Kicharee – The Chicken Soup Of India

When we were bedridden and weak, thinking we were going to perish from fever, Grandma’s recipe for chicken soup (or Campbell’s soup in a pinch) is what nursed us back to health.

In India, however, the idea of food as medicine is as old as Methuselah. Tradition holds that there is no waiting until you get sick in order to get well. In the ancient Ayurvedic tradition, the aim is to keep your body and mind in constant balance — to always be healing. Therefore, using food to fine-tune your body and spirit becomes an everyday affair.

With that in mind, practitioners of Ayurvedic healing have developed and passed down recipes that are not only simple — but can also be customized to nurture your unique constitution.

No More Slaving Over the Stove to Eat Well

At the center of all this is a versatile staple called kicharee. Kicharee is the Hindi word for “mess” or “mixture.” Some might call it a simple stew containing fiber, fat (ghee) and healthful spices.

Depending on your doshric makeup (vata, pitta, or kapha), kicharee can be dressed up, dressed down and flavored for maximum benefits. It is the base upon which a tasty and nourishing meal is created.

The beauty of kicharee is that, not only is it simple and quick to make, it can be tweaked according to your health needs and tastes.

At its most basic, kicharee contains rice, mung beans (a legume related to lentils), ghee (oil from butter) and spices. All of the ingredients are inexpensive and available in groceries and health food stores.

The Myth About Cooking Ghee

One thing that holds some people back from making kicharee is the preparation of ghee. People think it is complicated because we associate clarified butter with fancy French chefs. In fact, ghee is simple to prepare and lasts for months. You can make a batch once and have it on hand for a while. Ghee is nothing more than cooked down butter that has lost its liquid.

Patients who have treated a specific health condition by frequent consumption of the proper kicharee have discovered that it helped maintain — and even improved their health.

If you would like to experiment with kicharee and see how it benefits your health and emotional well being, try this simple recipe below…

Kicharee Recipe From Dr. Helen’s Guide to Ayurveda

Kicharee is a medicinal meal and was used traditionally to bring very sick people back to health. You may eat this special dish whenever you are recovering from an illness.

1/4 cup split mung dahl (yellow lentils)
1/2 cup basmati rice
2 tablespoons ghee or sunflower oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 to 6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick kombu (a type of dried seaweed)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
3 cups diced fresh vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, and summer squash

Instructions:

1. Wash the beans and rice until the water runs clear.

2. Warm the ghee in a medium saucepan; add the cumin, bay leaves, coriander, and oregano.

3. Brown slightly until their aroma is released. Stir in turmeric, rice, and dahl.

4. Add water, salt, kombu, and ginger. Simmer, covered, over medium heat for about 1 hour, or until the beans and rice are soft.

5. Add vegetables and cook 10 to 15 minutes more, or until tender.

About the Author

Get A Free Copy: Download a copy of Dr. Helen’s 120 page book, Effortless Ayurvedic Living and a subscription to her free ezine at
http://EffortlessAyurvedicLiving.com
Dr. Helen Thomas, Ayurvedic Practitioner: Since 1987 Dr. Helen Thomas, D.C., has treated thousands of patients, both in America and India, on a daily basis, with the 3,000 year old science of Ayurvedic medicine. Dr. Helen has pored over the ancient texts and worked side-by-side with Ayurveda practitioners.

Nail Art Tutorial Coffee Bean Cup Design for Short Nails Do your Own nails at Home DIY

Henri Bendel Cinnamon Bark Candle $16.00 Great smelling candle…

Bath & Body Works The Perfect Autumn Ginger Vanilla Lotion 10 oz/295 ML $6.00 Rich, creamy caramel, fresh nutmeg and delicious gingerbread are blended with candied apple, lemon zest and warm vanilla to create this luscious fall fragrance….

Uchibori Brown Rice Vinegar – Certified Organic Ohsawa -32oz $36.49 We specialize in the all the best Organic Foods, Raw Foods, Macrobiotic, Vegan, Gluten Free, Asian, Gourmet and Specialty foods and related Natural Cookware and Natural Home products available anywhere. We offer top quality products designed for every palate and nutritional lifestyle, always keeping in mind the balance of your body, mind, spirit and life….

Classic Horse Favorites: 4 Film Favorites (Black Beauty / The Story of Seabiscuit / National Velvet / International Velvet) $8.53 CONTAINS: NATIONAL VELVET, BLACK BEAUTY, INTERNATIONAL VELVET, AND STORY OF SEABISCUIT….

National Velvet/The Story of Seabiscuit/Black Beauty $2.94 Although it blithely rewrites the history of a legendary race horse, The Story of Seabiscuit is still an appealing example of Technicolor entertainment from Hollywood’s studio system. It wasn’t unusual for contract players (in this case Shirley Temple, Barry Fitzgerald, and Lon McAllister) to play fictional characters in fact-based stories, since factual fidelity was often considered a secondary p…

National Beauty & Black Beauty (1994) (2pc) $17.99 National Velvet This classic family film made a star of 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor in the title role as spunky Velvet Brown, a girl who’s determined to enter her horse, Pie, in the Grand National Steeplechase. Critic Pauline Kael called it “One of the most likeable movies of all time.” Mickey Rooney costars as a young man who helps Velvet train Pie for the big race. At the last minute, Velvet he…

Airpacks Backpack – Large Brown $40.98 The Airpacks Backpack – Large features a new built in padded compartment that can accommodate a standard sized laptop computer. The Large is designed to carry the heaviest load in our product assortment and fits larger frame students of all ages who are 5′ 5″ or taller or whose body measures 17″ or more from the top of the shoulder to the natural waist. Physicians recommend that students carry no …