Dairy Kefir Basics
What exactly is kefir? Here is a picture and then I'm going to give you a book definition and some resources so that you can look it up for yourself. These are dairy kefir grains - about 3/4 cup of them.  According to www.kefir.org, kefir is a fermented milk drink produced by original grains that are somewhere near 5000 years old. These grains came from the Caucasion Mountains or monasteries in Tibet. Real kefir grains are a complex symbiotic colony containing more than 35 probiotic bacteria proven highly beneficial to humans. They look a bit like cauliflower. According to the Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates, the grains contain bacteria and natural yeast that are clumped together with milk protein and complex sugars. Kefir cultured milk contains strains of beneficial bacteria and yeast in such a way as to have antibiotic properties. The live bacteria/yeast consume the lactose that is difficult for some to digest so it can be consumed by many who are lactose intolerant. According to Nourishing Traditions author, Sally Fallon, cultured and fermented dairy products are an important part of many traditional diets. Kefir purists say that the powdered or pre-mixed version in the store is not the same thing. What I know is that it is one of the easiest traditional foods that I prepare, my kids love it, and only something from God could work like these little jewels - it is really quite miraculous.
How are they prepared? You secure some real kefir grains from someone who has them - they are not available in stores. You place them in the bottom of a glass jar and add milk (either raw milk or milk from the store - organic is good). I use 2 cups of milk for every 1-2 tablespoons of grains. Place a coffee filter over the top and secure with a rubber band. Set it in a place out of direct sunlight and leave for at least 24 hours - watch for little bubbles around the glass.  Some directions say to stir. Others say to shake gently. I just set mine on the shelf and leave it until it becomes like yogurt and bubbles are visible on the outside of the jar. Some people leave it until it separates - I only do this if I need the whey. The longer it sits the more tart it becomes. If you want your grains to grow, change the milk every 24 hours. If you need to leave town, place the grains in milk in the refrigerator. It will be sluggish when you take it out of the refrigerator - just keep changing the milk as it cultures and it will come back. It is recommended that you not leave them for too long. You can kill them. Personally, I have found them to be quite resilient and mine double about every 2-3 weeks.
So what do you do now that you have cultured milk with grains? You will need some very basic equipment:
A canning funnel, a wide-mouth canning jar, a plastic strainer or colander, and a wooden spoon. When you take the coffee filter off, this is something like what you will see. You separate the grains from the milk in a plastic strainer or colander with fairly large holes.
 
Gently stir with a wooden or plastic spoon until the cultured milk strains away from the grains and leaves them behind in the colander.
 
Then place them back in the jar and add more milk. Set it on your shelf and you'll have more kefir in a day or two. Keep your cultured kefir in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Drink it plain (tastes very much like buttermilk), slightly sweetened with Stevia, or in smoothies. It can be used in cooking as you would use buttermilk, but it is usually a bit thicker so amounts may need to be adjusted. I wash my culturing jar with hot water occasionally, but it is not necessary to wash it each time you change your culture.
That is about all there is to kefir. Mitchel and I drink it plain or slightly sweetened. The kids mostly drink it in smoothies. Here are 2 of their favorites (and ours):
Green Fruit Smoothies
|
