Ayurvedic Nutritional Healing & Kichadis

By Chania Adam

In Ayurveda the body is made up of three body types, Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Every person has an individual combination of these body types and often a predominance of one or two of these body types. The purpose of using various foods and spices in Ayurveda, is to bring balance and sense of health and well being to the body and soul.

ABOUT KICHADIS

Kichadis are at the core of Ayurvedic nutritional healing. They are a relatively, simple stew of basmati rice and slit mug dal, which are suitable for almost every dosha (body type). Kichadis take on endless variations depending on the herbs, spices and vegetables used in them. They are the primary food in Pancha karma. They are considered Ayurvedic cleansing therapy because of their ease of digestion and assimilation. The Chinese have a similar dietary food therapy called congees.

The kichadis which follow are designed for specific purposes. They are best eaten fresh when used therapeutically. Let your own sense of the herbs and your constitution guide you as you create healing modifications.

BASIC FORMAT

Ghee: for lubrication and assimilation

Warmed with: Spices, any of the following

Asafoetida (hing): cals Vata, aids assimilation, potent carminative

Bay leaf: Warms, digestive

Black mustard seeds; digestive with pronounced warming effects

Black Peppercorns; warms, digestive, carminative

Cardamon; calms and stimulates digestion

Cinnamon; warms and sweetens, a digestive

Cloves; quite heating, digestive

Coriander; cooling, soothing, carminative and digestive

Cumin; carminative, digestive, balances all doshas

Fennel; cools, sweetens, digestive, tonifying to the stomach

Fenugreek; warming, digestive tonifier, reducer of mass

Garlic; warming, strengthening, reduces ama

Ginger; warms, potent digestive stimulant

Kombu; non-traditional ( a seaweed); digestive, removes heavy metals

Neem (curry leaves), cooling, bitter, clears and removes wastes

Saffron; cooling, tonifying, digestive, balances all doshas

Tumeric; tridoshic, Specific for adding protein digestion

COMBINE THESE WITH : Split mung/ mooing Dal, basmati rice and vegetables. This is sometimes varied; other beans and grains can be usd specific healing purposes, if they are very well-cooked. For example here we use aduki beans in kidney kichadi, as adukis are outstanding in their ability to support the kidneys. Similarly, we utilise non-traditional herbs or spices when they are especially useful, e.g., dandelion root to promote the excretion of fluids or burdock root to cool and purify the blood. Again, allow your intuition and self-knowledge to guide you in these adventures.

COOK: Cook until both beans and grain are very soft, but not gummy.

A COOLING KICHADI FOR SUMMER

Preparation time: about 2 hours

Half a cup Basmati Rice

A quarter of a cup split Mung/Moong Dhal

Half burdock root, (about 8 inches)

1 and a half cup green Beans

2 Tablespoons ghee

half a teaspoon Fennel seeds

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 Tablespoon amaranth (optional)

1 Stick Kombu

6 to 10 cups of water

Half a teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Coriander powder

Garnish: Chopped Coriander Leaves

Wash raise and Mung until the water is clean; drain. Wash Burdock root and peel it; then slice in inch slices like a carrot. Wash green Beans; Chop into 1 inch pieces.

Warm ghee in medium saucepan. Add fennel and cumin seeds and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add rice and mug and saute for another couple of minutes. Put burdock and green beans in immediately after the rice and beans, stir saute for 1 minute. Add 6 cups of water and bring to boil, and reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook until tender, 1 to 1 and a half hours, adding water as needed to keep the mixture moist. Before serving, add the Coriander powder, stir well. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.

Comments: This dish is a potent blood purifier: Burdock clears the Kidneys and Blood, while the green beans act as a diuretic. This is a good one for the summer sin breakouts, or excess water retention. Useful in diabetes, as well as in increased Pitta States.