Kitchari is the epitome of Indian home cooking. Kitchari is a belly and detox spa! Kitchari consists of a mixture of rice and lentils cooked together with spices and herbs. The rice and lentil mixture is boiled in water or vegetable broth and then served with cooked vegetables and spices. Kitchari can be prepared as a vegetarian or meat dish.
Cook the bean-rice mixture with 3x as much water until soft. The rice and beans need to cook to a soft, mashed consistency.
Wash and chop the chili.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds to the hot oil until they crackle. Then add asafoetida, cumin and the chopped green chilies. Fry for about half a minute, then pepper and set aside.
Add salt to the soft-boiled bean and rice mixture. Mix well.
Now add the spice mix from the skillet to the rice and mix until everything is a uniform yellow color.
Add more water if needed to get the right mushy consistency. Boil once and remove from the stove.
Serve with cilantro and mango pickles. If it doesn't have to be vegan, you can drizzle a good tablespoon of ghee over the khichadi to serve.