Kichari - A Complete Dish

No other dish makes me so happy and satisfied during the winter as Kichari does. I have to thank my friend Pablo for introducing me to this tasty and pleasant dish. I’ve been doing this dish for a year now and every time I cook it, I make some little change. So now I have a quit different recipe from the original one. Kichari is the perfect food for vegetarians when accompanied by a side of dark greens. It has complete protein from the rice and lentils, iron and a lot of calcium from the collard greens. 


Curiously, today I was watching the Brazilian news and they were talking about foods that can prevent cancer. They were talking about fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals that can help the cell to enter apoptosis (programed cell death) at the right time. If the immune system isn’t working properly and the cells don’t die they start to multiply forming tumors. Some nutrients in some foods can trigger this cell death. Some of them are: gingerol found in ginger, capsaicin found in cayenne pepper, curcumin found in turmeric and sulforaphane found in cauliflower. And Kichari was the dish that came to my mind right away, because it has all the cited ingredients.

Kichari

2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 pinch of asafetida (hing)

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 cauliflower cut into florets

1 tbsp turmeric

1 cup brown rice

1 cup split red lentils

7 cups water

¾ cup fresh or frozen green peas

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or any other oil (olive, grape seed, sesame, sunflower...)

Procedure:

1. Wash rice and lentils until the washing water becomes clear (about 3-5 times)

2. Heat the ghee or oil in a 3-4 quart/liter heavy sauce pan or a pressure cooker over high heat. Add the ginger and cumin seeds and let it fry until they turn brown. Stir in the cauliflower, let it cook for 3 min. Add the rice and lentils and let it fry for more 1 min.

3. Add the water, and spices (asafetida, turmeric, cayenne and salt). Bring it to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan or pressure cooker. – if using the pan, lower the heat and let it simmer for 1 ½ hour . – if using the pressure cooker, maintain the high heat until it gets the full pressure and then lower the heat to simmer for 50 – 60min.

4. Open the lid, and stir in the peas.

NOTE: The kichari should have a oatmeal consistency, if not, let it cook with the lip open for 5 more minutes stirring occasionally until it thickens.

Sautée greens

 2 cloves of minced garlic

1 bunch of kale, dandelion, collard, mustard or beet greens finely chopped

2 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp sea salt

 Procedure:

1. heat the oil over high heat in a skillet. Add the garlic until it turns brow. Add the collard greens and salt. Lower to medium heat and stir until the green softens (5min).

Kichari - em português

Ingredientes:

2 col de sopa de gengibre picado

1 col de sopa de semente de cuminho

1 pitada de asafetida

1 pitada de pimenta-caiena

1 couve-flor cortada em pedaços pequenos

1 col de sopa de cúrcuma

1 copo de arroz integral

1 copo de lentilha (vermelha de preferência)

7 copos de água

3/4 copo de ervilhas frescas ou congeladas (mas não enlatadas)

2 col. de sopa de manteiga clarificada ou óleo de girassol

Procedimento:

1. lavar o arroz e lentilhas até que a água saia limpa (de 3 à 5 vezes)
2. Aquecer o a manteiga ou óleo em uma panela funda ou panela de pressão em fogo alto. Adicionar o gengibre e o cuminho e deixar dourar. Misturar a couve-flor, deixar cozinhar por 3 min. Adicionar o arroz e lentilha e refoar por mais 1 min. 
3. Adicionar a água, temperos (asafetida, cúrcuma, pimenta e sal). Deixar ferver em fogo alto. Tampar a penela - se usar panela normal, baixar o fogo e deixar cozinhar por 1h e meia - se usar a pressão, manter o fogo alto até a panela pegar pressão e depois baixar o fogo e cozinhar por 50 a 60 minutos. 
4. Abrir a panela e adicionar as ervilhar. 

ATENÇÃO: O kichari deve ter a consistência de mingau. Se quando você abrir não estiver grosso o suficiente, destampe a panela e deixe cozinhar em fogo médio por mais 5 minutos ou até engrossar (mexendo sempre para não grudar).

Couve Refogada:

2 dentes de alho picado

1 maço de folhas verdes (couve, folha de mustarda ou dente-de-leão) picadas bem fininha

2 colheres de óleo de girassol

1 col. rasa de cha de sal

Procedimento:

1. Aquecer o óleo na frigideira, jogar o alho e deixar dourar. Adicione a couve e o sal, e misture até que a couve fique macia (5 min)