Autumn Kitchari
The silent richness of fall has arrived. To me, the shift from summer into fall and winter is one of the most comforting, cozy, and nourishing times my body knows. I will happily wash hundreds of dishes to the soft symphony of Alexandre Desplat, in service to the elemental embrace I feel, even through the windows, as I gaze outside into a cleansing, whispering natural dance of wind, light, and rain. It nods the world’s children to lean in, come closer, listen to me…I’m on my way home to you.
Where is home? Sometimes I know home to be a place inside that is so rich, so full, so alive and loud, yet so incredibly still. We move from a natural, easeful, fiery expression of Summer’s blossoming- the beach, the surfers, the bikers, kids playing, outdoor concerts, picnics- so much life all around. How fantastic we are at expressing LIFE. Change. Fall arrives. We remember a different taste of our aliveness.
In a world, where we are so often out of tune with the natural cycles of the Earth, the cycles of the cosmos, this seemingly sudden shift of Seasons revives the ease-fullness of being inside of ourselves. It’s like that spiral of existence that begins to spin back towards the center now, and the most beautiful thing we can do is be guided by our own pulse- the pulse that is undoubtedly connected to the universal pulse. So what I’m getting at, is at times like this, when we move so drastically from intense heat and outdoor exploration to a cozy rainy day baking in the kitchen, WE FEEL OUR PULSE AS IT”S CONNECTED TO THE UNIVERSAL PULSE. Whether it’s the routine of a season, or the bus route down that long gravel driveway to a classmate’s farm we took as kids on the way to school, we expect it to feel that way.
Change. And then it doesn’t. In the emptiness of the fullness, we remember we are just as much animals, primal creatures, the spider in the web; whether you spin with your words, your paintbrush, your mind, your senses- We Spin. We are Spinning to know that Life is an active respondent to our efforts.
On this evening in my Kitchen, I decided to warm the coolness this rain imbibes and kindle my digestive fire with an offering to some of the Earth’s most potent medicine- spices!
Miriyala Annam is the name of the dish, which means ‘Pepper Flavored Rice”. Black Pepper, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word Pippali and Latin name Piper Nigrum. Black Pepper was a valuable spice used during ancient times as a currency to trade from east to west. It was valued as currency to pay taxes, used as a sacred offering, and advocated in Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine over 3,000 years ago. It increases bio-availability in the body — it helps transport the benefits of other herbs to the different parts of the body. It helps the free flow of oxygen to the brain, helps enhance digestion and circulation, stimulates the appetite, and helps maintain respiratory system health and the health of the joints. Black pepper is a warming spice and contributes the pungent taste. In regard to Ayuredic doshas, it is excellent for pacifying Kapha, helps pacify Vata and increases Pitta.
RECIPE:
3 cups of cooked white rice (each grain should be separate)
1 1/2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 tbsp black pepper corns
1 1/2 tbsp seasame seeds
10-12 curry leaves (fresh leaves only)
salt to taste
PROCEDURE:
Dry roast the black pepper corns, sesame seeds and curry leaves in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat tossing them around till the flavors come out and you find a nice aroma emanates the kitchen. Once the seasame seeds change color you can turn off the heat and make a coarse powder.
Then heat the ghee in a pan, add the mustard seeds until they start popping. Add the cumin seeds and let them brown. Add the cooked rice and combine it with the ghee. Now add the ground spice powder , salt and add the rice so that the spices coat tit well. Only use freshly ground pepper corns to receive the full medicinal benefit and lively flavor.
Serve hot. I topped my rice with a bed of steamed kale greens to aid in the detoxification of this nourishing meal!
