Kichadi and Ambition

As a chef and baker, my goal is to wow you with flavor. That’s what drives me. That’s where my ambition derives from.

But this recipe is intentionally a little milder in flavor. Don’t get me wrong, the herbs, spices and aromatics in it make for a delicious dish, but the flavors are more muted than I normally aim for. That’s because this recipe is less about wowing with flavor and more about serving a nutritional purpose. 

Kichadi is a South Asian rice and beans porridge, a regional comfort food containing ingredients that help to ease an irritated and inflamed GI tract.

As I aimed NOT to hit you over the head with powerful flavors that might irritate the stomach, I thought about how I was putting aside my ambition for flavor to accommodate a more therapeutic and functional approach to feeding others…and this made me think about a Harvard Business Review article I recently read, titled “How to Make Peace with Feeling Less Ambitious.” by Dorie Clark.

We all go through periods in life where we feel less ambitious, and it can feel pretty shitty.  While the reasons and situations for downshifting ambition may differ for each one of us, the stress and feelings of shame, lack of identity and disconnection from community are the same.

As I’ve evolved and shifted my ambitions over the last few years, I know I’ve felt all of these things, and it sucks. 

This kichadi recipe is a metaphor for my recent experience with ambition. Making it was less about wowing with flavor and more about nurturing with a functional approach to food, just as my shifting professional identity is less about wowing with my talents and more about serving others with purpose.   

If you or someone you know is beating themselves up about feeling less ambitious, I recommend three things: 1) Read this article. It may not address your specific situation, but I do think it will shift your perspective about feeling less ambitious; 2) Consider working with a coach. It certainly helped me and I know plenty of experienced coaches I can refer you to; 3) If all that stress is upsetting your belly, make and eat this kichadi. The ginger, turmeric, fennel seeds and cilantro are there for a purpose—to sooth and heal your GI tract.

Slow-Cooker Kichadi

(Gluten-free)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp ghee

2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 tsp turmeric

1 ½ tsp fennel seeds

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 onion, diced

½ cup short grain brown rice, uncooked

1 ½ cups mung dal/petite yellow lentils, uncooked, rinsed and drained

4 ½ cups water, plus more if needed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped cilantro and/or parsley, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large sauté pan, heat the ghee on low heat and add the ginger, turmeric, fennel seeds and cumin. Sauté until the spices release their aromas, about 1 minute. Add the onion, stir to completely coat with the spice mixture and sauté until soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Add the uncooked rice and lentils and stir until fully coated with the spice mixture. Transfer to a slow cooker, add the water, and cook on HIGH until it is a thick, porridge-like consistency, approximately 2 ½ hours. If the mixture dries out before the rice and beans are fully cooked, gradually add in more water. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and/or parsley, if desired.