Sarasvati Golden Garlicky Kitchari: Comfort Food for Creativity
This kitchari recipe is my new obsession. A hot bowl of this golden yumminess scratches the same cozy comfort food itch as garlic mashed potatoes, but it’s loaded with protein from the mung dal.
This kitchari can be dairy free or “ghee-gan” (for folks like me who stay mostly away from dairy except ghee!)
It’s also layered with digestive spices at two different stages of cooking so your belly will be double happy!
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish if you’re using a pressure cooker and follow the multitasking sequence I describe below, in the 8 Simple Steps to Golden Kitchari
This is how we eat on our chant retreats! Anti-inflammatory food that helps you digest your life on other levels, not just food. Great to eat this one day a week or so, if you’re planning to join us in India for panchakarma!
Why am I calling it "Sarasvati" golden kitchari?
Yellow is one of the colors associated with the powers of creativity, memory, speech, arts and learning. We're currently in a Creative Flow mantra immersion and I was inspired to make this all-yellow, fully YUM kitchari (or Khicdī in IAST) One of our mantra meditation participants is learning how to cook as his expression of creativity during this 21-day sādhanā, so this one's for you Peter! ;) It's a new recipe! LMK what you think.
"I enjoy the meals almost as much as our daily chanting! So clean, fresh, and flavorful. I don’t crave anything. As a person with a strong history of addiction of various kinds, that is new for me!"- Anonymous Retreat Participant
8 Simple Steps to Golden Kitchari
1. Rinse and soak while you’re preparing the other ingredients:
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup split mung dal (the yellow kind)
*use Jasmine rice if you want stickier “mashed potatoes” consistency
2. Chop 2 cups of carrots and set aside (ok to experiment with other vegetables, but each will change the flavor)
3. In your pressure cooker or heavy bottom pan, heat:
1 tbsp ghee (your favorite mild vegetable oil if vegan, like coconut or avocado)
1 heaping tsp whole cumin seeds
A pinch of asafetida
Until cumin is brown and aromatic
4. Add strained rice and dahl mixture Veggies
4 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
5. Pressure cook for 3 whistles
Or cook 30-45 minutes until rice and dal are mushy
6. While the kitchari is cooking, very finely chop:
1 inch of ginger
2-3 cloves garlic
1 small chili (if desired), and/or a generous amount of fresh black pepper
7. In a small skillet heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the garlic, ginger, pepper (and chili) until garlic is golden brown
Set aside and enjoy the cooking aromas for 10-15 minutes.
Just long enough to wash up the cooking utensils, put away your spice jars, and get your bowl ready with any garnishes you enjoy. (Yogurt, lime wedge, cilantro, sprouts, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
8. When pressure cooker is finished and can be opened easily (without steam pressure), mix the fried spice mixture into the kitchari
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
I added flaky kosher salt today as a finishing touch and I really liked the pop of crunchy saltiness! Recommended.
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Yum!
Wanna join us for a rejuvenating sound healing retreat? 🎶
No dogma promised, and no experience is required; retreats are simply an invitation into the heart-opening, timeless practices of mantra and music.
And kitchari is always on the menu. ;)
Visit our mantra chant retreat page for the current schedule of offerings by Anandra and Heart of Sound teacher training graduates around the world who are offering hybrid local online + in person trainings. While our priority during retreat is to provide you with an invitation to our profound chanting practices (and you're welcome to skip study session times if you're simply on retreat) your "inner nerd" will also enjoy our innovative approaches
Retreats also count as in-person attendance hours for Heart of Sound 200-hour and 500-hour Yoga Alliance teacher training. Package deals are available saving you $200-$500.
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For those who feel the call to chant, to listen deeply, to heal through sound vibration—this is your moment! A retreat with Anandra and the Heart of Sound global chant family is truly a life-changing experience LIKE NO OTHER chant retreat.
Learn more about sound healing yoga, mantra meditation, and nada yoga here:
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