A delicious fermented drink made from carrots and beetroot especially during the festival of holi. It's zingy, salty, tangy all at once, and is full of probiotic goodness!!!
With the festival of colors, Holi right around the corner, all I can think of are delicacies like gujiya, baked achari mathri, baked bhakarvadi , as well as refreshing drinks like thandai and the recipe I am sharing today, kanji. This is my mom's fool-proof recipe for you all to enjoy this festive season!!
What is Kanji?
Kanji is a North Indian fermented drink traditionally made from black carrots, mustard seeds, salt, and chili powder along with water. Since black carrots are not so readily available, I have used a mix of orange carrots and beetroot. The drink is kept in a glass jar at a sunny spot for 4-5 days to aid the fermentation process. This allows the good bacteria to proliferate similar to other probiotic drinks like kombucha, kefir, and so on.
If you like fermented drinks like Kombucha, then kanji is right up your alley. It is important to note that the flavor profiles are quite different, as kombucha is slightly sweet while kanji is salty, tangy, and somewhat pungent, but deliciously so.
Kanji may be an acquired taste for some, but those who love it often swear by its unique taste and health benefits.
Health benefits of Kanji
Not only is kanji visually appealing but also has tons of health benefits!!
- Promotes gut health and aids digestion.
- Rich in probiotics, dietary fibers, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, B vitamins, and manganese.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Has detoxing properties.
Ingredients
- Carrots - Traditionally black carrots are used to make kanji. I used orange carrots as black carrots are hard to find.
- Beetroot - Imparts a gorgeous rich pink hue to the drink beside the obvious health benefits.
- Mustard seeds - Helps in the fermentation process and gives the drink the signature tanginess.
- Spices- salt and chili powder.
- Green chili (optional) - For that extra kick, remove the chili after 3 days if you don't want your drink to get too spicy.
How to make Kanji drink??
With just 10 minutes of hands-on time, making kanji is remarkably easy with just a few ingredients:
- Wash, peel, and slice the carrots and beetroot into matchsticks.
- Coarsely grind mustard seeds in a spice or coffee grinder.
- In a large glass pitcher or jar, add water, followed by sliced carrots, beets, mustard seeds powder, and spices.
- Stir well and cover the jar with a lid or muslin cloth. Let it sit in a sunny spot for 4-5 days. Make sure to stir once every day.
- You know it's ready once it tastes sour and a little pungent and the color is a deep shade of pink/purple.
- Consume within 2-3 days.
Why we love this drink??
- Great for gut health and overall wellness.
- Easy to make with minimal ingredients.
- Deliciously spicy and tangy.
- A gorgeous addition to your holi spread.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized carrots
- 1 medium beetroot
- 1.5 teaspoons red chili powder (or paprika)
- 1.5 tablespoons mustard seeds (coarsely ground)
- 1 small green chili, slit (optional)
- 6-7 cups water
- 2 teaspoon salt or as per taste
Instructions
- Peel, wash, and slice the carrots and beetroots into matchsticks.
- Coarsely grind mustard seeds in a spice or coffee grinder.
- In a large glass pitcher or jar, add water, followed by sliced carrots and beets.
- Add salt, chili powder, ground mustard seeds, and green chili (if adding)
- Stir to combine well. Cover with a lid.
- Let the jar sit in a sunny spot to ferment for 4-5 days. Make sure to stir once every day.
- After 3 days, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. At this point, you can remove the green chili from the pitcher if you don't want your drink to be too spicy.
- You will know it's ready once it has the right balance of tanginess and spices.
- Consume within the next 2-3 days at room temperature or chilled.
- Serve with or without the veggies depending on your personal preference.
Recipe Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Make sure to stir kanji once with a clean wooden spatula.
- Fermentation is faster in warmer places and slower in cooler places. So please do check every day for readiness.
- You can serve kanji with or without the veggies. Or you can serve the veggies on the side with your meal.
- Make sure to use a clean glass pitcher/jar to prepare kanji.
- Never use plastic or stainless steel containers to prepare this drink.
- Add some extra mustard seeds to speed up the fermentation process.
