Gajar Kaanji

Carrot Water

VegetarianOrigin PunjabPrep 30 minutes, plus soaking time

A traditional fermented Indian drink made by steeping carrots with mustard seeds and chilli in water until tart, pungent, and refreshing.

24 gAdded to the jar with the carrots and water (step 1)

21 g2 tablespoons

spice

2.6 g1 teaspoon

spice

Crush the mustard seeds coarsely and mix with the chilli powder.

Everything else

Carrot · Gajarpreferably black, cut lengthways into 6 long slices

450 g

vegetable

to taste

salt

Carrot · Gajarslices, to garnish

to taste

vegetable

Place 450 g carrots, the pickling spices, salt to taste, and 3 litres of cold water into a large glass jar.
Fasten a piece of clean muslin or cheesecloth over the jar's opening.
Set the jar in direct sunlight for 2 to 3 days, or keep on a windowsill for 7 days, giving it a shake once a day.
Check that the drink has turned pleasantly tangy; dilute with additional water if preferred.
Serve chilled with slices of carrot in each glass, storing any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Carrot

Turnip
Use the same weight; peel and cut as for carrot. It is less sweet and slightly peppery, so add a pinch of sugar and expect a softer, more earthy result.
Potato
Use the same weight; cut into similar pieces and add 5–10 minutes' extra cooking. It gives bulk but no carrot sweetness or colour.
Courgette
Use the same weight; cut a little larger and add near the end. It releases water, so reduce other liquid slightly and expect a softer texture.

Black mustard seed

Mustard seeds
Use equal weight. Pop in hot fat until they crackle and turn greyish; yields an almost identical nutty, pungent finish.
Yellow mustard seeds
Use equal weight. Fry over medium heat; delivers a milder, sweeter pop and turns bitter quickly if the oil is excessively hot.

Chilli powder

Red chilli powder
Use 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.
Kashmiri chilli powder
Use 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.
Cayenne pepper
Use 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Same: Baghare Gajar also features carrots seasoned with chilli powder and salt.
Different: Baghare Gajar is a cooked dish fried in ghee with cumin seeds, dried chillies, curry leaves, and coconut, rather than a raw, water-steeped drink made with black mustard seeds.

Same: Gajar Halwa shares carrots as its primary ingredient.
Different: Gajar Halwa is slow-cooked with ghee, cream, sugar, almonds, and rosewater rather than fermented in water with black mustard seeds, chilli powder, and salt.

Same: Andhra Carrot Pachadi shares carrot, black mustard seed, chilli and salt with this dish.
Different: Andhra Carrot Pachadi adds unripe mango, vegetable oil, asafoetida, fenugreek seed, sugar and water, and it is a chutney made with a tadka rather than a fermented carrot drink.

Same: Gajar Burfi and this dish both use carrot as their main ingredient.
Different: Gajar Burfi is cooked with ghee, sugar, khoya, cardamom, kewra, and icing sugar, while this dish steeps carrot with black mustard seed, chilli powder, salt, and water to ferment, so Gajar Burfi lacks mustard seed, chilli, and fermentation.