Hello all Yogis! Time for some healthy, late summer fasting? Here’s a great way to cleanse your body in a gentle but effective way. Kitchari cleansing is suitable for everyone and an easy way to fast, without headaches and irritation.
Kitchari cleasing – fasting for 3-5 days
What is kitchari?
Kitchari is a staple comfort food of India. The word “kitchari’ means “mixture” or “mess” as in “mess of pottage” or “mess of stew” or porridge.
The main ingredients are rice and mung beans, to which a variety of spices and other vegetables may be added. Often the mung beans are replaced with another bean.
The ancient practice of fasting on kitchari in used in Ayurveda treament, dating back 5,000 years. The mix of rice and mung beans is considered extremely easy to digest and is said to purify the digestion, cleanse the body of toxins and enhance the memory.
Kitchari fasting is actually a mono-diet, which means the body receives a limited diversity of foodstuffs and therefore needs to produce a limited number of digestive enzymes. The work of the digestive system is lessened, allowing for greater healing and cleansing to occur. A kitchari cleanse is calming, soothing and warming. Kitchari cleansing is good for all seasons, year round and calming to all doshas.
Eat only kitchari for 3-5 days. Yes, nothing else for breakfast, lunch and dinner, just kitchari, and drink plenty of water! After 3 days your body is feeling like new, continue for 5 days if you feel ok and up for it.
Directions:
Preparation time: 45 minutes to one hour.
-1 cup white basmati rice
-1⁄2 cup split mung beans or sprouted whole mung
-2–3 cups of your favorite vegetables
Warm in a medium saucepan:
-1 tbsp. butter (or ghee)
Add, stirring until aromatic:
-1 bay leaf
-1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, grated
-1⁄2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
-1–2 tsps. coriander seeds
-1 tsp. freshly ground turmeric
Stir the rice and mung into the spices, mix well for a minute or two.
Add:
-8 cups or more water. Bring to a boil, then cook, covered, at medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the vegetables, stirring them in well, then cover and cook for about 10–15 minutes more, or until all the ingredients are tender. Salt to taste.
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