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
- Strain and rinse your soaked mung beans and set aside. The mung beans should have doubled in size while soaking.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add spinach or kale to the pot 15 minutes before beans are done.
- Top with fresh cilantro and plain yogurt.
