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Nourishing Kitchari Cleanse: A Bowl of Balance for Body and Earth

There’s something about a kitchari cleanse that feels like a warm embrace from the earth itself - simple, grounding, and deeply restorative. This humble dish, rooted in Ayurvedic tradition, is a beautiful way of resetting, of coming back to balance when life feels heavy, stagnant, or simply too much. In my kitchen, kitchari becomes a canvas for seasonal vegetables, a reminder that food is medicine, and that the rhythms of nature always offer what we most need.



Close-up of a yellow rice kitchari dish with lemon and carrot slices on top in a white bowl. The setting is minimal and brightly lit.

My First Kitchari Cleanse

I first came across kitchari not in a cookbook or on a blog, but through a fall kitchari cleanse guided by my yoga teachers, Dhyana and Syama Masla. Both of them grew up in the Bhakti yoga tradition, living the lineage and lifestyle with devotion. They offered this cleanse as a way to align with the season by simplifying, softening, and letting the body rest.


At the time, I didn’t fully understand how much a simple bowl of rice and lentils could hold. But during those days of the cleanse, something shifted. My digestion felt lighter, my mind quieter, and my body more grounded. Kitchari became a “reset food”, as well as a lived experience of nourishment, and a reminder of how food and spiritual practice intertwine.


Since then, I’ve brought kitchari into my own seasonal rhythm. Whenever the seasons turn, or when life feels overwhelming, I return to this dish. It echoes what my Greek family did on the farm - one-pot meals made with what was on hand, deeply nourishing and never fussy. In that way, the kitchari cleanse feels like a bridge: Ayurveda and Bhakti yoga on one side, ancestral Greek wisdom on the other.


Why Try a Kitchari Cleanse?


  • Gentle on Digestion: Split mung beans and rice create a complete protein that’s easy to digest.

  • Balancing: Spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric kindle digestion without overwhelming.

  • Seasonal Flexibility: Kitchari adapts to spring, summer, autumn, or winter vegetables.

  • Simplicity: One pot, deeply nourishing, no overthinking required.



CVK Seasonal Kitchari

A soothing, grounding meal for any season - inspired by Ayurveda and Greek Blue Zone wisdom.


Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking)

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes (not including overnight soak, if you choose that option)

Serving Size: 3–4


Ingredients

  • ½ cup yellow split mung dal, rinsed well

  • ½ cup basmati rice (or quinoa for lighter digestion), rinsed

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds

  • ½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

  • ½ tsp turmeric powder

  • 2 cups seasonal vegetables, diced (see guide below)

  • 5–6 cups water or light vegetable broth

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Fresh lemon juice, to finish

  • Handful fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional)


Instructions

  1. Rinse + soak mung dal and rice for at least 30 minutes (overnight if possible). Drain.

  2. In a large pot, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds. Let them sizzle until fragrant.

  3. Stir in turmeric, then add the drained mung dal + rice. Coat well with the spices.

  4. Pour in 5 cups water/broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

  5. Add your seasonal vegetables (see guide below). Continue simmering another 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed for a porridge-like consistency.

  6. When grains and dal are tender, stir in quick-cooking greens if using. Simmer just 3–5 minutes more, until wilted.

  7. Season with salt, and finish with lemon juice and fresh herbs.


Seasonal Veggies for Your Kitchari Cleanse


  • Spring (Kapha season): asparagus, zucchini, fennel, leafy greens, peas

  • Summer (Pitta season): green beans, summer squash, carrots, kale

  • Autumn (Vata season): sweet potato, pumpkin, cauliflower, beets

  • Winter: turnips, parsnips, carrots, hearty greens


How to Enjoy a Kitchari Cleanse


  • As part of a seasonal reset, eating kitchari for a few days while resting your digestion.

  • With vegan yogurt or avocado in the warmer months.

  • Topped with toasted seeds in colder months.

  • Anytime digestion feels sluggish, or when you crave grounding and simplicity.


A Bowl of Wholeness


A kitchari cleanse is about listening. It’s a way of pausing, softening, and coming back to your center. Just as the soil rests in winter and bursts alive in spring, your body has rhythms of rest and renewal. A bowl of kitchari is a gentle reminder of this truth, one spoonful at a time.


Bringing It to Your Table

Kitchari is one of those recipes that meets you exactly where you are - whether you’re seeking balance, rest, or just a simple, grounding meal. I’d love to know how this recipe lands in your kitchen:


  • Did you make it with your favorite seasonal vegetables?

  • Did you add your own little twists?

  • How did it make you feel after a bowl or two?


Share your experience in the comments below, and pass this recipe along to someone who could use a little nourishment today. Every time we cook, share, and eat in rhythm with the seasons, we weave ourselves back into the wisdom of the earth.

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