This gajar ki kanji or probiotic carrot drink is very popular in North India during winters. It is a fermented drink made with carrots and beets. It is a super easy recipe that is also healthy for your gut.
This is a vegan probiotic drink which is made by pickling carrots using mustard seed powder. The recipe uses no oil and minimal spices.
I like it spicy so I use Indian chilli powder. But you can easily skip it. It is tart and spicy and absolutely delicious.
Just like kombucha, this is very easy to make at home.
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Ingredients
Carrots: Generally, this is made with purple carrots that come in winters in North of India. Since I don’t get those easily, I use the regular red carrots. You can use orange carrots too.
Beets: I use beet to provide the rich magenta purple color to the kanji that is its signature colour.
Yellow mustard seeds: These seeds are less pungent than the regular brown mustard seeds and are typically used in this recipe. If using brown mustard seeds, halve the quantity.
Salt and cayenne: I use salt and cayenne to flavour my kanji that is already very tart.
Water: Use filtered or boiled and cooled water here.
Variations
Like I mentioned, this is a vegan recipe that uses black carrots. In place of those, a combination of red carrots and beet work perfectly.
In case you want to, you can also add turnip batons in the recipe.
You can use pepper in the recipe in place of cayenne.
Serving suggestions
- Drink: Kanji is served as a drink. You can have it at room temperature or chilled.
- As a dip for vadas: Kanji vadas are very popular. You can make urad dal or lentil fritters and serve them dipped in kanji.
- Drinks or cocktails: Kanji has a refreshing tart taste. It can be used as a mixer in cocktails or added to other fruit juices or vegetable juices as a drink.
- At festivals: Kanji is served at Indian festival of Holi after playing with colours.
- For digestion: Kanji is a probiotic drink that is good for the gut. It is also a digestion aid. Having it after a meal helps it aid digestion.
FAQs
Gajar ki kanji is made with carrots and beet that are fermented with spices.
It is tart and salty with a fermented taste.
Yes, kanji is very healthy for the gut. It is a probiotic drink and has been had over centuries in India for its digestive benefits.
After fermentation keep it in a cool and dark place and consume within 5-7 days. Beyond that it becomes too tart and also loses its flavour. You can keep it in the fridge too.
Tips
- Since fermentation is involved, it is very important to use sterilised glass jar or ceramic container for this recipe. I typically keep the glass jar in hot sun for a few hours after washing and then use.
- Depending upon how hot the sun is in your part of the world, it takes about 2-3 entire days in the sun for the kanji to mature. It starts tasting tart and then you know that it is done.
- Once it is mature, you can refrigerate it. Either way, consume it within 5-7 days or it gets too tart.
- Another trick is that I add a bit of water to water it down in case it starts tasting too tart.
- Don’t forget to serve the pickled vegetables as a side. They are delicious.
- You can also use some pink salt for an enhanced flavour.
Instructions
Peel and cut carrots into batons and keep aside. Peel and cut beetroot into similar sized batons and keep aside.
Powder yellow mustard in a blender jar and keep aside.
Now take a clean, sterilised glass or ceramic jar. Do not use metal or plastic containers.
Place carrot and beetroot batons in the jar. Add mustard powder, salt, pink salt and chilli powder or cayenne.
Now top up with water to the brim (about 8 cups)
Give it a mix and cover with a lid or tie a clean muslin cloth at the neck.
Place in hot sun in your balcony or patio so that it gets sunlight. Take it inside the house in the evening.
Repeat this method for 3-4 days till the liquid turns a deep ruby colour and has a tart taste to it.
Your kanji is now ready. You can start consuming it at room temperature or cool it down and have it as a fermented drink with meal or otherwise.
Serve the crunchy fermented vegetables as a side. Enjoy your healthy kanji!
Also taste when it is getting ready. If it has less salt, add more, same with cayenne. If salt is more or if it is too sour for your taste just add more water.
It is preferable to consume it within a week or it gets way too sour. The pickled vegetables are tasty as is or can be had as a side with your meals.
Like any fermented drinks, this one is an acquired taste. I know people who swear by it and others who swear at it. 🙂
Either way, try it. It is different and at least quite liked in my home. And seriously how easy it is to make this.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Kanji Recipe | Carrot Kanji Drink
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped into batons
- 1 beetroot peeled and chopped into batons
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds coarsely powdered
- 1 tbsp. cayenne
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. pink salt
- 8 cups water
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Instructions
- You will need a clean glass or ceramic jar to ferment the kanji in.
- I normally wash and dry a glass or ceramic jar and then keep it in sunlight for a few hours till completely dry to sterilize it.
- Add the chopped carrot and beet batons along with the mustard powder, cayenne and both the salts in the glass or ceramic jar.
- Now top up with water.
- You will find that the carrot and beets float on top.
- Cover it well and keep it out in the sun for a few hours for 3-4 days till it has fermented.
- Always keep the bottle inside during the evening and night hours.
- In 3-4 days, your kanji will have fermented enough and will be ready for consumption.
- After this keep it in a cool and dry place and consume within 5-7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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kokilagupta says
I am the one to swear by it! And always wished to make it myself .. Par bhool jati thi . Not any more 🙂 yes, Bangalore weather sure gives us this control to make it any day 😀 just have to arrange a big glass barni or something :/
Your kanji looks deliciously beautiful ..I always loved it the beetroot way though taste is same for the without beetroot one too ,just that it is golden in colour.
And can add boondi too while serving ! Hai na !
Rachna says
Abki baar yaad rakh ke banao. Itna toh easy hai. 🙂 Yes, boondi or vada too. But I enjoy it plain.
kokilagupta says
Arrey wo kaanch ka bartan lena hai na ! :/
Shailaja V says
I've never had fermented kanji before! This looks fascinating. Plus Gy saw turnips and asked what use these vegetables were 😉 Maybe this will change her mind 😀
Rachna says
It is an acquired taste. I have been having it since childhood and the husband likes it as well so make it every winter. 🙂
Suzy says
Unfortunately I am allergic to raw carrots so this is definitely off my menu. But it does look appetizing.
Rachna says
Yes, you will have to give this a miss then.
Shilpa Garg says
Oh, this is KG's favourite. I am not a fan of it though 😀 Here people add vadas and boondi to it.
Rachna says
Yeah, like I said you either love it or hate it. 🙂 I prefer it as a drink though some people love to serve it with vadas.
Beat About The Book says
This sounds interesting. Had heard of it but had no clue how it was made. Must give it a go.
Rachna says
I hope you like it.
Vidya Sury says
Mustard - yellow, Rachna? 🙂 I might possibly like this. Looks interesting!
Rachna says
Nah, the usual variety we use in cooking the brown one, Vidya. You should try it once and see if it works. 🙂
Madhu says
Hi I used yellow mustard and it’s already 5 days and it’s not sour yet. I am from New York !
Rachna says
It must be very cold there hence it is not fermenting. You must put it in warm oven to allow it to ferment.
Radhika says
Hello.. loved your recipe! I made beetroot kanji today in a barni but I don't know how to store it after it has fermented. Should I store it at room temperature? Or should I put it in fridge? If yes then I don't own ani glass bottles and I can't put the big barni in the fridge! So please suggest something.
Rachna says
Hi Radhika, Ideally to avoid it becoming very sour, you can store it in the fridge. You can keep 2-3 glasses in the glass jar outside for consumption within a day or two. If you don't have a glass container, you can use a stainless steel container like a patila and cover it with a lid or any other similar non-reactive metal jar.