My family and I were recently invited to a dinner meal with our new neighbor and his family. Several dishes were prepared and the meal consisted of a variety of bright and vivid colored dishes, all vegetarian and revealed that the “spice/heat” level is only a mere 30% of their usual. Among the dishes was kitchari, a fairly nondescript, yet flavorful mush. Our host revealed that this was a staple food in their culture and indicated that it was very good to restore balance to the digestive system because of its simple components: basmati rice, mung bean, and a combination of herbs that aid digestion. My hosts indicated that they eat a portion of this dish with every meal 5 out of 7 days of the week. And, if beginning to feel ill, meals of only kitchari would be prescribed to “re-balance the constitution.”
Kitchari goes by several other alias throughout Asia so you may find it by another name so explore and keep it in mind for when you need to give your digestive organs a reset.
Check out this kitchari recipe from The Ayurvedic Institute