Kefir making with powdered milk.
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Kefir is so easy to make!
1) Get kefir grains.
If you live in Naples and don't mind travelling out to Golden Gate Estates, I can give you a teaspoon to start with. (that's enough for a glass - and they grow quickly when made daily. I'm beyond two guarts a day within just a couple of weeks after getting them kefir grains)
2) Get a mason jar, a plastic spaghetti colonder / strainer and a bowl.
3) Get powdered milk.
4) If you have a teaspoon of grains, make a glass of powdered milk in the mason jar.
If you have a tablespoon or two of kefir, make a quart of powdered milk in a mason jar, but leave a little bit of room for the grains.
5) Put the grains in the milk.
6) Screw on the lid, shake it up gentley, but then loosen it a little to let gases escape (otherwise you end up with a slightly alcoholic kefir)
7) Every few hours or so (I do it twice a day), screw the lid on tightly and shake a few times. Not required, but it seems to help.
8) After 12 hours, tighten the lid and move it around a little to see if the milk has thickened.
The first batch or two might smell very sour. If so, move on to the straining step and return to making a fresh batch. You could use this, but the first couple of batches are often sour as the kefir is finding its balance.
You can also wait 24 hours or anytime inbetween. Some people even wait two days but the longer it ferments the more sour it gets as the kefir grains eat up the lactic acid and other components of milk.
If it separates into "curds and whey" (the whey at the bottom, believe it or not) you can shake up the jar to remix it but that's probably a good time to strain.
Most people wait until the milk has thickened a little to start straining as the kefir is a little sweeter then.
9)Pull out your strainer and put it in the bowl.
10) Tighten the lid and mix up any curds and whey and shake off some of the curds off of the kefir grains. Don't shake too vigorously.
11) Take off the lid and pour through the strainer.
12) Move the strainer around a few times, bump it up and down, stir the grains around a little until you see the kefir grains left over. They'll be sticky, yellowish with bits of white curd stuck to it.
13) What you find in the bowl is the Kefir. Use it like milk or yogurt in recipes, smoothies, pancakes, breads - I've done it all, or drink it straight.
I keep it in the fridge in mason jars and use it when needed.
14) As you do this daily, you'll see the grains growing. After you have a tablespoon or so, move up to a quart per day. As you get to like a 1/4 cup of grains, you can do 2 quarts.
15) When you get past two quarts, you can a) make a post somewhere about kefir and offer to give them away. b) sell extra grains with instructions. c) eat the extra grains d) learn to make water kefir with them.
16) Need a break? Strain the grains and a) leave them in a sealed container in the fridge with a few flakes of powdered milk around it b) spread the grains out on parchment paper for a few days so they dry and store them in the fridge or freezer.
Don't store it refrigeratored or frozen too frequently or you might damage the grains, so I hear.
And that's it. You now have a superfood, probiotic very healthy drink/smoothie base/pancake base/bread liquid / good for you stuff.
Kenneth Udut Naples, Florida
239-465-9291
If you live in Naples and don't mind travelling out to Golden Gate Estates, I can give you a teaspoon to start with. (that's enough for a glass - and they grow quickly when made daily. I'm beyond two guarts a day within just a couple of weeks after getting them kefir grains)
2) Get a mason jar, a plastic spaghetti colonder / strainer and a bowl.
3) Get powdered milk.
4) If you have a teaspoon of grains, make a glass of powdered milk in the mason jar.
If you have a tablespoon or two of kefir, make a quart of powdered milk in a mason jar, but leave a little bit of room for the grains.
5) Put the grains in the milk.
6) Screw on the lid, shake it up gentley, but then loosen it a little to let gases escape (otherwise you end up with a slightly alcoholic kefir)
7) Every few hours or so (I do it twice a day), screw the lid on tightly and shake a few times. Not required, but it seems to help.
8) After 12 hours, tighten the lid and move it around a little to see if the milk has thickened.
The first batch or two might smell very sour. If so, move on to the straining step and return to making a fresh batch. You could use this, but the first couple of batches are often sour as the kefir is finding its balance.
You can also wait 24 hours or anytime inbetween. Some people even wait two days but the longer it ferments the more sour it gets as the kefir grains eat up the lactic acid and other components of milk.
If it separates into "curds and whey" (the whey at the bottom, believe it or not) you can shake up the jar to remix it but that's probably a good time to strain.
Most people wait until the milk has thickened a little to start straining as the kefir is a little sweeter then.
9)Pull out your strainer and put it in the bowl.
10) Tighten the lid and mix up any curds and whey and shake off some of the curds off of the kefir grains. Don't shake too vigorously.
11) Take off the lid and pour through the strainer.
12) Move the strainer around a few times, bump it up and down, stir the grains around a little until you see the kefir grains left over. They'll be sticky, yellowish with bits of white curd stuck to it.
13) What you find in the bowl is the Kefir. Use it like milk or yogurt in recipes, smoothies, pancakes, breads - I've done it all, or drink it straight.
I keep it in the fridge in mason jars and use it when needed.
14) As you do this daily, you'll see the grains growing. After you have a tablespoon or so, move up to a quart per day. As you get to like a 1/4 cup of grains, you can do 2 quarts.
15) When you get past two quarts, you can a) make a post somewhere about kefir and offer to give them away. b) sell extra grains with instructions. c) eat the extra grains d) learn to make water kefir with them.
16) Need a break? Strain the grains and a) leave them in a sealed container in the fridge with a few flakes of powdered milk around it b) spread the grains out on parchment paper for a few days so they dry and store them in the fridge or freezer.
Don't store it refrigeratored or frozen too frequently or you might damage the grains, so I hear.
And that's it. You now have a superfood, probiotic very healthy drink/smoothie base/pancake base/bread liquid / good for you stuff.
Kenneth Udut Naples, Florida
239-465-9291
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