Kitchari

When we got back from Chicago/San Fransisco (so much traveling in March!) we were sick of eating. We had eaten so well and so richly that we sort of wanted a break from food...

So kitchari, is India's cleansing-food. It is extremely nourishing, with a lot of spices, and is fed to anyone who is sick or unwell as it is simple to digest, yet stimulates digestion. It is like America's chili because it is a thick, spicy stew that you can add every ingredient and the kitchen sink, but it is very light and easy on the body.

We went on a weeklong kitchari cleanse (kinda) as a nice reprieve for our tummies.
This recipe is vegan and gluten free :)

You will need:
3 cups of dried split muung dal (I normally use yellow and black, but I was out of black for this photo sesh)
2 cups of dried brown rice
6 cups of broth+ extra water
Ghee or coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped finely
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 finger sized fresh ginger, peeled and minced (*or ground, if you only have it dry)
+Any vegetables you want to add (bell peppers, spinach, kale, green onions, peas, potatoes etc)
**in this one I added zucchini, bell peppers, and green onions
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 tablespoon+ fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon Mustard Seeds or ground mustard
2 tablespoons turmeric
1/2 tablespoon garam masala** optional, I like mine to have A LOT of spice-flavors
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 dash of ground cayenne

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro
Squeeze of lime
Tamari
Sriracha
A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt

Start by prepping your veggies and tracking down all of your spices (there are a lot)

In your ghee or coconut oil, saute onion, chopped carrot and all whole-seed spices (mustard, cumin, fenugreek) until the onions and carrot soften a tad, about 5 minutes.

Add your dal, rice, all other dry spices and broth and cook on a medium boil for 1 hour, stirring frequently. **if you use potatoes, add them here, too!

After one hour, add other tender vegetables (green onions, peppers, zucchini, etc.) and cover with more water, and continue to simmer (covered) for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently--- the kitchari will absorb all of the liquid and you may have to add more to get it to a consistency that pleases you.

After 30 minutes, taste your kitchari. The beans and rice should be soft, the broth should be almost completely absorbed and the overall flavor should be spicy (but not hot, unless that was what you were going for) but not salty. Since it is a cleansing food, kitchari isn't normally salted. I however, like to add tamari over the top when I am ready to eat it.

Serve with fresh cilantro, lime juice, tamari, hot sauce and a dollop of plain yogurt if you'd like!

xoxo

Quick (30 minute) Korean Dinner

I made this dish so quickly, I barely remembered to take photos. I was so damn hungry (and so was AJ! He was asking when dinner would be ready the whole time!) But it is an easy one.

This dish is vegan and gluten free.

What you will need:

7 ounces of extra firm tofu, cut into rectangular pieces

1 cup of short grain/sushi rice, rinsed and drained

Sesame oil

1/2 of a white or yellow onion, cut into long thin strips

1 carrot, cut into nickel-thick rounds

1 cup of green cabbage, shaved or cut into strips

1 small zucchini, cut into quarters

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

Tamari

1/3 of a cup of rice vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Green onion, minced

Sesame seeds

Garnish:

kimchi, sriracha, chili-garlic paste

Preheat oven fo 350 degrees. Lightly drizzle olive oil on your tofu so that they are covered on each side with a fine layer or oil.

On a greased cookie sheet, lay your your tofu rectangles down and bake on each side for 12-15 minutes, until they are browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

While the tofu is baking, begin cooking your rice, 1 cup of sushi/short grain rice to 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes once boiling. Remove from heat after the 20 minutes is up, but leave covered and standing for another 10.

Saute the onions and carrots over medium high heat in sesame oil for 7 minutes, then add the cabbage, zucchini, pepper and garlic for another 5-7 minutes, until they are softened but not mushy. This is a "stir-fry" so high heat for a short period of time so that the veggies remain crunchy. Season with a splash of tamari. For the last few minutes before you serve, stir in the green onion and turn the veggies to low heat.

When the rice has stood for the 10 minutes after it simmered for 20 (so 30 minutes into your rice's process) uncover and add a whisked vinegar-sugar-sesame oil mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon gently (like making sticky sushi rice)

Serve in a bowl with a nest of rice, scoops of sauteed veggies and slices of baked tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and offer kimchi or sriracha condiment.

Cheers! xoxoxo