Kanji to Torani: 5 Fermented Indian Drinks
Older than the word 'probiotic'
Indian kitchens have fermented veggies, dairy, millet and rice for generations. Not as a trend, but as a way to keep food good.
#1. Kanji, North India
Black carrots (or red carrots + beetroot), left in salted water with mustard for days, until it turns deep purple and sour.
#2. Chaas, everyday
Cultured curd thinned with water, then seasoned to taste: jeera, ginger, coriander, a tempering. Every house has its own version.
#3. Neer mor,
Tamil Nadu
Thinner and saltier than chaas. Curry leaves, ginger, green chilli and mustard seeds float through it. Built for hot afternoons.
#4. Ragi ambali, Karnataka
Cooked ragi loosened into a thin, tangy drink. Some households ferment the ragi itself, others stir it into cultured buttermilk.
#5. Torani, Odisha
The water from pakhala, rice soaked overnight until it turns faintly sour. Drunk on its own, salted, usually on the hottest days.
'Fermented' is not a promise
Heat, storage and time change what survives in the glass. Drink these for flavour and habit, and see how a normal serving sits.
Which one is already yours?
Curd, carrots, millet or rice, most kitchens ferment something. Find out more about the food and drink that make your gut happy, on Happy Tummy.