A Tangy Digestive Against Indulgent Festive Food
Festivals in a Rajasthani household equal to kachori, bedmi poori, daal pakode, shakkarpara, and a whole list of deep-fried snacks. Preparations start a few days in advance when the shakkarpara and mathris are fried, besan is roasted in ghee for sweets, and kanji is kept aside in a terracotta matki for fermentation.
Kanji Vada is our age-old antidote to the exorbitant amounts of ghee and oil put in the festive food. It is a staple on Holi & Diwali. And is made in a big batch to be served to family, friends, relatives, neighbors, everyone! Kanji Vada is tangy, spicy, and fermented for a happy gut. It has great digestive properties because of fermentation.
The recipe is no secret. In fact, it is one of the easiest recipes and yet requires an expert’s precision to get the right amount of tang and ferment.
Recipe: Kanji Vada
Make 1 day in advance.
Ingredients
For Kanji:
1/4 cup Mustard Seeds
1 tbsp Black Salt
2 - 3 Dried Red Chilies or 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
Salt as per taste
For Vadas:
250 g Yellow Moong Dal, soaked overnight
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying
Method
For Kanji:
Grind the mustard seeds in a mixer along with soaked red chilies or red chili powder. Make a thick paste out of it.
Take a terracotta or glass jar. Sterilize it well.
Add 3 liters of water to the jar and mix the paste into it.
Finally, add black salt and regular salt as per taste.
Keep aside for fermentation for about 24 hours.
For Vadas:
Blend the moong dal in a mixer to a coarse paste.
Add the green chilli paste, fennel seeds, asafoetida, red chilli powder, and salt to the paste.
Take about 1 tbsp of the paste on your palm and make a flat vada.
Fry it on a medium flame until it turns golden brown from all sides.
Drain the oil on an absorbent paper and fry the rest of the vadas.
To serve:
Soak the vadas in lukewarm water an hour before eating.
Take the vadas out of the water and squeeze gently to drain the water.
Add the vadas to fermented kanji.
Serve in a deep bowl with lots of Kanji water.
Tips:
Add a mix of cumin powder + black salt + mint powder on the top before serving.
Banner Image: Meera Kanji Vada Stall in Old City, Jaipur
