All of our retreats and teacher trainings are nourished by Gaia Gourmet Cuisine. Food is not only one of our primary means of enjoying life, it is also our medicine. This simple dish will support you all year long, and is especiaal beneficial when you feel depleted, ungrounded or out of balance. Please enjoy the recipe below. You can substitute the veggies for anything you have available, and also replace red lentils with split yellow lentils or mung beans.
Grounding and Nourishing Kichari
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1⁄2 c Brown Rice, washed
1⁄2 c Red Lentils, washed
2 T + 1/2 T Ghee (for vegans use evoo)
1 c Yellow onion, diced
2 c Curly Kale, chopped
1 c Carrots, diced
1/2 T Ginger, grated
4 cilantro leaves for garnish
1 t Black mustard seeds
1/4 t Cumin seed
1/2 t Turmeric powder
3/4 t Cumin powder
3/4 t Coriander powder
1/8 t Hing (asafoetida)
1/4 t Cardamom powder
1 t + 1/8 t salt
1/8 t Black pepper
3.5 c Water
Directions:
TO wash rice and lentils, place in metal bowl, fill with water and massage really well, pour of top water and repeat till water is clean. Then dump in strainer to get rid of the rest of water.
On high heat add ghee or oil to large pot. Once melted, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add ginger and all spices, stir for 30 seconds to emulsify it all.
Then mix in the dry lentils and rice; stir them into spices for 1 minute. Add onions and stir in for 1 minute. Add carrots and stir in for 1 minute. Add kale and stir in for 1 minute.
Then add water, cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, after first 20 minutes quickly pop the top and stir making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of pot. Stir again after another 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and the final 5 minutes (40 minutes in total).
Scoop into a bowl. Garnish with cilantro leaf + sprinkle with salt.