, purifying dish. Rich in proteins and carbohydrates, it is easily digestible and allows good absorption of nutrients. Kitchari nourishes while resting the body. In Ayurveda, this is a “tridoshic” dish (balancing the three doshas). Kitchari can be adapted to suit the season and your individual constitution.