Recipes for Healing
Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine offers us much wisdom on how to stay well and care for our bodies during various phases of our lives, including particular foods and recipes.
I have a handful of recipes I rerun to when I need gentle nourishment in a form that is easy to digest; foods I eat during menstruation or when I’m sick, or recommend to clients who have just given birth. These times require foods that are warming, grounding and gentle on the digestion; melas that are typically served in bowls and mugs such as Congee (known as Kunyi in Ayurveda), kitchari, soups, broths and herbal teas. Today I’m sharing recipes for Kunyi (congee) and kitchari.
Kunyi or Congee is a simple rice porridge made from rice and water, with a little ghee (in Ayurveda) and just a few spices. There are slight variations found throughout India and China, however, this is my personal favorite recipe.
Sweet Simple Kunyi (congee) (serves 2);
½ cup white basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
¼ tsp. mineral salt
3 cups water
Directions:
Warm ghee in a medium pot and add ginger, cardamom and salt. Simmer until fragrant, then add rice and stir to coat.
Add water and stir again. Bring to a boil and let the congee simmer for at least half an hour, though up to 4 hours is often recommended. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.
🍵The consistency of the congee should be anywhere from a porridge to a thick soup consistency- most importantly, the rice should be very well cooked to the point where it begins to break apart.
Serve warm for a gentle meal anytime of day.
Kunyi is a perfect breakfast during a seasonal cleanse, or when you’re on your period or in the postpartum window (often served in china as the first meal after childbirth).
🍯 To enjoy as a sweet breakfast, add a dash of coconut milk and honey to serve.
Kitchari is a simple dish consisting of a grain and a legume; most commonly white basmati rice and split mung beans, ginger, turmeric, and ghee. Other spices, such as fennel, cumin, coriander and asafoetida may also be added.
Kitchari is a soupy porridge, and offers an easily digestible meals with a couple protein profile. It is nourishing, wholesome and grounding, and is a the perfect meal during times of healing and recovery, such as during postpartum, after surgery or during illness, as part of a cleansing program as well as being a meal that can be enjoyed on a weekly basis to support full body health.
Kitchari can be made with more or less water; the more water the thinner the consistency will be- and the easier it will be on the digestion. A thing kitchari is ideal during times of illness, or when the digestive system is compromised.
Simple Kitchari Recipe (Serves 2-3)
2 tbsp. ghee
1/3 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup split mung beans
4 - 5 cups water
1/2 tsp. mineral salt
1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger root
1 tsp. turmeric powder or freshly grated
½ tsp. cardamom
Optional: 1/2 tsp each of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds
Warm ghee in a medium pot and add ginger, turmeric, cardamom and any other spices you are using.
Gently toast the spices, then add (washed) rice and mung beans to the pot. Stir well to mix in the ghee and spices.
Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let the kitchari simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom of the pot doesn’t burn.
Add more (boiling) water for a thinner consistency if needed.
Serve warm with a drizzle of ghee, fresh coriander or steamed greens.