Posted on

Quinoa Kitchari – Pitta Balancing Recipe

Moong Dahl

Delicious, high protein, easy to digest Kitchari.  You can easily put this recipe together and be sitting down to enjoy it within the hour!  Traditionally, Kitchari is made with Split Moong Dahl (split mung beans) and white Basmati Rice.  In this modern version, I have substituted the ancient grain, Quinoa for the Rice.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Split Moong Dahl – rinsed & soaked over night

1/2 cup Quinoa – rinsed

2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp Almond or Olive Oil

1 tsp Pitta Spicing Blend (Shaktiveda Herbal)

1 TBSP Shredded Coconut

1/2 tsp fresh Ginger – grated or chopped

1 tsp No Chicken Bouillon (Better Than Bouillon Brand)

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 medium Sweet Potato, Carrot, or Yam – diced

8 – 10  Asparagus Stalks – cut (May substitute Green Beans)

1/2 Lemon, juiced

Optional:

Fresh Sweet Basil – chopped

Fresh Cilantro – chopped

Serves 3 people (or 2 as a one pot meal)

Directions:

Rinse the Moong Dahl and soak over night (or at least for several hours) as this assists the beans in being more digestible.

Soaked Moong Dahl
Soaked Moong Dahl

To cook, use a medium sized  pot with a lid.  I prefer using an enamel coated cast iron pot (Le Creuset) as it allows for even distribution of the heat, but any pot will do.  

Begin with putting the oil in the pot, turn on the heat, and then add the next 3 ingredients:  Pitta Spicing Blend, Shredded Coconut, and the fresh Ginger.  Stir and lightly saute the spices for several minutes on a medium heat – do not allow the coconut to become brown.

Roasting Spices
Roasting Spices

Add the strained Moong Dahl and the Quinoa, stir and allow to lightly saute with the spices for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add the water, No Chicken Bouillon, and Sea Salt – bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  After 5 minutes, add the diced sweet potato, Carrot, or yam.  In 15 more minutes, or about 1/2 way through cooking, add the cut Asparagus (or Green Beans).  

Total Cooking Time:  approximately 45 minutes – or until the dish is the consistency of cooked Rice and you no longer see any water in the pot.  Some people prefer a more liquid Kitchari – in this case, you would begin with more water.  

Finished Kitchari
Finished Kitchari

Before eating, squeeze fresh lemon juice and sprinkle some chopped fresh Basil or fresh Cilantro if desired.  

Ayurveda Information:  

This recipe contains all 6 Tastes.  According to Ayurveda, having all 6 Tastes at lunch and dinner allows your body to be more easily satisfied and allows the cells to assimilate the nutrients in a more complete manner.  Many times when one does not feel satiated or satisfied after a meal it may be due to not having each of the 6 Tastes at that meal.  Watch our YouTube video on 6 Tastes for more information.  

This recipe is TriDoshic – this means that this recipe is suitable for the 3 Ayurveda Body Types – Vata, Pitta, or Kapha.  

The spices and the Asparagus in this recipe makes it Pitta  pacifying.  The underlying basics of Kitchari makes it a dish that is wonderfully balancing to Vata Dosha –  and in particularly to Apana Vata (the downward moving Vata in the lower abdominal area responsible for having a good bowel movement and releasing toxins in the body).