There will always be some flavors that you associate with seasons and start to crave them right about that time of the year.
Come Spring, Kanji is one such tangy drink that has my mouth watering just from the anticipation of it.
It’s definitely an acquired taste but if you enjoy tangy flavors, already have Kefir Water or Kombucha– you must give this a try.
Kanji is a fermented drink made using purple (or black) carrots. Purple? Black? CARROTS? The ticker running through your head reads: ‘You have got to be kidding me!’… but seriously ! I’m not!
Purple carrots are the real thing! The originals (pun intended), the mighty ancestors from which red, orange and yellow carrots were cultivated. Loaded with the most beta carotene and powerful antioxidants like Anthocyanin, purple carrots are an age old super food and are even more potent as a fermented pro-biotic drink.
To begin with, sterilize the jar/jug and any utensils that will be coming in contact with the carrots or the water or spices. This ensures that there is a minimum chance of bacteria spoiling the batch. There is plenty of salt in there to keep bad bacteria at bay but it helps to be careful. I used a Milton sterilizing tablet instead of using hot water like we do for mason jars. You can do either.
Wash and scrub the carrots and peel the skin off. You can slice them in thick circles but I personally prefer them as sticks. A word of warning…..they are a gorgeous purple but that doesn’t look very pretty on the hands and cuticles. So I strongly suggest that you wear disposable or kitchen gloves while handling the carrots.
Once cut into sticks, rinse the carrots and drain all the water.
Use a mortar and a pestle to crush the mustard seeds slightly. Or use your grinder!
Measure out all the salt and add that to the 1- 1.5 liter of water to make a strong brine in the jar or jug.
A strong brine creates an unfavorable environment for bad bacteria (ie : mold) giving the carrots time to ferment in the brine. Please taste the brine, its be a strong salty flavor. Once ready after 7 days, the remaining 1 liter of water or more can be topped up.
Add the carrot sticks to the jar along with the coarsely ground mustard seeds and red chili powder and stir well. The red chili powder is really optional but it gives the drink quite the kick. Pour in the brine so that it covers the carrots well even though they will float on the surface a bit.
Let it sit on your kitchen counter in a sunny spot for 3-5 days. Traditionally the jars were placed in the sun.
There will be some natural froth on the surface for the first 3-5 days. Just gently rotate the jar to swirl the contents insider daily so that the same carrots sticks aren’t exposed to air daily.
There should be NO mold. If you notice any forming on the surface, please sprinkle more salt. If it continues to grown, the batch will have to be disposed.
The carrot sticks will initially float but will slowly sink to the bottom around day 5 or 6. You can actually taste it now and add more salt or red chili powder… If it is less sour than your liking add some more mustard seeds.
Once the Kanji is ready, you will notice a deeper purple hue and a richer texture. You can move the jar to a cooler dark spot or even in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation. The drink and the crisp carrots can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Dark, delicious and deeply addictive! It’s quite something I tell you.
Ingredients
1 kg Purple/Black Carrots
2-3 Liters Water – Bottled or Boiled & cooled
4-5 Tablespoons Mustard Seeds
2 Tablespoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder (optional)
3-4 Liters Jar/Jug- glass or opaque
Sterilize the jar and equipment.
Method
Use a mortar and pestle and crush the mustard seeds lightly.
Use either bottled water or boil and cool tap water.
Pour the water into a jar followed by the salt and stir well.
Scrub and wash the carrots.
Peel the carrots and cut into sticks. Wear gloves to prevent hands from staining.
Rinse the carrots sticks and add to the jar of brine.
Add the red chili powder and the mustard seeds.
Let the jar sit in a sunny spot for 3-4 days.
Stir daily or shake the jar mildly to get the contents moving inside.
Move to a cool spot when ready after 4-6 days depending of the seasonal temperature.
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