What we thought was an early spring has quickly reverted back to winter in Kansas City. I hope you had a chance to see the Nichols Fountain adorned in icicles and sno-cone froth. Cold food, such as the watercress salad I posted last week, aren’t warming enough for most of us in chilly weather. But, winter’s return doesn’t mean you have to stop your internal spring cleaning. For thousands of years yogis have eaten a bean and rice dish called khichari (KICH-ar-ee) to cleanse and strengthen their bodies. They typically eat it in the spring and fall, while undergoing a cleansing program called panchakarma.
Khichari is made from basmati rice, mung or moong beans, spices and vegetables. Basmati rice and mung beans are restorative and cleansing for all types of constitutions. The spices and vegetables have known anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and reparative effects. Click on the links in the ingredient list to learn more.
Wild oats has green mung beans. You’ll find the Indian spices with the bulk herbs. Indian grocers carry a variety of mung beans and larger quantities of the spices, in case like me, you really get hooked on khichari. Don’t let the length of the recipe intimidate you. It’s really just three steps. It goes together very quickly.
Gudjerati Khichari
10 almonds, soaked overnight or blanched according to instructions below
¾ cup mung beans
½ cup brown basmati rice
Sort, wash and drain the beans. Soak in a bowl of water for at least one hour. Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice. If blanching the almonds, bring some water to boil in a small sauce pan, add the almonds and boil for one minute. Drain and rinse with cool water. Peel the skins from almonds.
3 TBSP grapeseed oil
4 cloves
5-inch cinnamon stick, broken
4 green cardamom pods
½ teaspoon tumeric
3 ¼ cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Saute the rice, beans, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and turmeric for three minutes. Add the boiling water, cover the pot and place in the oven for 15 – 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
2 TBSP grape seed oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 TBSP black mustard seeds
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup carrots, sliced into half-moons
10 cashew nuts
1 TBSP raisins
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and mustard seed until the onion is translucent. Add the celery, carrots, almonds, cashews, raisins, nutmeg, pepper, cumin, coriander and salt. Sauté until the carrots are tender. Stir the mixture into the cooked rice and bean mixture. Serves 6 to 8 servings.
I tried this recipe with whole mung beans, the only kind available at Wild Oats. It takes much more time for the water to be absorbed. The recipe works great as written with split mung beans, also known as moong dal. It's worth a trip to your local Indian market. I frequent Ambica at 91st and Metcalf, in the strip mall across from Whole Foods Market. There is another nice Indian Market just west of Metcalf on 105th street.
Posted by: Bethany Klug | April 26, 2007 at 06:47 AM