Course | Articles | Recipes | Q & A | Links | Books

Kichadi (aka: kicheree)

This delicious, wholesome Ayurvedic dish can be eaten year-round on a regular basis by all people. It is highly nutritious, supportive and lends itself to creative adaptations to please all tastes & healing programs. A simpler version than the one given here is used during the classic Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy, panchakarma (meaning 'five actions'). This dish is especially good for people with a weak or low agni (digestive capacity), or anyone dedicated to restoring optimal balance to their doshas, dedicated yoga practitioners etc. It may take some experimentation to get used to, but is well worth the effort.

Ingredients (per person):

• Ghee—1 to 3 tsp. (less if balancing Kapha, more for Vata) Sesame or Palm oils are good as well, but ghee is best. (recipe and rational for using ghee here)
  Spices—1 to 2 tsp. of appropriate spices. Use some whole spices, esp. Cumin, Coriander, Fennel.
  Herbs—1/4 tsp. dried mixed herbs, or your favourite herbs for cooking. For more choices, see appropriate herbs.
  Bay leaf—1
• White basmati rice—2 tbs. (can use other rices or similar grains occasionally, though this is the best choice according to Ayurveda).
• Split mung dhal—1 tbs. (can use red lentils instead, if split mung not available)
  Vegetables—1 cup is plenty. Choose 1 to 3 vegetables, chopped on the smaller side (0.5—1 cm cubes) if roots, medium (2 cm cubes) if squashes, cabbages etc. Can use a little onion also (best for V or K).
• Water—1 to 2 cups, or enough to cover the grains/vegetables once in the pot, plus an inch or so. The only way is to try. (see method for more insight!)

Method:

• Heat ghee in saucepan (big enough for quantity of vegetables) until melted then add whole spices & herbs. Stir. Ready when aromatic not black (1—2 minutes). This ghee-spice mix is called vagar in Ayurvedic terminology. (Read more about vargas).
• Add rinsed rice and pulse and any remaining dried spices (such as turmeric) to the pan and coat in the vagar.
• Add the veg & water and stir. Bring to the boil - but only just - then reduce to low and cook covered for 30—60 mins or until veg's are well cooked, but not mushy! Don't stir while cooking. The final consistency should like a thick porridge.
• Add a pinch of salt & pepper to taste, even a little more powdered spices, curry powder, or your favourite spice mix. Allow to cool for 5—10 minutes. Food at the bottom of the pan should not burn during cooking (if it does, not enough water or cooked too high) but may have a little of the Kichadi stuck to it. This normally can be stirred into the dish once cooled a little, adding a nice texture. Serve alone, or with a little warm water to drink.

Variations:

• For interesting textures, or for speedier cooking, grate the slower cooking vegetables.
• If strong Agni, garnish with fresh herbs or shredded coconut (in the summer), or a sprinkling of cheese or a dash of Soya sauce (autumn).
• Cook with a little more water to make a soupy dish.

Tips:

• This dish can take a few attempts to find a taste and consistency you like. For people used to commercial, pre-made meals, it might seem a little bland. This can be remedied in part by adding some extra condiments suitable for your dosha. However, once adapted to a diet consisting of mostly whole grains and vegetables, one will gradually become more sensitive to the subtler flavours in this meal.
• For an excellent presentation of the use of Kichadi, with specific recipes for certain situations, see my favourite Ayurvedic cookbook: "The Ayurvedic Cookbook", by Amadea Morningstar.