Kitchari is a polarizing dish, regarded by some as minimalist cuisine while others consider it mundane. It typically consists of rice and lentils with vegetables, and can be enhanced through a process called tempering, which involves cooking spices in oil to release their flavors. This key process differentiates high-quality kitchari from subpar versions. An example highlighted is the kitchari from Trader Joe's, which was poorly ranked compared to other Indian foods due to lack of flavor and texture. Kitchari can serve both as a comfort food and an emergency meal option.
Kitchari is a dish that tends to trigger extreme reactions; for some, it's culinary minimalism, while others find it a boring fallback when inspiration is lacking.
At its core, kitchari is humble, made of rice and lentils cooked together with vegetables, which can be elevated with a tempering of spices.
The difference between good kitchari and bad kitchari lies in the tempering process, which extracts and amplifies the flavors of the spices.
While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys kitchari, the shelf version from Trader Joe's lacks the necessary flavors and textures to elevate it.
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