Carrot Kanji
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
At the onset of every winter during my childhood, I have early memories of seeing brightly colored root vegetables from carrots to turnips to beets in pickling jars lined up in our balcony. My mother would make these pickles, await the fermentation, which usually took 2 to 3 days at the most and then eat the vegetables and drink the brine (aka pickle water) with every meal.
The brine, called kanji, known to have probiotic benefits, is an acquired taste and one I did not acquire until my adult years. The process of fermentation is kicked off with the addition of ground mustard seeds and contributes to the sour tangy flavor of the brine. In keeping with Ayurvedic traditions, kanji is considered to incorporate the energy of the sun and the earth to aid digestive health during winter. It also provides warmth during the colder months and help empower immunity.