My Favorite Summer Khichdi
Anyone else overdo it on a recent vacation? Late night ice cream, maybe one too many Rosés? Or am I the only one? … No matter. If your body is off for whatever reason, there is a solution. In Ayurveda my teacher would say it’s not as much what you do but how you do it, and even if that late night ice cream and those Rosés weren’t exactly Ayurvedic, they were consumed with utter joy, I can attest. But my body still did revolt when I came home (irregular bowel movements, bloating, feeling heavy), so I did what I know resets my body best: a 24 hour fast, then a meal of Khichdi, the most wonderful and healing dish from India. My body craves it when it is off and welcomes each steaming bowl with delight.
I begin with the fast. It may sound uninviting, but I have found that when I mentally prepare myself for it and know how wonderful it feels after the 24 hours, it is easier than it may seem. After dinner on one night (around 5:30p), I consume only herbal tea and water (often with mint and cucumber), until the next day’s dinner, which is the wonderful Khichdi.
This is my favorite recipe right now, and I have tried many. It’s a combination of recipes I’ve amassed and trialed over the past few years. I love using the InstantPot for it. It creates the best texture in my opinion and is super easy and fast to boot. I hope you enjoy as much as I do. Happy resetting!
Favorite Instant Pot Khichdi
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup split mung beans
- 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 2 T ghee
- 2 shallots or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 t cumin seed
- 1 1/2 t coriander seed
- 1/2 t tumeric
- 2 t salt or seasonal salt blend
- handful cherry tomatoes, halved (if you have chronic joint pain, I would leave out the tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
- 6 chard leaves cut into thin ribbons
- Coco aminos, herbs and lime (for serving) (in the summer I use mint, the spring and winter cilantro)
Instructions
- Combine rice and split mung in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
- Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, melt the ghee, then add the shallot/onion, ginger and spices, stirring frequently for five minutes or until onions soften.
- Add the carrots and tomatoes, cook, stirring frequently for another 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to break down. Add a tablespoon or so of water to get any residue off bottom of pot.
- Drain and rinse the mung and rice until the water runs clear, then add to the Instant Pot along with the salt. Add 4 cups filtered water. Stir very well. Turn off the sauté function, secure lid and cook on low pressure for 15 minutes.
- Once cook time is complete, immediately release pressure. Stir in the chard and let sit for a minute or two before serving.
- Serve with a squeeze of lime, fresh herbs and coco aminos.
