Sauces & Drinks · South Asian

Beetroot Kanji

Name: Beetroot Kanji
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 unit beetroot (peeled, cut into batons); 2 l water (clean drinking water or boiled and cooled); 2 tbsp yellow mustard seed (coarsely crushed); 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper (coarsely ground)

5 ingredients · 20 minutes · 8 servings

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VegetarianVeganPescatarianNo porkNo alcohol

Ingredients

Servings:

2 unit	beetroot (peeled, cut into batons)
2 l	water (clean drinking water or boiled and cooled)
2 tbsp	yellow mustard seed (coarsely crushed)
1 tbsp	salt
1 tsp	black pepper (coarsely ground)
1 pinch	asafoetidaoptional
½ tsp	red chili powderoptional

Method

slice7 min
clean board and knife
peeled beetroot into even batons about finger-thick so enough surface is exposed to the brine without creating tiny shreds that become difficult to strain. Use a very clean glass jar; fermentation magnifies sanitation mistakes.
mix4 min
in a clean 3-liter glass jar
water + crushed mustard seed + salt + black pepper + optional asafoetida or chile, then + beetroot. Stir with a clean spoon until the salt disperses and all beet pieces are wet. Leave several inches of headspace and cover with a clean cloth or a lid resting loose rather than sealing pressure-tight.
ferment4320 min
warm room temperature or gentle daytime sun; stir once daily with a clean dry spoon
until the liquid tastes pleasantly sour, earthy and mustard-sharp, usually 2 to 4 days depending on temperature. Begin tasting on day 2. Refrigerate as soon as the desired acidity develops. Discard the batch for fuzzy or colored mold, putrid odor, or other obvious spoilage; do not try to rescue it by skimming.