Kanji Vada / Lentil Nuggets in Mustard Water

Kanji Vada is a popular drink of North India especially in Rajasthan and Uttar pradesh. Kanji is basically a fermented drink made with ground mustard seeds and few spices.This is mainly made during winters and you can add black carrots and beets to make kanji ki gajar, or kanji pickle. During Holi a delicious and different version is made using lentil nuggets  soaked in the tangy and sour kanji, which is popularly known as Kanji Vadas.

The lentil used to make kanji vada depends on regional and personal choice. Some prefer to make them with yellow lentils/moong daal, urad daal, some use mix lentils, but in Rajasthan the vadas/nuggets are made mainly with  either yellow moong daal or with a combination of moth daal and moong daal.

                                                        Wishing you all a Happy Holi!!!

Prep time – 10 min
Cooking time – 15 min
Cuisine – Indian
Type – Appetizer, Drink

INGREDIENTS-

For making kanji –

• Water – 1.5 lit*
• Mustard or rai kuria powder – 2.5 tbsp
• Mustard oil – 1 .5 tsp
• Black salt – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/2 tsp(optional)

For vadas-

PROCEDURE-

1. KANJI-Take a big glass or a ceramic jar or use a matki and add water,mustard oil and all the ingredients to make kanji,mix well and cover with a muslin cloth
2. Keep the jar in sunlight for few hours daily if possible and keep stirring the water 2-3 times a day.
3. When the water taste sour its ready to use.((it may take approx.3-6 days, depending on the climate)
4. VADA- soak moong daal and moth daal in enough water overnight.
5. Then drain,wash and grind the lentils with ginger and make a medium thick and smooth paste.
6. Take the paste in a bowl,add salt,asafoetida and chili powder.
7. Mix and beat the mixture well to make it fluffy.
8. Heat oil in a deep pan to deep fry.
9. Make medium sized round vadas/pakoris by dropping the batter with a spoon or with wet fingers,in hot oil.
10. Make 4-5 vadas at a time,dont crowd the pan.
    
11. Fry vadas from both the sides on medium flame,till nicely golden in colour.
12. Remove from the pan, let them cool down slightly and then add  in the fermented water, OR soak in salted water for approx 2 hours.
13. Squeeze the water from the vadas and then add in the fermented sour kanji (if soaked in water)
14. Wait for a day (or few hours) so the vada become soft and soak in the kanji flavours then start using.

NOTE-
1-Addition of turmeric and mustard oil is optional, but I like to add some colour in the kanji water by adding turmeric  .
2-After the kanji become sour, keep it refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
3-Boil and cool the water or use mineral water to make kanji.
4-You can also add carrots,beets,turnip or potato in it .