So, if you've been reading, and you've gotten the hang of plain kefir, you can easily make kefir that's spoonable just like regular yogurt.
After you drain the kefir off the grains the only other step you have to do is to strain the kefir through a coffee filter for 12-24 hours in the fridge to thicken it. What happens when the kefir is strained through the coffee filter is that the whey seeps out and the kefir thickens into a nice yogurt consistency. If too much of the whey drips out while it sits over night, just stir a little at a time back in until it's the consistency you wish.
The yogurt will be tart and tangy and may have a good bit of pucker power. Add in some honey, some vanilla and sugar, some jam - whatever flavors you like and make yourself a great refreshing treat.
Don't discard the whey! You can use it to soak grains, beans, oatmeal (makes a pleasantly sweet and tangy oatmeal), and even use it to make gjetost or mytost - but I haven't done it yet. That's one of the next things up on my list.
Showing posts with label kefir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kefir. Show all posts
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Kefir - Sauerkraut & Kefired Garlic Carrots
In addition to making milk kefir I've started culturing vegetables. My first go at it was with carrots and garlic. VERY garlicy as I put in about 6 cloves of garlic, but I enjoyed them. Then I went and got myself a cabbage and attempted sauerkraut with kefir grains as the acting agent. Quick, as far as sauerkraut goes apparently, and saltless.
My methods are still a work in progress, although both things I've made have turned out great. Here's what I've done:
Kefir Carrots and Garlic
1 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains (to get the milk off)
3-6 (or more) cloves of garlic
3-7 carrots - enough to fill a quart sized jar
water
whey to help start the process (optional)
Place about 1/2 of the rinsed kefir grains in the bottom of the jar. Top with HALF the carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch sized pieces and peeled garlic cloves. Add in the rest of the kefir grains and the rest of the garlic and carrots on top. Put in a couple Tbsp of whey if you want to help get the process started, fill the jar with water (filtered preferably) leaving a bit of head room and cap. Leave at room temperature for 4-6 days. The mixture should fizz a bit if you loosen the cap (that's the CO2 that the yeast produces). After 4-6 days place in the fridge for 2-3 days to stop/slow down the fermentation process.
After it's matured in the fridge for a few days take some out and do a taste test. They should still be crisp, not soggy. I liked mine rinsed of some of the water/whey mixture to make it slightly less sharp. With the 6 cloves of garlic it was VERY garlicy. I ate it both warmed up and straight out of the fridge. You can take the kefir grains out before you eat, or leave them in and eat them, too. If heated, the grains get stringy like cheese.
Kefir-kraut
1-2 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains
1 head cabbage
1/2 apple, quartered (or ~1/2 cup apple juice)
water
large glass or ceramic container
Wash cabbage, remove 2 outer leaves and save to the side. Cut, core and shred the head of cabbage into 1/2 wide pieces or less. Place ~1 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains in the bottom of the container and top with a layer of cabbage. Start to bruise and pack the cabbage in tight to the jar. You need to release some of the juice from the cabbage to get it to start fermenting. Continue to put in and crush/pack the cabbage shreds into the jar until it's about half full. Put in the last of the kefir grains and the quartered apple half, core removed. Top with the remainder of the cabbage, packing and bruising as you go. When it's all in there with a little head space, fill with water to the top of the cabbage and push down with the saved cabbage leaves. Weigh down the top leaves with a jar, plate, etc to keep the cabbage submerged under the liquid. It WILL make more as it begins to ferment.
As with the carrots and garlic, leave on the counter for 4-6 days making sure to monitor that the cabbage all stays under the liquid. If there gets to be a ton of liquid on top scoop some out so it doesn't overflow. After it's been through it's 4-6 day counter ferment, place in the fridge for a few days to chill and slow down the fermentation process. Again, the cabbage should still be crisp.
I found this to be very tasty after a 5 day ferment and 3-5 days in the fridge (forget how long). Not too sharp or tart or sweet. It's good both straight and cooked. I used it first in a dish with smoked sausage and potatoes, then again similarly with hotdogs (it was for the kids), and rice. I'll get to those recipes soon as well. Promise!
Next I want to make cucumber kimchi - or kefir-chi?? Gotta find my Korean hot pepper sauce...
Kefir cultured vegetables have the same probiotic properties as the kefir yogurt. So make some up and enjoy!
My methods are still a work in progress, although both things I've made have turned out great. Here's what I've done:
Kefir Carrots and Garlic
1 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains (to get the milk off)
3-6 (or more) cloves of garlic
3-7 carrots - enough to fill a quart sized jar
water
whey to help start the process (optional)
Place about 1/2 of the rinsed kefir grains in the bottom of the jar. Top with HALF the carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch sized pieces and peeled garlic cloves. Add in the rest of the kefir grains and the rest of the garlic and carrots on top. Put in a couple Tbsp of whey if you want to help get the process started, fill the jar with water (filtered preferably) leaving a bit of head room and cap. Leave at room temperature for 4-6 days. The mixture should fizz a bit if you loosen the cap (that's the CO2 that the yeast produces). After 4-6 days place in the fridge for 2-3 days to stop/slow down the fermentation process.
After it's matured in the fridge for a few days take some out and do a taste test. They should still be crisp, not soggy. I liked mine rinsed of some of the water/whey mixture to make it slightly less sharp. With the 6 cloves of garlic it was VERY garlicy. I ate it both warmed up and straight out of the fridge. You can take the kefir grains out before you eat, or leave them in and eat them, too. If heated, the grains get stringy like cheese.
Kefir-kraut
1-2 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains
1 head cabbage
1/2 apple, quartered (or ~1/2 cup apple juice)
water
large glass or ceramic container
Wash cabbage, remove 2 outer leaves and save to the side. Cut, core and shred the head of cabbage into 1/2 wide pieces or less. Place ~1 Tbsp rinsed kefir grains in the bottom of the container and top with a layer of cabbage. Start to bruise and pack the cabbage in tight to the jar. You need to release some of the juice from the cabbage to get it to start fermenting. Continue to put in and crush/pack the cabbage shreds into the jar until it's about half full. Put in the last of the kefir grains and the quartered apple half, core removed. Top with the remainder of the cabbage, packing and bruising as you go. When it's all in there with a little head space, fill with water to the top of the cabbage and push down with the saved cabbage leaves. Weigh down the top leaves with a jar, plate, etc to keep the cabbage submerged under the liquid. It WILL make more as it begins to ferment.
As with the carrots and garlic, leave on the counter for 4-6 days making sure to monitor that the cabbage all stays under the liquid. If there gets to be a ton of liquid on top scoop some out so it doesn't overflow. After it's been through it's 4-6 day counter ferment, place in the fridge for a few days to chill and slow down the fermentation process. Again, the cabbage should still be crisp.
I found this to be very tasty after a 5 day ferment and 3-5 days in the fridge (forget how long). Not too sharp or tart or sweet. It's good both straight and cooked. I used it first in a dish with smoked sausage and potatoes, then again similarly with hotdogs (it was for the kids), and rice. I'll get to those recipes soon as well. Promise!
Next I want to make cucumber kimchi - or kefir-chi?? Gotta find my Korean hot pepper sauce...
Kefir cultured vegetables have the same probiotic properties as the kefir yogurt. So make some up and enjoy!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Kefir - the basics
Kefir is a drinkable yogurt style drink. It's different in that it's a combination of beneficial bacteria and yeast instead of just bacterias, like regular yogurt. You can make kefir from kefir, as you can regular yogurt, but if you want to make it every day forever (yes you can take breaks), then you're going to need some kefir grains.
I got my grains from my wonderful friend, Hazel. I'd been intrigued ever since we talked about these things, but it took a good while before I actually got to drive the 4 hours to go get them - and visit for a nice long weekend ;-) They're easy to take care of and make the most wonderful stuff - kefir!
What I have are milk kefir grains, not water kefir grains. Supposedly they are different, but I haven't figured out why you couldn't rework milk kefir grains into being water kefir grains eventually. They eat sugars - lactose in milk, and sugar sugar in water/juice kefir versions. What comes off the grains is a lightly bubbly, tart and sour drink that's wonderfully probiotic.
It's easy to make. Just put the grains in a quart sized jar (or pint depending on the amount of grains you have - I have a good 2 cups at the moment in 2 quart sized jars), and dump fresh cold milk on top - yup! right out of the fridge. (Easier than yogurt, 'eh?) Cover the jars with a dish towel, they like the dark. After 12-48 hours, depending on how tart you like your yogurt/kefir, using a fine mesh colander, strain and drain the kefir off the grains - stir to get the most kefir off the grains as you can. Put the grains back in the jar and add more fresh milk. Drink the kefir straight off the grains, or refrigerate a few hours to thicken and chill. Sweeten/flavor if you'd like, and drink.
Some sweeteners I've tried and like in my kefir include:
I got my grains from my wonderful friend, Hazel. I'd been intrigued ever since we talked about these things, but it took a good while before I actually got to drive the 4 hours to go get them - and visit for a nice long weekend ;-) They're easy to take care of and make the most wonderful stuff - kefir!
What I have are milk kefir grains, not water kefir grains. Supposedly they are different, but I haven't figured out why you couldn't rework milk kefir grains into being water kefir grains eventually. They eat sugars - lactose in milk, and sugar sugar in water/juice kefir versions. What comes off the grains is a lightly bubbly, tart and sour drink that's wonderfully probiotic.
It's easy to make. Just put the grains in a quart sized jar (or pint depending on the amount of grains you have - I have a good 2 cups at the moment in 2 quart sized jars), and dump fresh cold milk on top - yup! right out of the fridge. (Easier than yogurt, 'eh?) Cover the jars with a dish towel, they like the dark. After 12-48 hours, depending on how tart you like your yogurt/kefir, using a fine mesh colander, strain and drain the kefir off the grains - stir to get the most kefir off the grains as you can. Put the grains back in the jar and add more fresh milk. Drink the kefir straight off the grains, or refrigerate a few hours to thicken and chill. Sweeten/flavor if you'd like, and drink.
Some sweeteners I've tried and like in my kefir include:
- honey
- vanilla syrup (Torani)
- orgeat/almond syrup (Torani)
- peach jam - (MIL made wonderful stuff - it's addicting!)
- strawberry rhubarb sauce
- apple butter
- chocolate sauce
- triple berry sauce (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Kefir
I've gotten into making my own kefir lately. A wonderful friend gifted me with some of her kefir grains to get me started. And woah have I gotten started ;-)
If you don't know what kefir is, it's a thin drinkable yogurt-style drink. Pretty up there in price at the grocery store, and very inexpensive to make at home (just the cost of milk). Difference between yogurt and kefir is the symbiotic relationship between the beneficial bacteria and yeasts that make up the kefir grains used to make it. The grains kind of look like small curds of dry cottage cheese or small bits of creamy cauliflower.
So far I've made kefir drink nearly every day (since the end of August), kefir spoonable yogurt, kefired garlic carrots, and kefir-kraut (sauerkraut without salt) - on my second batch as of today.
If you don't know what kefir is, it's a thin drinkable yogurt-style drink. Pretty up there in price at the grocery store, and very inexpensive to make at home (just the cost of milk). Difference between yogurt and kefir is the symbiotic relationship between the beneficial bacteria and yeasts that make up the kefir grains used to make it. The grains kind of look like small curds of dry cottage cheese or small bits of creamy cauliflower.
So far I've made kefir drink nearly every day (since the end of August), kefir spoonable yogurt, kefired garlic carrots, and kefir-kraut (sauerkraut without salt) - on my second batch as of today.
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