Kanji Vada

 

 The first time I had Kanji vada was in Jaipur, on a cold winter afternoon in the middle of a Diwali week.
They are sold on hand carts ... big sized mud pots filled with the fermented, tart water and big sized and very soft lentil dumplings or vadas in it.
I did not like the taste ... found the taste close to something rotten ... and promptly rejected it.
The Rajasthani man was not amused and insisted that the properly made ones are really tasty.

And so on the next Holi, I was introduced properly to the perfect, home made Kanji ... this time made by sis-in-law at her home.
I'm not too fond of sour things ... but liked the taste this time.
It was fermented just right and had that light tartness .. not too sour , not too salty.
The vadas were fresh and perfectly soft ... not falling into pieces like they have reached a state of  'too much of fermentation'.
I loved it this time.

In the intial years of my marraige I never made this. But later I started to make it once every year.
But not in winter. I used to make it in October. The intensity of the sun was just right to ferment the water in just a couple of days.
This time however I made this in December and it came out perfect. 

My Rajasthani in-laws do not add anything to the kanji other than just the vadas.
Sis-in-law uses the black carrots that she gets abundantly in Delhi during winter. I used some plain carrots.
I used Urad dal and also added some fresh chillies and sliced ginger for some taste.
With the intense sun on my balcony, it took just 4 days for the Kanji to ferment.
I sunned it under direct sunlight on the balcony for 4 days and then kept it in the light sunlight on my dining table for the next 5 days that it lasted for.

On my dining table these days .... 

Need :

Ample sunlight
Urad dal - 1 cup, washed and soaked overnight
Carrots - sliced into thin pieces
Ginger - sliced into thin pieces
Fresh chillies
Mustard powder - 3 tbsp
Black salt - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Water - around 8 coffee cups
Oil - to deep fry

How to :

Make a paste of the soaked dal with some salt.
Heat enough oil and  deep fry small balls of the dal paste.
Take a clean bottle ... I have given the full picture of the bottle I have used to give an idea.
Pour in the water and rest of the ingredients.
Add the vadas too.
Close lid.

Sun it for 3-4 days in direct sunlight, with the lid slightly open.
Do remember to bring it inside before evening sets in.
After that it is ready to consume ... but do check for the level of tartness.
If you feel like, you can sun it for a couple more days too ... depending on the intensity of the sunlight that you get in your part of the world. 

Serve cool. 
The carrots and the ginger soak up the flavours and taste great!
Enjoy!!