Kefir
Reasons To Be Cheerful
Pembrokeshire folk may have been fortunate enough to join the wonderfully named Cheerful Project at some point over the past few years. Run by Span Arts, the Cheerful Project has brought creative activities and events to our corner of Pembrokeshire. Such as the Queen Bee procession at Narberth Carnival, Pushing Up The Daisies (festival of living and dying) and the spectacular Halloween lantern parades in Haverfordwest.
They also hosted a monthly Skill Share and in March 2018 I shared my milk kefir and kombucha making skills. It was an evening of tasting and a chance to have a go at making both drinks. Participants took home some starter culture for kefir and kombucha and the knowledge and experience to begin fermenting at home. In the true spirit of the event I was also gifted some water kefir grains and have enjoyed trying different ferments with them since then. Following the event I set up this Fermenting in Wast Wales Facebook group which is a handy place for folks round my way to share knowledge, ask questions and share surplus starter cultures.
The bacteria in kefir offer a number of health benefits – similar to those in ‘pro-biotic’ products. These include, boosting the immune system in response to some disease microbes, breaking down cholesterol and reducing the formation of some carcinogens. As kefir ferments milk lactose, changing it into lactic acid, some people who can’t tolerate milk due to lactose can drink kefir. Anyone introducing fermented foods into their diet is advised to start with small quantities to test for tolerance and gradually introduce the new bacteria present in fermented foods.
For these recipes you will need some milk kefir ‘grains’, the starter culture for fermenting milk into kefir. Kefir grains muliply regularly, and I am happy to share my surplus kefir grains, or you can buy kefir kits from health food shops, try The Ark in Haverfordwest. In my experience kefir grains are most active in whole organic milk, I often use milk from the Narberth-based co-operative Calon Wen. However, raw organic milk is ideal, for Pembrokeshire supplies try Mountain Hall Farm, Hermon or Caerfai Farm, St Davids. The Raw Milk website lists producers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Kefir can also be made with goat’s milk and milk alternatives such as coconut or oat milks.
Kefir (for 1-2 people)
Ingredients
1 tbsp kefir grains
300ml milk
Method
Mix the kefir grains in a glass or ceramic container (not metal or plastic) and cover loosely to stop flies/dust getting in. Leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours until it has thickened to the consistency you prefer (time will depend on temperature, 20c is ideal).
The kefir grains will rise to the top and should be easy to scoop out with a fork. Then pour the kefir into a glass, pouring through the fork tines to catch any remaining kefir grains. The kefir is ready to drink, it tastes a little tart/sour. It can be kept in the fridge for a few days, if kept in a sealed container it will become fizzy (which some people like) so do remember it ‘burp’ the container so it doesn’t explode! Alternatively cover it loosely. Repeat process and drink regularly to promote healthy gut bacteria.
More kefir-based recipes
Kefir can be quite an, ummmm, acquired taste. To make it more palatable, or just for a change, you can use kefir in other recipes. It can be used in place of yogurt in many recipes and you can make your own soft cheese too. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.
Kefir Smoothie or Ice-lollies (for 2 people)
Ingredients
300ml kefir (or live/pro-biotic yogurt)
1 ripe banana
A handful of soft fruit (fresh/frozen/canned) e.g. berries, mango, apricot, plum etc
Method
Put all the ingredients into a jug/blender, blitz with a hand blender/food processor until smooth. Pour into glasses to serve.
If making ice-lollies – pour smoothie into ice-lolly moulds, freeze until solid then serve.