Kitchari Recipe complements of Sharon. Enjoy.

1/2 cup yellow mung dal, soaked 1 hr (see comment below)

1/2 cup basmati or jasmine rice (may use brown basmati)
boiling water (twice the volume of grains and veg)
2 T ghee
1/4 to 1/2 tsp each of 3 or 4 of the following spices
ground or whole cumin (I usually use both)
ground coriander
fennel seeds
black mustard seeds
basil
rosemary
cardamom powder (may use 3 whole pods instead)
ginger (may use 1 inch fresh,chopped)
ground cinnamon
see comment below about spice selection
3-4 curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric
pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2 carrots, peeled and cut or
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut
(may omit vegetables or use other veg)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste (may use Bragg's instead)

Wash dal and rice 3 times; drain and set aside. Peel and cut vegetables . Melt ghee on med heat in a 3 qt saucepan. Add all spices except turmeric and saute about 2 minutes, or until mustard seeds pop. Add turmeric and saute another 30 seconds. Add dal and rice, stirring until well coated with spices and ghee, about 2 min. Pour in hot water: if level of grains in pot is 1/2 inch, add water up to 1 inch depth or a little more if adding vegetables. Stir in vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 30-40 minutes until dal and rice are soft. Add salt and serve. May garnish with unsweetened shredded coconut, cilantro, chopped fresh ginger and lime juice. I like to serve kitchari with tortillas as a substitute for chapatis.

SPICES: Cumin, coriander and fennel are cooling. Mustard seed, basil, rosemary, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon are heating. If you know that you are pitta or tend to "run hot", or if the weather is hot, use the cooling spices. If you are vata or kapha or if the weather is cold, use the warming spices.
It is OK to mix heating and cooling spices in the same kitchari, especially if you are pitta but like the taste of the heating spices. Just reduce the amount of the heating ones and garnish with lots of coconut, cilantro and lime which are all cooling. For example, you could us

Wash dal and rice 3 times; drain and set aside. Peel and cut vegetables . Melt ghee on med heat in a 3 qt saucepan. Add all spices except turmeric and saute about 2 minutes, or until mustard seeds pop. Add turmeric and saute another 30 seconds. Add dal and rice, stirring until well coated with spices and ghee, about 2 min. Pour in hot water: if level of grains in pot is 1/2 inch, add water up to 1 inch depth or a little more if adding vegetables. Stir in vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 30-40 minutes until dal and rice are soft. Add salt and serve. May garnish with unsweetened shredded coconut, cilantro, chopped fresh ginger and lime juice. I like to serve kitchari with tortillas as a substitute for chapatis.

SPICES: Cumin, coriander and fennel are cooling. Mustard seed, basil, rosemary, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon are heating. If you know that you are pitta or tend to "run hot", or if the weather is hot, use the cooling spices. If you are vata or kapha or if the weather is cold, use the warming spices.
It is OK to mix heating and cooling spices in the same kitchari, especially if you are pitta but like the taste of the heating spices. Just reduce the amount of the heating ones and garnish with lots of coconut, cilantro and lime which are all cooling. For example, you could us