It is delicious and healthful. It is not a medicine and in some countries (mainly Eastern Europe, Greece and Turkey) is consumed on an everyday basis as part of the meal. Below is an easy way on how to make kefir milk at home for a fraction of the price you can buy it at the store. For a better taste (though I like it as it is) drink it with a bit of salt (preferably Himalayan) or as a smoothy with strawberries, bananas or other fruits. Yummy!
kefir grains
Preparations to Make Kefir Milk at Home
1. Buy kefir grains or get them from a friend.
2. If you buy the kefir grains, they are dehydrated. So, it will take you about 5 – 7 days to rehydrate them.
3. To rehydrate the kefir grains, put them in a cup of fresh milk. Cover it with a coffee filter or a towel and leave it for 24 hours at room temperature.
4. Strain the kefir grains every day and put them in fresh milk again. Repeat this for 5 – 7 days till the milk begins to coagulate within 24 hours.
5. Be aware that sometimes it may take longer (2 – 4 weeks) before the kefir grains start to make kefir. Be patient!
NB: Do not expose the kefir grains to metals such as copper, iron or aluminum. Do not use a spoon, a sieve or containers made from these metals. Use plastic or stainless steel utensils and glass containers.
How to Make Kefir Milk
1. Place 1/2 tsp kefir grains in 1 cup (250 ml) raw milk (cow or goat) and leave to ferment for 12-48 hours at 66-86 F. If you don’t forget, you can stir it a few times a day. Fermentation requires a longer period with less kefir grains or lower temperatures.
2. Usually, within 24 hours, the milk thickens looking more like a buttermilk. If you wait longer, it will begin to separate the curd and the whey. You can eat it, at whatever point you like it.
3. Remove the kefir grains using a plastic sieve
4. Store the kefir milk in the fridge.
5. Now, if you wish, you can put the grains in new milk to kefir. It is not necessary to wash the kefir grains between each charge – this may even hurt them. However, it is a good practice to give the kefir grains a “rest” by putting them in filtered water every few months for about 12-24 hours.
Have you tried kefir milk? What is your favorite way/recipe to consume it?
