Ghee Recipe

1 pound unsalted butter

Put the butter in a heavy, medium-sized pan. Turn the heat on to medium until the butter melts.

Turn down the heat until the butter just boils and continue to cook at this heat. Do not cover the pot. The butter will foam and sputter while it cooks. Whitish curds will begin to form on the bottom of the pot. The butter will begin to smell like popcorn after a while and turn a lovely golden color. Keep a close watch on the ghee, as it can easily burn. After a while it will become a clear, golden color. You will have to take a clean, dry spoon to move away some of the foam on top in order to see if the ghee is clear all the way through to the bottom. When it is clear and has stopped sputtering and making noise, then it needs to be taken off the heat. Let it cool until just warm. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid. Discard the curds at the bottom of the saucepan. The ghee is burned if it has a nutty smell and is slightly brown.

1 pound of butter takes about 15 minutes of cooking time. The more butter you are using, the more time it will take.

Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf, covered. It does not need refrigeration. The medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don’t ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.

Two pounds of butter will fill a quart jar with ghee.

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Khichari Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Basmati Rice
• 1 cup Mung Dal (split yellow)
• 6 cups (approx.) Water
• 1/2 to 1 inch Ginger Root, chopped or grated
• a bit of Mineral Salt (1/4 tsp. or so)
• 2 tsp. Ghee
• 1/2 tsp. Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Whole Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp. Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
• Handful Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• 1 and 1/2 cups Assorted Vegetables (optional)

Preparation
Carefully pick over rice and dal to remove any stones. Wash each separately in at least 2 changes of water. Add the 6 cups of water to the rice and dal and cook covered until it becomes soft, about 20 minutes.

While that is cooking, prepare any vegetables that suit your constitution. Cut them into smallish pieces. Add the vegetables to the cooked rice and dal mixture and cook 10 minutes longer.

In a separate saucepan, sauté the seeds in the ghee until they pop. Then add the other spices. Stir together to release the flavors. Stir the sautéed spices into the cooked dal, rice, and vegetable mixture. Add the mineral salt and chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Caution: Kitchari mono-diet can lead to constipation if taken exclusively for several days, as it is low in fiber. To ensure proper elimination, the following may prove helpful if taken once a day, away from kitchari meals: psyllium husks or seeds with water OR oat bran OR prune juice.

Teas for each Constitution

Vata Tea — equal parts ground ginger, cumin and coriander
Pitta Tea — equal parts ground cumin, coriander and fennel
Kapha Tea — equal parts ground ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of clove

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Agni Tea Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 quart Water
• 1 pinch Cayenne
• 2 handfuls Minced ginger root
• 2 Tbs. Sucanat or other sweetener
• 1 to 2 tsp. Rock salt

Preparation

• Bring all of the above ingredients to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes.
• Take the pot off the burner and cool for a few minutes
• Add the juice of 1/2 lime. Do not boil the lime juice.
• Pour into a thermos and enjoy throughout the day!

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