Kitchari (Mung Beans & Rice)

Category: Main Dish, Vegetarian

Total Time: 40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 6+ cups water
  • 2 cups whole mung beans (soaked in water for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours)
  • 2 cups cooked basmati rice
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp ghee or olive oil
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lb spinach or leafy green of choice
  • 1/3 cup tamari or liquid amino
  • fresh cilantro, to garnish (optional)
  • dollup of plain yogurt (optional)

Directions

  1. Strain and rinse your soaked mung beans and set aside. The mung beans should have doubled in size while soaking.
  2. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add ghee (or olive oil), turmeric, coriander and black pepper and stir to create a sauce. Add onions, garlic and ginger and stir. Let cook 3 – 5 minutes, until onions are soft.
  3. Add 8 cups of water and mung beans. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, remove lid and reduce heat. Simmer mung beans approximately 30 – 45 minutes, until tender. Add more water along the way, if needed. Mung beans should be soupy in texture.
  4. While the beans are cooking, in a separate pot cook 1 cup of basmati rice. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add rice and boil over medium low heat until rice is al dente. Strain and add to beans.
  5. Add spinach or kale to the pot 15 minutes before beans are done.
  6. Top with fresh cilantro and plain yogurt.