Want to watch Patricia's cooking tutorial? Check out our Instagram to follow along with the recipe!
Serves 4 to 6 portions
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Preparation: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
You can always use this principle: For each portion of Basmati rice, use a 1/2 of Mung bean.
1 cup Mung bean
2 cups Basmati rice
2 cups of veggies. To balance Kapha you can use carrots, spinach, kale, cauliflower or celery. You can make your own mix with the veggies, or just choose one of your preference.
1 tbsp ghee
Fresh diced ginger (use a piece as big as your thumb)
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
1/2 tsp cumin powder.
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
less then1/4 tsp hing (asafetida) in case of using Mung beans.
Salt and pepper.
Optional garnishes:
Lime juice
Chopped cilantro or parsley
Sunflower seeds
Directions
Rinse the Mung beans in cold water and soak overnight. If you choose Mung Dahl, you can use it directly.
Wash the rice and let it dry while preparing the other ingredients.
In a pan over medium heat warm the ghee until it gets melted.
Add the diced ginger, salt and black pepper (preferable freshly ground).
Sauté all the seeds first, adding one by one. Lower the heat a bit to avoid burning and wait about 30 seconds or until they start to ‘dance’ in the pan and to release the aroma.
Add the powder spices. Doing it on the same way, one by one.
Mix all the spices making a paste with them.
Add the Mung beans, the rice and the diced veggies. Stir for about 1 minute, mixing them with the spices to get the flavours together.
Add 600-7000 ml water. I use boiled water but if you prefer, room temperature water is also fine.
Stir gently, lower the fire and let it cook for 15min.
After 15 min. check the water and the cooking point of rice. Depending on how much longer you need to cook, add a bit more water. Wait another 5, 7 minutes.
After that if the Basmati rice and Mung bean are well cooked but you still need to let the water dry, take the lid off and let the water evaporate. If they still need to cook more, add a bit more water, enough to not let them burn and wait until it gets the consistency you prefer
By serving you can garnish your plate with fresh cilantro or parsley and a bit of sunflowers seeds.
Information about the ingredients:
Basmati rice:
Very nutritious Basmati rice balances all three doshas and is only aggravating when taken alone and in large quantity due to its light and dry qualities. It is easy to digest and can be taken when there is vomiting, anorexia, or an inability to digest food. Blanched, refined, white rice instead tends to aggravate Kapha and create Ama by its sticky nature. That’s why is important to use non refine rice such as Basmati.
Mung Beans:
Balances Kapha and Pitta and are the best bean for Vata. It’s the only Sattvic bean.
Carrots:
Balances Kapha and Vata. Only aggravate Pitta when taken in excess. Carrots are cleansing, mildly tonic and an excellent source of anti-oxidants.
Spinach:
Cleansing, nutritive, balances Kapha and Pitta. It’s high in many minerals and is used in the treatment of anemia, lung disorder and toxic blood.
Ghee:
Also known as clarified butter, it’s the best fat for the body. Is an unsaturated fat, light to digest and it balances Agni (the digestive fire). In small doses it has a therapeutic effect, balancing all three Doshas. It supports memory and lubricates the connective tissues. In case of high cholesterol or obesity it should be used carefully.
Sunflower seeds:
Very nutritious and high in iron, sunflower seeds generally balances all three Doshas. They help to cleanse the lungs and lymph system and are particularly good for heart disease and high cholesterol.
Cilantro:
Tridoshic, cleansing, It’s a good alternative and removes excess bile from the blood.
All spices selected are Kapha-balancing
Rock Salt:
Improve taste and increase appetite. Promotes saliva and gastric juices. In excess, it deranges all doshas. Rock salt is drier and lighter than sea salt and a better digestive stimulant. In Ayurveda Rock salt is consider a better option for all doshas and especially for Kapha.
Black Pepper:
Decongestant, expectorant, it burns Ama, clears congestion and helps absorption of nutrients.
Ginger:
When using ginger think ‘digestion, lungs and circulation’. It is the herbalist ‘best friend’ because is consider a universal medicine, benefiting everyone. It clears Ama, alleviates pain, cough and breathing difficulties. Dry ginger is hotter and more stimulant than fresh ginger which is better for colds and flu.
Cardamon:
Carminative, supports digestion, is light, cleansing and vey Sattvic. Also very good for constipation and gases.
Cinnamon:
Promotes circulation, increases Agni and regulates slow digestion (Manda Agni). Has an anti fungal effect and is used in candida albicans and imbalanced intestinal flora.
Cloves:
Expectorant, decongestant, dispel gas, analgesic and relieves headaches.
Cumin:
Carminative and stimulant supports digestion and the digestive process.
Fennel:
Tridoshic, help indigestion and relieves colic. It is the most balanced and Sattvic of all spices.
Fenugreek:
A common ingredient in curries due to its digestive stimulating power. It helps to clear Ama and to open the channel.
Hing/Asafetida:
It’s mainly used as an antidote for beans and the best spice for Vata. Be careful with the amount. Some people find its taste too strong and it has a Tamasic nature.
Turmeric:
Tridoshic, has a scrapping effect, kindles the digestive fire (Agni) and is the most important spice to use when overweight. It also helps to clear stagnation from the head.
---
We now offer an Ayurvedic Care Package for those who want to treat themselves or a loved one to personalised, holistic self-care.