Kichadi is my favorite soup and once Fall arrives, I prepare it almost every week. It's incredibly easy and cooks somewhat quickly. In Ayurveda, Autumn increases Vata, and so for many people this can increase nervous energy, anxiety and stress, eventually leading to fatigue. This soup is so comforting and grounding, and also great for digestion when you want to give your body a break. There are so many variations of Kichadi - try them all and eat throughout the winter! This recipe uses equal parts rice and mung beans, warming spices like ginger, and lots of vegetables. Traditional Kichadi is simple and not too spicy but I tend to go a little spicier so I've added a bit more in this recipe - do whatever suits you!
Serves 4-6 (makes about 2 quarts)
1 T. ghee or coconut oil
1 onion, diced (or 1/2 onion and 1/2 cup of diced leek)
1/2 tsp salt (plus more at the end of the recipe)
About one inch or 1 T. ginger minced
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. Hawaij, curry powder or garam masala (optional)
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 parsnip, diced (optional)
3 small or 2 medium carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 cup mung beans, rinsed (you can also use sprouted mung beans)
1 cup basmati rice (white or brown)
5-6 cups water (or vegetable broth) *You can add more water after cooking to thin.
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1/2 cup chopped spinach (optional)
1-1 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, to taste
Other variations:
- You can add butternut squash diced small (add with the carrots and celery) and broccoli florets (towards the end) if you want a heartier soup/stew.
- My husband, a meat eater, likes to add chicken - this is his favorite soup!
- For a spicier soup you can also add your favorite hot sauce.
- If you don't have basmati rice you can use jasmine rice or brown rice - brown rice takes longer to cook so you may have to start it first and cook a bit before adding the mung beans, or cook separately from the mung beans.
Mung beans can be found at Indian grocery stores or most health food stores!