Spring Cleansing Khichri

Time: 1 hour plus soak time

1 cup small-grain white rice ½ cup mixed split dals, such as moong, moong split, masoor

1 teaspoon ground black

pepper

½ teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoons ginger purée Small spring of rosemary

leaves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons ghee 1 teaspoon mustard seeds Pinch asafetida (hing),

optional

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped

herbs

More ghee for drizzling

(optional)

Instructions: Rinse the rice and lentils in water twice and soak for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

Drain the rice-lentil mixture by pouring most of the water out, however, a little remaining water is OK. Combine in mediumsize stockpot with 4 cups of water, black pepper, ginger purée, rosemary, salt and bring to a boil. If any scum rises to the top, use a slotted spoon to discard it. These are the residue particles that can cause stomach upset and bloating, so it is best to discard.

Cover and simmer the khichri for an hour, checking every 15 minutes to make sure the mixture is not sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning. The rice and lentils should be cooked through, and the khichri should be soft and creamy. Add more water if necessary.

Heat the ghee, quickly pop the mustard seeds, fry the asafetida and add to the soup immediately. Stir in herbs and drizzle more ghee on top before serving.

Notes & variations

• The small yellow moong and orange or red masoor lentils are the gentlest on the belly while doing a cleanse. Channa, split garbanzos or any sort of whole lentils or beans, are delicious in khichri, but they are much harder to digest.

• Plain white rice is the most digestible grain, especially when doing a cleanse. If you want rice with more fiber, use brown rice and or other grains, however, this will significantly increase the liquid required and the cooking time, so adjust accordingly.

• For a plant-based option, use sesame or coconut oil.

Serves 4