Enjoy this dish regularly as a healthy, healing meal for all body types. If during the summer, or experiencing a pitta imbalance, you can omit the garlic. It is especially beneficial during times when you need a digestive rest, are experiencing digestive or elimination challenges, detoxification, weight loss, illness, post-cleansing, and general weakness. This is also one of my favorite recipes for my postpartum mamas in the first few days after birth.
Asparagus Kitchadi
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
½ cup split yellow mung beans
5 to 8 cups pure water
½ lb fresh asparagus (or zucchini, okra, carrot)
3 Tbsp clarified butter or ghee
1 tsp yellow (or brown) mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin powder
1 to 2 cloves freshly minced garlic (optional)
pinch asafoetida powder (hing)
½ tsp turmeric powder
⅓ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Garnish with optional grated coconut, sea salt, fresh lemon for asparagus, or lime
Directions
- Clean the rice and dahl separately. It is easier that way to see and remove any debris or stones.
- Rinse two or three times in cool water, until the water runs clear.
- Add water to a medium-sized, heavier bottom soup pan and bring to a boil. Allow rice and dahl to simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes while you prepare the spices and any desired vegetables.
- Wash and prep your vegetables into smaller bite-sized pieces.
- When your rice-mung mix has cooked for about 30 minutes or more, heat a heavy skillet over a medium flame and add the ghee. Add mustard seeds to the hot pan, then cumin shortly thereafter with minced garlic. Within a few seconds, mustard seeds will start to pop. When garlic is beginning to turn golden, add the asafoetida (or cumin, if using powder).
- Add asparagus or other vegetable and sauté briefly to sear and protect color. Add turmeric powder to warm with any other easier burning spices like nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, leafy herbs, cardamom, and cayenne, just before you pour the oil, spices, and vegetables directly into the boiling rice and dahl mixture. Cook until vegetables are tender.
- Reserve a teaspoon or so of cilantro per serving; add the rest to your pot just before removing the heat source and cover. Serve with favored optional condiments, such as sea salt, cilantro, coconut, and a squeeze of lime.
