Jewish Chicken Soup is from India~ its vegetarian and it’s called Kitchari

The world is your oyster.

The meaning of that phrase comes from the idea that everything is possible and open to you. And, if you are lucky, you will encounter something special. Oysters can be hard to open, but once opened, what’s inside is very good. Even better if there is a pearl.

Springtime is like that. The possibilities seem to open up to us ~ we are free to change and expand, be different, fall in love, make summer plans, and prioritize fun. The ideas seem special and limitless.

Spring can also bring difficulties such as   Springtime illnesses . It is hard for our bodies to make the shift. Our ego thinks we can jump right into all the possibilities. But the majority of us get allergies, respiratory infections, pink eye, and are caught off guard regarding relationships and even fall back into sadness.

Practicing or being interested in yoga is a way to feel more present in our lives. It is a tool to use to help us feel more centered and often gives us a community. But that is not all that we need to live life well.

We need food.

We cannot last all that long without it. In fact, we all eat between 2-5 times each day of our life. Unless we are sick, fasting, doing a cleanse, or perhaps distracted.

Have you ever wondered what would be good for you to eat or really what you are supposed to eat? And you also practice yoga or like the idea of practicing yoga? Then, the place for you to look for the answer is within the oeuvre of yoga. And that is Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is the traditional system of medicine in India. It is based on the idea of balance within all of the bodily systems and uses diet, herbal treatment, yogic breathing and other practices to cultivate or maintain health.

Yoga and Ayurveda dovetail perfectly. Together they give us the tools to lift the limitation of our minds and enter into the realm of unlimited potential. In layman’s terms:

The world is your Oyster.

Jewish Chicken Soup  is delicious. It has been documented to cure the common cold, help with allergies and asthma and cure leprosy. I love it. But I don’t always want to eat a chicken.

Kitchari is an East Indian version of the Jewish Chicken Soup. It is a vegetarian rice and dal dish (or soup) that you can spice up or down. Eat with vegetables or not. And you can add condiments on top such as Indian pickle, hot spicy sauce, cold yogurt or sweet jams.

Making this dish in Springtime is very helpful for the common ailments we get during this time of year. Plus, it can act like a light cleanse. Making this dish once a week or once a month to begin, will give your immune system a boost. 

I have made a  1 minute video  on how to make Kitchari. This is a quick tutorial to help you feel confident in making this dish.

MARISA’S KITCHARI RECIPE

Ingredients:

½ onion diced

1 clove garlic chopped

2 Tablespoons of Ghee (or coconut oil or oil you prefer)

½ cup basmati rice [Note: Wash this first, not just for cleaning but to remove the starch on the surface of the rice grains. This will make it light and fluffy and not sticky.]

¼ cup each of Mung Dal and Yellow Dal

2-8 cups of water.

Cooking instructions:

Stir fry the garlic and onion in Ghee or oil in a large pot.

After just browning, add the rice and dal.

Add enough water at first to cover the items. Then you can add more water depending upon whether you want it like soup or like a firm rice-and-beans dish. Add to taste: salt and pepper

This is now a complete dish. It is especially good if you have an upset stomach, feel run down or want to do a mini cleanse.

To add more flavor (spices) and variety (vegetables) you can add the following ~

Spices:

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon fresh ginger or use ground ginger

¼ teaspoon oregano

Cook the above spices in ghee or oil and then ADD to the rice and dal mixture. You can add the spices to the rice and dal at almost anytime. Best right before the rice and dal are cooked.

You can add Vegetables to kitcheree such as Green Beans, Spinach, Carrots, Peas, Zucchini, Chiles.Or truly, whatever you have on hand. Don’t add too many different kinds of vegetables to the pot.

I hope you will make this dish. Be creative with the ingredients and let me know, I’d love to hear from you!

~

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