How many of you remember the winter of your youth. The days when we sat in family circles, peeling peas as we cracked jokes or listened to our elders’ stories.
As our mothers, slipped the tender juicy ones into our baby mouths. And, as we peeled with fervor, siblings competing as to who could peel faster and better, our mothers slipping away quietly. Returning with some hot pakoras / snacks, and glasses of warm milk. Those were the days when the only Tik-Tok was from the family clock.
Those were also the days when sarson da saag and makki-bajrae di roti, were not the only delicacies served on sunny afternoons. A tot of ‘KAANJI’ always accompanied as the family drink. Every home had its home distillery brewing this delectable drink. Generally homes had two jars. One ready to drink and the other fermenting meanwhile.
‘Cheers’ and ‘bottoms-up’ and a second tot were permissible to children. That too encouraged by our mothers. Let’s VAROOM to that age, and revive the Punjabi version of Kaanji-Varam culture for some who have forgotten this delightful aperitif in their urbanization. The recipe is simple:-
- Black carrots are in stores and all our vegetable vends in South City-I. Pick up about ½ a kg or 3-4 good overweight ones, like me. Add two medium sized beetroots to complete the purchase.
- Wash and peel. Cut into tiny medium thickness pieces of 4-5 cms. Size doesn’t matter.
- Take your ‘martbaan’ or any glass container out. This recipe is for ideally around 2 to 2.5 litres capacity.
- Throw in the carrots, beetroot, and the water.
- Add 5 teaspoonful of rock salt, ground rye and normal sarson seeds @ each ingredient. One teaspoon of black pepper also alleviates the taste.
- Add similar amount of ‘ajwain’ to keep the stomach happy too.
- Add chilly powder to taste.
- Mix well. Cover the top with a semi-porous cloth. Place the jar in the sun.
- Shake well every day for the next three days.
- Taste the fermented delight on third day. (Photo attached is of the 3 rd day). Add more salt, and/or chilly to suit your taste if required. If it hits the nostril and the palate in equal force … BINGO … it is ready.
- In current weather conditions, the concoction should have fermented well in 5-6 days, and is ready to glug.
- The fermented carrot and beetroot pieces are excellent savory pickles. Don’t throw them away.
- I suggest you bottle and fridge it by the 8 th day if any is still left, to avoid more fermentation. If it is overdone, add some water and let it rest for a day. Keep mixing well each day. The white froth on top is not fungi, so don’t panic. Each 2.5 litre batch should last an average family of four about 4-5 days, unless you are the typical ‘Patiala Peg Punjabi’ clone.
Happy Kanji-Varooming folks!!!
Col Anil Alagh, M Block
