Kitchari is a warm, savory soup or porridge made from a combination of legumes and grains with spices that promote optimal digestion. It is the traditional cleansing food of the Ayurvedic Tradition.
Easy to digest, complete protein food that is deeply nourishing and satisfying to the palate and the cells of your body.
• While typically legumes can be difficult to digest, Kitchari is made with the most easily-digested legumes: split mung beans and red lentils.
• Kitchari Queen has chosen easily-digested grains and seeds to compliment these legumes, white basmati rice, millet and buckwheat.
• Superfood herbs and spices enhance both the flavor palate and the health promoting benefits of this healing food:
Ginger, Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Fennel, Cardamom, Burdock Root, Shatavari, Ashwagandha, Moringa leaf, Holy Basil leaf, Curry leaf
Kitchari is a magical, complete protein food.
The combination of legumes and grains provides all the amino acids needed to form a complete protein. Eaten alone, each of these foods is missing one or more of the essential amino acids that our bodies are not able to make on their own. Together they make magic happen!
- Complete protein content of kitchari supports stable blood sugar levels, energy and mental clarity.
- When used for cleansing, your body is nourished as it detoxes for no-stress cleansing allowing your body to let go of excesses.
The Legumes
Split mung beans are simply whole green mung beans that have had the outer skin removed, making them one of the most easily digested legumes on the planet.
Red lentils are the sweetest and mildest of all the lentils and may be used interchangeably with split mung beans.
- High in protein, antioxidants, soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamins and minerals and phytoestrogens.
- Their rasa (taste) quality is astringent. The astringent taste has a scraping and pulling action that can help root out excess mucous, toxins and parasites that may be lodged in your gut.
- Cooling in nature, so reduce inflammation and mildly diuretic, so can help flush excess heat from your body.
- Used for centuries as a restorative food for the sick, young and elderly, providing comfort and satisfaction as well as to rest and restore digestive function.
The Herbs
Kitchari improves digestion with the addition of many spices and herbs that enhance the digestive process; ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, cardamom and even salt and black pepper are all powerful digestive aids. With the addition of sour taste in the form of a squeeze of lemon or lime or a dollop of yogurt, kitchari has all 6 tastes which satisfies the palate as well as calms the mind.
Here at Kitchari Queen we have taken Kitchari to a whole new level with the addition of superfood herbs that are grown on our organic farm on Kauai. We grow, dry and process our own:
- ginger
- turmeric
- green curry leaf
- holy basil (tulsi) leaf
- moringa leaf
- burdock root
- ashwagandha
- shatavari
The “Grains”
White basmati rice is traditionally used in kitchari because it is very easy to digest.
Millet and buckwheat groats in two of our recipes for those that want to reduce or eliminate rice from their diet. Both millet and buckwheat, when cooked, are easily digested seeds, typically referred to as a gluten free grains.
Millet is an alkaline seed that is high in protein, rich in zinc, folic acid, magnesium and iron. It has both soluable and insoluable fiber. The insoluable fiber is known as a “prebiotic” which supports a healthy microbiome, or gut bacteria.
Buckwheat groats are high in antioxidants which can help to reduce inflammation. Like millet, buckwheat groats are a source of fiber and prebiotics, supporting a healthy gut bacteria. Buckwheat also contains all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein. When cooked it has a very similar texture as rice.
During a Kitchari Cleanse, eating a mono diet of primarily kitchari for several days offers the digestive system a rest by making the diet extremely simple. Unlike fasting cleanses, a kitchari cleanse is substantial enough to fuel you as you accomplish your day-to-day responsibilities. While kitchari is used for cleansing, it is also incredibly delicious, so don’t wait until your cleanse to try it!
Make your kitchari as a special meal, by cooking it with a 2 cups of coconut milk replacing 2 cups of water for a rich and delicious treat. Change it up with the addition of an array of fresh vegetables. Try it topped with toasted sesame seeds, shredded coconut, or cilantro, or serve with a side of chutney. Enjoy, knowing all the wonderful benefits that kitchari brings!