Vata Soothing Kitchari: Cleansing and Grounding

Kitchari is a perfect food and during the autumn seasonal transition—it is food as medicine at its best. Kitchari has the qualities that balance Vata dosha—warm, moist, grounding and soothing.

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Vata Soothing Kitchari

What are the benefits of Kitchari?

Kitchari provides many benefits, and it is a key Ayurveda food as medicine tool. It is healing to the digestive system, it's cleansing, it's a gentle detox, it's balancing to all three doshas- Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

This nourishing, cleansing and easy to digest dish needs to be as dynamic as we are. As the dance of the doshas shifts, so may our kitchari change with the season, as part of an Ayurvedic cleanse, or to address a specific concern (lung kitchari, as an example).

For kitchari to optimally do its work, it needs to be simple, appealing, balancing to Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas, aligned for you, the season, where you live, and tailored to your current condition. All of that’s good news because it means more variety.

Tweak this recipe to suit your doshic picture and based on your custom Saumya Ayurveda food program. Serve with roasted winter squash, drizzled with ghee and your sweet herbal remedy for optimal digestion. You will be in heaven. For more ideas on kitchari, click here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white basmati rice

• ½ cup organic yellow split, washed (hulled) mung bean

• 4 cups water

• 3 tablespoons ghee or your best oil from your food program

• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

• 1+ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 pinches hing (asafoetida)

• ½ teaspoon turmeric Adjust recipe amounts and feed your family and friends.

Instructions:

Wash rice and mung dal and soak for 1+ hours. Drain soak water. Rinse well.

In a pot, warm ghee. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and ginger root (Kapha may use dry ginger powder), and sauté for a minute. Add basmati rice and mung beans and bathe with the ghee and spices. Then add 4+ cups of water and bring to a boil.

Once the kitchari boils, add salt, hing, turmeric, and other spices that suit you. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until everything is very tender, down right mushy. (Depends on the elevation where you live, stove, pot, etc. but about 30-45 minutes.)

Add more water to prevent scorching as needed. The consistency may range from vegetable stew to medicinally mushy yumminess.

Garnish with fresh cilantro and add salt to taste. You may add a little chutney to make it even tastier. Interested in easy homemade healing chutney recipes? Stay tuned.

Culinary Tweaks for Vata, Pitta and Kapha Dosha:

Vata:

1. Add extra black pepper for taste and additional spice to strengthen agni—digestive fire.

2. Ground and sooth Vata's mobile, light nature with roasted root vegetables as a great grounding choice for side dishes. Baked winter squash with your Saumya Sweet Spice Mix is another crowd pleaser.

3. For an alternative dal, you can substitute yellow mung dal for creamy urad dal. Urad dal is sweet, heavy, unctuous, and slightly heating, which is excellent for Vata.

Kapha: Kick up the heat to invigorate a heavier, slower metabolism. Here's one formula to try: 4 bay leaves ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder ¼ teaspoon clove powder ¼ teaspoon mineral salt ½ teaspoon mustard seed ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin powder, plus hot chile as appropriate for you.

Pitta: Garnish with shredded coconut, squeeze of fresh lime, and cilantro.

Ayurvedic Cilantro Chutney

Health Beneifts according to Ayurveda: Clears ama from the system. May remove heavy metals. Improves digestion. Make fresh and may be eated daily.

1. ½ c chopped fresh cilantro, wash thoroughly

2. ¼ t Himalayan pink salt or other good, real salt

3. Fresh juice from ½ lime

4. ¼ cup water

5. ¼ cup raisins

6. ¼ t your Saumya savory spice mix

7. 1/3 cup raw cashews

8. Blend together in a small Cuisinart or Magic Bullet

Benefits of Cilantro:

1. May lower blood sugar. High blood sugar levels increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

2. Rich in immune boosting antioxidants

3. May lower heart disease risks

4. Anti-inflammatory properties may protect against brain diseases

5. Supports healthy gut and digestion

Make sure your spices are fresh. For dried herbs and spices, the shelf life is about a year, although the exact length depends on the quality of the spice (how fresh was it at the time of purchase) and how the spice has been stored.

Rancid, depleted spices should be replaced. Spices are digestive herbs that helps us digest, assimilate and eliminate foods properly which, according to Ayurveda, is fundamental to good health.

“Veena has been a dream to work with! I came to her with a number of concerns around my digestion, skin, and menstrual cycle, and she has helped me find so much improvement in all areas and more!” – Meg McNeil, Boulder, CO

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“Veena is absolutely incredible and so thorough. She made me feel comfortable and confident in myself and my ability to use food as medicine and to make needed changes in my life. Thank you!”

--A.A. Albuquerque, New Mexico

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“Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again!

I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.” -Molly Rossini, Minnesota

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Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and Monk.

She fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knees.

She remains passionate for 30 years about helping feel their best with Ayurveda. Veena individualizes natural treatment plans to each person, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach. To learn more about Ayurveda and how she will help you take control of your health now — click here to explore how you may benefit.

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Vata joined the Saumya Ayurveda pack about a year ago. At first, his Vata was quite imbalanced. He was fearful, underweight, skittish, hand shy and anxious.

I worked with him slowly to gain his trust. Letting him come to me. Once vata dosha was grounded with the help of warm, moist food with ghee on it, Vata experienced trust and fear reduced, the door was wide open.

Now Vata is thriving. He has gained weight; he is trusting of (some) people and I am honored to be one of them. He loves to be pet--and he especially loves to have his big ears massaged. Vata is an absolute joy to have on the team.