In our house, Mondays are usually when I make kitchari. It keeps things simple as we swing into the beginning of a new week and all of the activity that comes with it.

What is kitchari? It’s a complete meal of rice and mung beans cooked with plenty of digestive spices and, if you wish, seasonal vegetables.

Ayurveda, Yoga’s sister science, considers kitchari a perfect meal since it’s simple, easy to digest, and can easily be adapted with different spices or vegetables to suit the season and the person’s needs.

In this recipe, I use pumpkin. Butternut squash works well in this recipe, too.

Makes 4-6 servings

- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1/2 cup Split yellow Mung dal (beans)
- 2 cups pumpkin or squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds (+ 1tsp for topping)
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black Mustard seeds (+ 1/2 tsp for topping)
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida, aka Hing (optional)
- 1 - 2 tsp fresh grated Ginger
- 2-3 Curry leaves (optional)
- 2 Tbsp Ghee or coconut oil (+1 tsp coconut oil for topping)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded Coconut
- Lime
- Handful of fresh Cilantro (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste

The night before: Place beans and rice in a large bowl filled with cool water and soak 8 hours or overnight.

The day of: Drain and rinse beans and rice.

Melt ghee (or coconut oil) in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in cubed pumpkin and sauté about 3 minutes. Add spices and stir for 1-2 minutes until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add rice, mung beans, and curry leaves, and stir to coat with ghee. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add 3-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Use less water for a pilaf texture, and more water for a soupy consistency. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes until beans and rice are thoroughly cooked. Stir only occasionally so the mixture doesn't get pasty.

Meanwhile…Combine 1 tsp coconut oil with shredded coconut, 1tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds over medium heat in a large pan. Stir frequently until coconut begins to brown and mustard seeds start to pop, about 3-5 minutes.

Spoon kitchari in a bowl and top with coconut topping, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!