Simple Kitchari to reset your digestion

A simple kitchari is a very good dish or recipe to reset your digestion and improve your gut health naturally. It is easy to make, and you only need a thermos to keep your kitchari warm if you prepare in advance. The simple kitchari consist of a balanced amount of nourishing and extracting food like rice and split mung beans. In case you have no split mung beans you can use whole mung beans and let them soak in water overnight to reduce cooking time. For vegetarians or vegans, you can add algae or seaweed that is rich in minerals. Don’t like the taste? Simply leave the kombu out. Use spices in moderation and try to include all 6 tastes like sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Eat as much until you feel satisfied, but not completely full!

A kitchari reset is not the same as a detox or cleanse

I like to avoid using the terms cleans or detox, because nowadays people associate a cleanse or detox with either fasting or juicing. However, when you naturally restore your gut, you should eat whole foods. Fasting or juicing is not for everyone and can be unhealthy for some people. For example, people with fatigue or burnout symptoms should not do a kitchari reset. Furthermore, it can rather bring your doshas out of balance than healing your gut! This simple kitchari is suitable for all doshas and dosha combinations. Not ready to reset your digestion for 3 to 5 days? Start to do a one-day-reset a week.

How often you can do a kitchari reset

When I started with my Agni therapy program, I could not do it for 5 days in a row. I felt hungry all the time and I was mentally not in a good state or “not yet ready” for it. This month is my third time I do a simple kitchari reset, and I am looking forward to it. If you want to start but your lack of motivation is of major concern, or if you don’t know how to integrate the simple kitchari reset into your daily life with your partner and kids, you can start with one day a week. You can choose to do it for only lunch or dinner or three meals a day. Start with one day a week for a couple of weeks or a couple of months and then do a 5-day-reset week two to three times a year.

Best season to do a kitchari reset is end of summer and before springtime. If you have very specific symptoms and problems with your digestion for a longer period and have other symptoms like PMS, skin problems or joint pains, I suggest you book an ayurvedic consultation with an ayurvedic doctor or well-educated ayurvedic counselor (like me) to get more specific and individual advise. Here the recipe:

Recipe for a simple kitchari:

Ingredients for 1 portion

Cooking instructions:

Warm the ghee in your pot, and add salt, ginger, turmeric, and kombu. Simmer until the aroma comes up. Add all the other spices. Then add the rice and split mung. Stir and simmer or a few minutes. Finally, add water and cook in a pot with lid on for 15 to 30 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on your pot and stove. Let sit for 5 minutes with the lid off so the tastes can become friends and the food cools a bit. Include the sour taste by squeezing fresh lime juice on your dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, or basil. Serve warm and enjoy!