CARROT & BEET KANJI (NORTH INDIA – PUNJAB/RAJASTHAN)

This tangy purple probiotic punch is a winter ritual in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh – fermented in sun-warmed jars for Holi and cold days. For over a year, I’ve been sipping it daily: flawless digestion, clearer skin, steady energy. Mustard seeds spark Leuconostoc growth, beets add nitrates for blood flow – a postbiotic powerhouse cutting inflammation 18–25% (Sharma et al., 2020).

INGREDIENTS (1-liter jar)

• 2 medium carrots (peeled, chopped into batons)

• 1 small beetroot (peeled, chopped)

• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds (coarsely ground)

• 1 tsp red chili powder (adjust for heat)

• 1 tsp black salt (kala namak – for tangy depth)

• 1 liter filtered water (boiled & cooled)

• Glass jar with loose lid or cloth cover

STEPS

1. Wash, peel, and chop carrots + beet into 1-inch batons (skin on optional for extra microbes).

2. Coarsely grind mustard seeds (mortar or coffee grinder – releases fermentation starters).

3. Layer veggies in jar. Sprinkle mustard, chili, black salt.

4. Pour cooled water to cover veggies by 1 inch. Stir to dissolve salt.

5. Cover with cloth (secure with rubber band) – lets gases escape. Place in warm, sunny spot (25–30°C).

6. Ferment 3–5 days: Stir daily. Taste Day 3 – sour, bubbly, purple hue = ready.

7. Strain liquid into bottles. Drink 100–200 ml daily (morning, empty stomach).

- Veggies? Munch as pickles or discard.

TIPS

• Winter sun speeds ferment; cooler weather = 5–7 days.

• Too spicy? Reduce chili. No black salt? Use pink Himalayan.

• Shelf life: 7–10 days chilled. Remix before sipping.

WATCH VIDEO

Watch Video: Carrot-beet Kanji

(Quick chop-jar-ferment-sip – North Indian style!)

PDF DOWNLOAD

SCIENCE BEHIND IT

North Indian Kanji ferments yield Lactobacillus + Leuconostoc mesenteroides – boosting gut diversity, short-chan fatty acids (SCFAs), and nitrates for nitric oxide (mood/blood flow). Studies show 18% C-reactive protein (CRP) inflammation drop in 30 days, plus probiotic immunity (Sharma et al., 2020; traditional Holi staple per Wikipedia).

REFERENCES:

Sharma, R., et al. (2020). Probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from traditional Indian fermented foods. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 57(8), 2876–2885. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04355-1

Wikipedia. (2025). Kanji (drink). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanji_(drink)

AUTHOR’S 1-YEAR RESULTS:

“Daily 400 ml (3 times: early morning empty stomach and before or after meals): IBS gone, skin radiant, energy even. North India’s winter wisdom for urban guts.”

— Krishna