Gajar Ki Kanji: A fermented carrot drink from Punjab

"Gajar Ki Kanji" is a popular drink from Punjab and also made-down in Northern India.

"Kanji" is a fermented drink. It's made with black carrots and spices i.e Red chilli powder, kosher salt, asafoetida and mustard powder. This drink is usually prepared in winter season because black carrots  only accessable during winter.

Gajar ki kanji is healthful, old fashioned drink which is high in nutrients. As this drink is fermented in the sun, it develops good bacteria that are extremely beneficial for health.

 Serve this drink before dinner for better digestive system. It has a tangy flavour that excite the taste bud and it hardly take 15 mins to prepare.

So finally, I decided to share this recipe as   winter season is on its way!

Ingredients:

1/2 kg  black carrot

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp kosher salt

3 tbsp mustard seeds

3 litre water

Method:

Step 1- To prepare this healthy drink, first wash the carrots nicely and cut them into small sticks.

Step 2- Boil the carrots in water and then add rock salt, red chili powder, mustard powder and the asafoetida and mix. Let the mixture cool down for a while.

Step 3- When the mixture has cooled down, transfer it to a sterilized jar and close the lid very tightly. Place the jar under the sunlight and let it ferment. 

(Note: If there isn’t enough sunlight, place the jar in a warm place.)

Step 4- Let it ferment under sunlight for a week. The fermentation process can take from 2-3 days to 6-7 days, depending on the weather of the area.