How to make gajar ki kanji (carrot kanji) and beet kvass at home

Kanji and kvass are traditional fermented drinks. Kanji is made from carrots and beetroot with mustard seed, and kvass here is made from beetroot. There is no laboratory-approved recipe for either, so treat these as traditional methods. The salt levels below follow one university study of kanji and common household practice.

Gajar ki kanji (for 1 litre of water)

• 2 large carrots (red or black) and 1 medium beetroot
• 1 teaspoon of ground brown mustard (rai)
• 1 teaspoon of table salt and 1½ teaspoons of kala namak (about 15g of salt in total)
• ¼ teaspoon of red chilli powder and a pinch of hing, if you like

1. Boil the water and let it cool completely.
2. Cut the carrots and beetroot into thin sticks. Grind the mustard to a fine powder.
3. Put the vegetables in a clean, tall glass jar (never cracked or glazed earthenware). Add the mustard, salts and chilli, pour in the cooled water and stir with a clean wooden spoon until the salt dissolves.
4. Cover the mouth with muslin and a rubber band. Put the jar in the sun by day, stir once or twice a day and bring it indoors at night.
5. It usually turns sour in 3 to 4 days (5 to 7 in cool weather). In summer heat it can be ready in 1 to 2 days, so taste daily.
6. When it is pleasantly sour, strain it or refrigerate it in the jar. It keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge and about 1 week at room temperature.
7. Skim off a thin white film. Throw everything away if you see fuzzy mould.

Beet kvass (for 1 litre of water)

• 2 medium beetroots (about 300g), washed and cut into 2cm cubes. Do not grate them.
• 15 to 20g of salt
• 2 tablespoons of starter: whey from strained yogurt, brine from a previous ferment, or sauerkraut juice

1. Dissolve the salt in boiled, cooled water and stir in the starter.
2. Put the beetroot in a clean jar and cover with the brine, leaving about 2.5cm of air.
3. Cover loosely. Leave at room temperature for 4 to 7 days, or 2 to 4 days in hot weather.
4. Skim any white film. Throw it away if it is fuzzy.
5. When it is pleasantly sour, strain it into a bottle and refrigerate. It keeps up to a month.

Prefer it ready-made? See our probiotic drinks.