Making your own kefir: an easy recipe

Kefir comes from the word keyfir, which means "to feel good. The drink is healthy and helps maintain a healthy gut flora. Kefir is a fermented, fermenting milk drink that actually has nothing to do with yogurt. It is a mixture of yeasts and (good) bacteria. The lactic acid formed by kefir is predominantly dextrorotatory. You can buy the drink ready-made, but you can alsomake your own kefir with this easy recipe. Prepare it at room temperature with all types of (animal) milk.

Kefir grains (yogurt flowers) or Kefir ferment
You use kefir grains or yogurt flowers if you make kefir regularly. You add these to the milk. They produce a frothy slightly sour and slightly thickened milk drink. Kefir should be tasty and does not need big sweet additions to be good and nice and fresh drinking. The kefir flowers should be firm to the touch and springy. They should float on the milk and look nice and white. Kefir ferment is freeze-dried kefir powder. With this you also make kefir, it tastes just as good and is less bitter than the kefir made with the grains. 

Gather your ingredients and materials.

I. Equipments

• Pot or jar
  
• Lid(s)
  
• Sieve or cloth
  

II. Ingredients

• Milk: Any kind of milk (goat's milk, horse's milk, whole/semi-skimmed cow's milk)
• Kefir ferment or Kefir grains / yogurt flowers

III. Cleaning products

• Puro Oxi
  

Below you'll find the different recipes to make your own Kefir, according to whether you use ferment or flowers. Always make sure your equipment and materials are clean. Using the cleaning product mentioned meets this requirement.

A. WITH KEFIR GRAINS/KEFIR FLOWERS

1. Pour as much milk on the grains until the flowers are well submerged. No more than that! The conversion of milk takes too long otherwise resulting in a slimy vinegary drink that is not tasty.
2. After eight to 12 hours, pour the thickened milk with the flowers into a sieve or cloth.
3. Never leave the milk on the grains (flowers) for more than 48 hours or the total surface will fill with slime. If the flowers are too slimy and no longer firm, it is better to replace the culture. Furthermore, treat the kefir flowers hygienically otherwise rot will strike and never put them on water for too long.
4. Do not rinse the flowers with water every time but only every four to five days.
5. Cover the jar in which the kefir is ripening with a breathable cloth to keep flies and other pests out of the kefir.
6. Kefir is best when drunk right after it has been strained from the grains and the carbon dioxide has been distributed throughout the drink. You can't keep it too long, drink the Kefir within 3 days. If you store it in the refrigerator, it is convenient to shake well before use. It is recommended to cover the bottles with a breathable cloth.

 If you want extra carbonation in your drink, a screw-on lid is recommended.

B. WITH KEFIR FERMENT

1. Take 1 liter of milk. You can use either whole or semi-skimmed milk. If you use raw milk, heat it to boiling point first to sterilize the milk.
2. Now let the milk cool down to room temperature (20-24 °C). The temperature should definitely not be higher!
3. Now add the sachet of Kefir ferment and stir until everything is well dissolved and mixed.
4. Pour the milk into a sealable, well-cleaned, container.
5. Allow to mature for 20-24 hours at a temperature of 20-24°C.
6. Then let the kefir ripen for another 12 hours in the refrigerator. Your kefir is now ready!

Drink your freshly made kefir within 3 days so that the taste remains the best. And pay close attention to hygiene before and during kefir making. Clean the bottles well and avoid contamination from rotting bacteria.

Good luck with kefir making!