How to make it
7 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Peel the carrots and beetroot
Peel the carrots and beetroot, then cut them into long, thick sticks (about 2-3 inches long).
Place the vegetable sticks
Place the vegetable sticks into a large, clean glass jar or ceramic pot (Martabaan).
Add the ground mustard seeds, black salt, regular salt, and red chili powder
Add the ground mustard seeds, black salt, regular salt, and red chili powder to the jar.
Pour in the 2 liters of water
Pour in the 2 liters (2.1 qt) of water and stir well with a clean wooden spoon.
Cover the mouth of the jar
Cover the mouth of the jar with a thin muslin cloth and tie it with a string or rubber band.
Place the jar in a sunny spot
Place the jar in a sunny spot for 3 to 4 days. Stir the contents once daily with a clean, dry spoon. The drink will turn tangy and the color will deepen as it ferments.
4 daysStrain the liquid
Once it tastes sufficiently sour, strain the liquid into bottles or keep the carrots in for snacking. Refrigerate the Kanji and serve chilled.
A little kitchen wisdom
Kanji develops its signature sourness through natural fermentation. Using black carrots provides the deep purple color, but regular carrots with a piece of beetroot work perfectly as well.
