Khichari recipe
Amrita Ma Devi
Khichari recipe
Khichari (also spelt kitchari) is one of the most beloved healing meals in the Ayurvedic tradition — often called "the dish of nourishment and reset." It’s grounding, gently cleansing, and deeply satisfying — a meal that supports digestion, vitality, and nervous system calm all at once.
With its warming spices and soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, Khichari is true comfort food — but with purpose. It balances agni (digestive fire), helps soothe vata and pitta imbalances, and provides a complete source of protein when cooked with lentils or mung.
It’s easy to prepare, endlessly versatile, and perfect for:
Nourishing meals when you're feeling depleted
Gentle seasonal resets or mono-diet days
Times of healing, travel, or emotional transition
Let Khichari be more than a recipe — let it be a ritual of reconnection with your body, your breath, and the ancient wisdom that reminds us: healing begins in the gut, and nourishment can be both simple and sacred.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white basmati rice
½ cup split mung or mung
2 tsp ghee
Spices or 1 tablespoon khichari spice mix
¼ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
1½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp fennel powder
1 pinch Hing asafoetida not for pitta instead use desiccated coconut 1/4 cup
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp Himalayan salt
6 cups water
1 cup of Fresh Cilantro to garnish
1 spoon of lemon pickle and fresh mint leaves and yogurt or keffir optional per person as a topping.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash and sort the split yellow mung and put on a boil 3 cups of water in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. After 15 mins you will see the creamy inside of the mung open up, scoop off any white form which has formed at the top of the split mung.
3. Next add the rice with 2 cups of water, salt and the blended desiccated coconut with powdered spices and cinnamon, coriander powder, fennel & turmeric, also add the fresh ginger. Combine all the spices into the dhal.
4. In a small frying pan melt the ghee and add the mustard seed on a medium heat wait till they pop and add the cumin, coriander, and ginger for 30 sec on a low flame.
5. After this, add the ghee with the curry powder to combine with the mung and rice.
6. Now pour over the mung dal mixture, let them cook on a medium high flame for 5mins.
7. Add a little liquid throughout to get to the consistency you prefer. Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro and yogurt.
Variations to Try:
Use quinoa instead of rice for added protein and a lighter texture.
Swap split yellow mung with whole mung or red lentils — depending on your constitution and what's on hand.
Add seasonal veggies halfway through cooking — think carrots, greens, zucchini, or pumpkin.
Top with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or a spoon of ghee to awaken the senses.
I’m Amrita, your new guide.
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“Amrita here. Mom of 3 and lover of ancient wisdom, meditation & yoga. I transformed my family’s health with a plant-based diet.”
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