Ayurvedic Kitcheri Recipe - the perfect winter cleanse

Mung Beans & Rice Cleansing Diet
from Yogi Bhajan, Founder of Kundalini Yoga

• Eat only mung beans and rice for 7 days (up to 30) as a mono-diet. Cook with lots of vegetables. Yogi Bhajan says,” You Americans are rich. You should put lots of vegetables in your mung beans and rice.” A good cleansing diet that gives plenty of nourishment.

• A good cleansing diet that gives plenty of nourishment.

• Good for the kidneys, colon, and digestive organs, or when food is not being digested thoroughly by the intestines.

• Good diet for winter (make it spicy)

• May have fruit in between meals for snack. Also may have yogi tea.

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Yogic Guidlines for Preparing Food

1. Prepare your food with love and care.

2. Eat in a pleasant, relaxing environment

3. Serve the food Gracefully

4. Take a minute to reflect upon your gratitude for the gift of this food

5. Take the time to eat consciously.

RECIPE:

Makes 8 servings

• 1 Cup Mung Beans

• 1 Cup Basmati Rice

• 9 Cups Water

• 6-7 Cups assorted Vegetables

Masala Spice Mixture:

• ¼ Cup Ghee, Butter, or Coconut Oil

• 4-5 Cloves of fresh Garlic, crushed in a press

• 1-2 Onions, Chopped

• 1 finger fresh Ginger root, peeled and minced

• 1 1/2 Tsp Tumeric

• 1 1/2 Tsp Cumin powder

• 3/4 Tsp Ground Coriander seed

• Seeds of 5 Green Cardamon Pods (or 3/4 tsp powder)

• 1 Tsp Black Pepper

• ½ Tsp Crushed Red Chilies (more if you like spicy OR omit completely if you don’t like it hot)

• 1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt

Directions:

• Add salt to water in a large stew pot and bring water to a light boil.

• Wash Mung beans, carefully removing any tiny stones.

• Rinse Basmati Rice at least three times to remove starch.

• Set mung beans and rice aside.

• Chop assorted vegetables.

(Prepare the Masala Mixture while waiting for water to boil)

• Heat Ghee (or Oil) in a large frying pan (preferrably cast iron.)

• Add garlic (using press), chopped onions, and Ginger and saute under a medium flame. When Onions, Garlic and Ginger are translucent, add Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Cardamon, Crushed Chilies and Black Pepper; mix well.

• When all spices are absorbed shut off flame and let sit for 5 min, covered.

(When water begins to boil)

• Add mung beans to boiling water.

• Reduce flame to simmering and cover and boil until the beans start to soften and open, (15-20 min.)

• Add Masala Mixture to water with mung beans and vegetables.

• Simmer for 20-30 minutes until soupy.

• Add rice and cook an additional 15-20 min until rice is absorbed.

• Shut off and let set 15-20 min.

• Serve with fresh yogurt (or sour cream.)

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About the Trinity Roots + 1: Onions, Garlic, and Ginger (and Tumeric)

Onion

The onion was considered by the Egyptians to be a symbol of the uni­verse. The word onion is derived from the Latin word unus-one. Through the centuries, onions and onion juice were recommended to cure earache, colds, fever, laryngitis, warts and cancer. Onions are said to stimulate the pro­duction of blood, to purify the blood and to help keep blood sugar balanced.

Ginger

Ginger has been used since before the days of Rome. It was said that it cured the troubles of love and prolonged life. King Henry VIII recommended it as a prevention against the plague. A medicine as well as a spice, today it is widely used as a digestive stimulant. Ginger is especially helpful to women, providing energy and relieving tensions associated with menstrual cramps. Ginger root nourishes the nerves of the body and allows them to carry more energy. It keeps the spine and cere­brospinal fluid healthy.

Garlic

It has long been recorded that garlic is a sacred and powerful herb. Egyptians used to swear by it when they were taking a solemn vow. Roman physi­cians claimed that it cured 61 ailments. Modern science is revealing its mar­velous healing properties. Since the turn of the century, garlic and garlic extracts have been used against gas­trointestinal disorders, septic poison­ ing, typhus, cholera, bacterial infec­tions and even cancer. Investigations by Russian scientists have made garlic oil so popular in their country that it is referred to as "Russian penicillin." Garlic increases and stimulates the pro­duction of semen, essential for sexual potency and healthy nerves.

Tumeric

Turmeric. Lubricant for the joints. Good for skin and mucus membranes. Always cook before eating, or mix it thoroughly into yogurt. Add honey to taste.