Water kefir

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 liter of lukewarm water
• 30 g kefir (kefir crystals)
• 80 g sugar
• 30 g dried fruit
• 2 lemon slices, organic
• possibly fruit and/or herbs for the 2nd fermentation

Instructions

Working time approx. 5 minutes; Rest period approx. 2 days; Total time approx. 2 days 5 minutes

guaranteed to succeed and super tasty

Dissolve the sugar in lukewarm water. Then add the kefir crystals, which have been rinsed in lukewarm water, the dried fruit, and finally the lemon slices to the sugar water. A large preserving jar is best, but pickle jars are also suitable. Cover the jar with a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and tie it with a rubber band to keep fruit flies out but allow the carbon dioxide to escape. Let the kefir stand at room temperature for 24-72 hours, depending on your taste. I find it tastes best after about 60 hours. You can always carefully taste it with a straw. When the kefir is ripe enough, strain it through a plastic sieve; the collected liquid is very healthy and delicious; the carbonation will vary depending on how long it has stood. Pour the liquid into glass bottles and chill before serving. Briefly rinse the crystals again and add more kefir. The type of sugar is a matter of taste; I use regular household sugar; the kefir crystals love it. If I can’t find untreated lemons, I simply peel a regular lemon, which works very well too. The dried fruit should be unsulfured. I prefer to use dried figs for the first fermentation, and lavender and sage for the second. The water should not be warmer than 25°C; the crystals don’t like that, as it could kill the culture. It’s not affected by cold, however. Please only use plastic or glass kitchen utensils, as metal could kill the culture. Don’t worry about the large amount of sugar; after two days, it will be converted into valuable probiotic bacteria and lactic acid, making it almost sugar-free. The process up to straining is called the first fermentation. The kefir is then ready to drink, but you can ferment it a second time if desired. To do this, add fresh fruit or herbs to the finished kefir and let it steep for another one or two days. The kefir then tastes like non-alcoholic sparkling wine.