Ayurveda Recipe: Kichari & Collards

First things first—happy New Year!  Wishing you infinite and absolute wellness in 2020 and beyond!

While celebrating over the holidays, you may have eaten and imbibed a bit more than usual. BUT that’s ok! Stressing out too much about this will wreak more havoc than if you just acknowledge it and move into the new year with good habits to get yourself back on track. That being said, if you put on a little extra weight or just aren’t feeling up to par, have no fear, Ayurveda is here!

There is a well known recipe in Ayurveda called kichari. Everyone from babies to baby boomers and beyond, can benefit from its cleansing, healing, nourishing, and rejuvenating properties. Kichari’s ability to detoxify, heal the intestinal tract, and deliver vital nutrients, while allowing the digestive system to rest and reset itself, makes it a perfect post holiday choice. If you explore eating a mono-diet of kichari one or two days a week and exercise regularly, you’ll be on your way to seeing the scale slide back to normal in no time. Seasonal vegetables and warmer spices are added to this traditional staple for winter.

KEEP CALM AND KICHARI ON!

Recipe: Kichari & Collards

Serves 2–4

1/2 c. split mung beans soaked over night and rinsed
1/2 c. white basmati rice soaked over night and rinsed
1 bunch chopped collards
4 c. hot water
2 Tbs. ghee
2 tsp. fresh chopped ginger (substitute 1 tsp. ginger powder)
1 tsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground fennel
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. mineral salt
1 tsp. ground turmeric
Lemon and lime wedges for garnish

1. On low to medium heat, saute the ginger in ghee in a large pot until softened.
2. Add mustard seeds and let them cook until they start to dance.
3. Add the remaining spices, except turmeric, and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Stir in the mung beans and coat with spices.
5. Add the hot water and cook covered until half the water is absorbed. Then, add the rice and cook covered until most of the water is absorbed. (The rice and beans won’t take long because they have been soaked overnight.)
6. Stir in the collards and add more water if necessary to submerge them and keep the rice and beans moist.
7. Cook for a couple of minutes until the collards are soft and tender.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the turmeric.

Serves with wedges of lemon or lime for garnish and to impart the salty taste without adding extra salt.