Kefir is a sour-milk drink. It differs from other products by the unique composition of bacteria and fungi. Kefir has healing properties, in particular, favorably affects the intestinal microflora and metabolism in general. Also thanks to him, calcium will be better absorbed and the allergic reaction of the body is reduced. Kefir is included in the diet of medical, diet, baby food. It is recommended for those who want to lose weight. It also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Kefir can be used for a wide range of diseases, as well as for those people who suffer from milk intolerance. Kefir is a great helper for a hangover and diet. It plays the role of a body cleaner from harmful toxins.
General principles for making homemade kefir
The principle of preparation is the fermented milk fermentation of milk with the addition of various microorganisms (sticks, bacteria or yeast).
Despite the difficulties of perception, it is not at all difficult to prepare kefir. As kefir yeast use:
• kefir fungus is a product rare for widespread use, but it can also be purchased in a dairy kitchen, bought at a pharmacy, or ordered by mail, or via the Internet;
• ferment Narine (live bacteria in dry form) or other bifidobactreias - are sold in a pharmacy;
• sour cream;
• ready-made kefir.
For 1 liter of milk is 1 tbsp. l kefir sourdough.
Kefir fortress can be:
• weak - one-day (24 hours of fermentation). It has a weakening effect on the intestines. It will help cleanse the body of toxins and harmful substances.
• medium - two days (48 hours of fermentation). It is recommended to use for anemia, gastritis, diabetes, for the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. With exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease from the diet is better to exclude.
• strong - three-day (72 hours of fermentation). Best for diarrhea. It is not recommended for peptic ulcers, kidney diseases and with an increased acidic environment of the stomach.
But most often we look at the fat content of kefir:
• Fatty is recommended for infants. But it is not recommended for use in diseases of the cardiovascular system
• up to 1% - for adults who use it for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the circulatory and digestive systems.
For the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, children should drink kefir during breakfast or lunch. Adults, on the contrary, are better at dinner or two hours before bedtime.
When cooking, you must consider the following features:
1) milk - be sure to boil it before use. This is necessary in order to kill all the harmful bacteria that are found in raw milk contains a lot of harmful bacteria.
2) The product does not require frequent stirring. It is enough after 10 hours to mix everything once.
3) A glass jar with a lid in which all the ingredients are located must be covered with a thick cloth. And this is due not only to the purity of the preparation, but also to the fact that the product will cook faster. Also, for a successful fermentation process, the place must be warm and protected from the sun. The lid also does not need to be closed, this can cause the death of the fungus.
4) After a day, check the contents of the jar. Milk should be thick. This means that the kefir is ready and must be filtered through a colander or cheesecloth. If the product is finally not ready, then leave it for a while, but be careful that the whey does not separate and the kefir does not become acidic.
After use, the used fungus can be washed in cold water and again filled with milk. Gradually, the fungus will grow. When caring for it, it is necessary to remove large inflorescences.
There are basic recipes for making homemade kefir, which we will consider.
Recipe 1. The classic recipe for making homemade kefir on a kefir
Ingredients:
• milk (from 2.5% fat content) - 3 liters;
• kefir fungus - 1 tablespoon;
Cooking method:
1. Boil the milk and cool it to room temperature.
2. In a jar of milk, put kefir fungus or 3 tbsp. ordinary kefir. Cover it with a thick cloth and place it in a warm, dark place.
After 24 hours, kefir should be ready.
Recipe 2. Homemade kefir on sour cream
Ingredients:
• milk - 1 liter;
• sour cream - 5 tablespoons
Cooking method:
1. Before cooking, milk must be boiled.
2. Next, add sour cream to the milk and leave to sour for 10 hours.
Such kefir can be given to infants starting from 8-9 months.
Recipe 3. Homemade kefir Narine
You need to tinker with this kefir, but the result is worth it.
Ingredients:
• milk - 1.5 liters;
• Narine - 1 bottle (0.3 ml)
Cooking method:
There are two stages:
Stage 1 - preparation of sourdough:
1) 0.5 liters of milk are boiled for 10-15 minutes, and then cooled to 40 ° C.
2) In a sterilized glass dish we mix the starter (Narine) and milk.
3) We tightly wrap the container and put it in a warm place for 12-18 hours.
4) Ready sourdough should be a light cream-colored viscous consistency.
5) Then cool and store in the refrigerator.
Stage 2 - cooking kefir:
1) A liter of milk is boiled for about 10 minutes and poured into a prepared container.
2) Next, you need to add the prepared sourdough (1 tbsp) and put everything in a warm place for 10 hours. In order for the product to reach the consistency we need, it must still be refrigerated for some time.
The shelf life of such kefir is no more than 3 days.
Recipe 4. Homemade kefir with bifidobacteria
As in the previous recipe, cooking takes place in two stages. This is very popular in the recommendations of modern pediatricians.
Ingredients:
• milk - 400 ml;
• bifidobacteria - 1 bottle or 5 servings;
• homemade sour cream with a high percentage of fat content - 30 grams.
Cooking method:
Stage 1 - the leaven is similar to the above: add fermentation and sour cream to a glass of boiled milk. All infused for 3-4 hours in a warm, dry place.
Stage 2 - product: in the remaining amount of milk, you need to add the freshly prepared sourdough (1 tbsp). We mix everything and leave to infuse for 12 hours at room temperature.
Recipe 5. The simplest recipe for homemade kefir
Ingredients:
• milk - 1 liter;
• kefir - 0.3 l.
Cooking method:
This method is suitable even for the most inexperienced housewife or young mother. We prepare products in a ratio of 3: 1. Most are boiled milk, and the smaller is kefir. Let us brew for 12 hours.
Recipe 6. Homemade Kefir on a Fungus
Ingredients:
• milk
• kefir fungus
Cooking method:
Stage 1 - prepare uterine kefir yeast.
1. At its core, it is milk in which kefir fungus is added. You can try to get it in the dairy kitchen or in various specialized industries. For its preparation, it is necessary to dip kefir fungi in milk for a day. For 100 grams of milk - 10 grams of fungi.
2. After a set period of time, fold all components into a colander and allow the product to drain.
3. Wash the remaining fungi with cold boiled water and put in a sterile jar.
4. Use the water bath method and boil a container of milk in water for 10 minutes.
5. Put gauze on top of such a jar with a dense layer and place in a specially prepared place in compliance with all conditions.
6. Over the next week, drain kefir uterine yeast from kefir fungi every day.
7. After use, fold the kefir fungi into a jar and process once a week.
Stage 2 - prepare production kefir sourdough.
1. Put whole milk in a water bath. To do this, pour milk into a small container. All dishes should be sterilized. Place the container in another larger pan and pour hot water so that the levels of hot water and milk coincide. Maximize the fire on the burner so that the water boils. In this state, the milk should stay for 10 minutes.
2. Next, cool the milk to room temperature and pour into the bowl with milk the prepared uterine kefir yeast. The proportions should be as follows: 5 g per 100 g of milk
3. Next, the dishes should be shaken and left in a warm place for 14-16 hours. Kefir yeast will be ready when a milk clot forms. During storage, observe a temperature of + 10 ° C.
4. Kefir sourdough obtained in such a production way can be consumed after 24 hours. By consistency, it will resemble sour cream and have a kefir sour taste. If desired, sugar can be added to it.
Tips and tricks for cooking homemade kefir
• Do not use detergents when washing the jar that will be used for the starter culture. Sterilize it or pour boiling water before use.
• Feed the kefir fungus with milk daily (2 tsp per glass of milk), otherwise it will die.
• Try to take milk at home or with a high percentage of fat content. The density of kefir depends on this.
• Do not add sugar until fermentation - it may interfere. Sugar and other additives can be added to the finished product.
• If you do not use kefir fungus for several days, put it in a container of water, cover with gauze and place in the refrigerator. Do not forget to change it daily. Shelf life is 7 days.
• The above recipes allow you to cook one-day kefir. If you want to increase the time you use kefir to at least 3 days, then increase the time for souring to 2-3 days.
The regular use of kefir, cooked at home, is the first step on the way to the health of our body.
