Recipe: 3G Salad

3G Salad with Roasted Squash (note: my spork, love that thing :) )

Yesterday I had my no-more kitchari party; I'd been eating it for eleven days straight (I did a longer cleanse than the ones I lead) and was really ready to not see anymore basmati rice and mung beans. I can't say I ate anything that exciting except for some rice noodles in broth with greens with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil which was very yummy. Today though, my meal was absolutely scrumptious! If you're looking at it and thinking it looks an awful lot like kitchari, well you'd be right. It is technically. Rice and puy lentils and the usual spice suspects are all there. Guess that one-pot meal habit is really sticking. I'm calling it the 3G Salad (Greens, Grains & leGumes) in honor of the wonderfully inspirational man Steve Jobs who passed this last week. I think he's made a huge impact on all our lives, and I know my life & my business wouldn't be the same without my 3G iPhone. Here's a great quote by Jobs that I  found only recently: 

“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity.

 Simple can be harder than complex: 

You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. 

But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” 

[Steve Jobs in BusinessWeek, May 25, 1998]

Other things that make me love this dish: 

• The tomatoes came from someone at The Mindful Body's garden (little baggies of tomatoes were left in the staff room with a sign "from a local garden"). 
• The kale came from my local leafy greens suppliers/students/friends, the Corwins, who cultivate a plot in a community garden in the city to produce bountiful gorgeous greens. 
• My yoga teacher/ayurvedic counselor/ acupuncturist Scott Blossom told me that when combined seaweed and legumes are viewed as blood builders in Chinese Medicine, so this dish is great for building strength even though it is vegetarian. 

3G SALAD (Greens, Grains & leGumes)

1/2 c brown basmati rice (I used a mix with a little wild rice)

1/2 c puy lentils

2 c + water

1 scant T ghee

1/2 tsp mixture of fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds

1/2 large onion, quartered then sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

dash of salt

3 cherry tomatoes, quartered

three large kale leaves, deveined and chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

handful of hemp seeds

handful of chopped cilantro

roasted shredded seaweed to taste

Rinse rice and lentils then cook together in water until rice is done. I used my rice cooker which makes it a breeze, otherwise cook them covered at a simmer for 40 minutes or so. Once rice and lentil mixture is done, save half for another day (like soup that evening or lunch tomorrow) and place half in a large mixing bowl. This next part goes quickly, so wait until rice is done to start: In a large pan, melt ghee then add fennel, cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as mustard seeds pop, add onion and garlic and a dash of salt. Stir and saute for a few minutes. Once onions are soft, add tomatoes. Give it a minute then add chopped kale. Ideally the kale still is a bit wet from washing but if not add a touch of water. Stir and cook over medium-low heat until kale is soft. Stir in turmeric and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and add to rice & lentils in mixing bowl. Sprinkle hemp seeds and chopped cilantro on top and mix well. Then add seaweed to taste only just combining. Taste and add extra seasoning as necessary. Enjoy! 

• Good for all doshas....but if you want to make modifications...
• V: Stir in an extra tablespoon ghee to the rice & lentils when putting it in mixing bowl at start. Be sure kale is cooked well. 
• P: Substitute coriander for mustard seeds. Reduce garlic to half clove or omit altogether. Use minimal salt. 
• K: Excellent. Can add large pinch of fenugreek with other spice seeds.