Grounding Vata Kitchari

Name: Grounding Vata Kitchari
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup basmati rice; 1/3 cup split yellow mung dal; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 cup diced carrot and sweet potato; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fresh ginger; 1 pinch pinch of hing (asafoetida); 4.5 cups water

Kitchari made extra warming and moist for Vata: more ghee, sweet root vegetables, and a hing-ginger tempering that settles gas and irregular digestion.

Kitchari · 40 min (10 prep, 30 cook) · serves 3 · indian · best in autumn, winter

reduces Vataneutral for Pittaincreases Kapha

Tastes: sweet, pungent. Qualities: warm, moist, heavy. vegetarian · gluten-free

Ingredients

1/2 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup split yellow mung dal
2 tbsp ghee
1 cup diced carrot and sweet potato
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 pinch pinch of hing (asafoetida)
4.5 cups water

Method

Rinse rice and dal; warm the ghee and sizzle cumin, ginger, and hing.
Add the root vegetables and coat in the spiced ghee for 2 minutes.
Add rice, dal, and water; simmer covered 30 minutes until very soft.
Finish with a extra spoon of ghee and salt. Eat warm, not hot.

Agni note. Hing and ginger ease Vata-type gas and bloating; the generous ghee lubricates a dry, variable digestion.

Substitutions

sesame oil for ghee — dairy-free while staying warming

Classical references: Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 27 — Annapanavidhi (ingredient properties) · Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 26 — Viruddha ahara (combining rules) · Bhavaprakasha — Nighantu — Kritanna varga

Source: AyurVeda Companion editorial. pending provider validation

Educational Ayurvedic cooking guidance, not medical advice. If you are managing a diagnosed condition, are pregnant, or take medication that interacts with food, check with your clinician first.