There are many question regarding this wird milk called "Kefir".
I've decided to try answering most of the qustions using this blog and I hope you'll help me with my bad English and lake of knowledge.
In fact Kefir is a kind of mushroom from the Caucasus (somewhere between Asia and Europe) well calling it mushroom is not the right thing but its a bacteria with a shape of grains that grows inside fresh milk in an ambiant temperature other known names are-Tibetan Mushrooms, Yogurt Plant.
These are the Kefir grains (the mushroom itself), it feels like wet rice a little sticky.
The Kefir is something you receive from someone else (a friend or other good person) you don't buy it, Kefir is way of living that will probebly will change your life. It changed my life and it might do the same for you, if you will treat it everyday: wash it, feed it and let it do the job for you. The Kefir will grow during the time and you will let someone else to enjoy this emazing thing.
How to start:
Find through this blog or other sources that are in this blog a person that will share his Kefir with you. It will take you a few days to do so and its a part of the game. That way you will appriciate what you have in your hands. Two spoons of Kefir grains is enough for life.
You'll get the Kefir covered with milk that way its still alive and I hope it was left alone for not more than 48 hours.
First of all was
h it under clean drinking water stream using a kitchen colander with small holes.What you see is what you get, yes, you now revealed your mushroom for the first time and this is something you will do everyday hopefully and that amount will grow every day for you to share with others.
The clean grains are the mushroom that over it you poor 1-3% fat milk at a ratio of 1 glass of milk for 2 spoons a Kefir grain. Don't use special flavor milk only simple cow's milk (not too faty).
After pooring milk over the grains rhe reaction starts to work for about 18-20 ho
urs, the grains with milk should stay in an ambiant temp. covered with any kind of cloth (so no insect inside but it will be able to get air).The Kefir can stay that way for 24-48 hours, I'm using it everyday after supper (and during allthough it suggested after) so it never left untreated for more the 24 hours which is the best.
How to use after each 24 hours:
Well infact you know everything by now, since all you have to do is to use the colander to seperate the modified milk (that becam yogurt during the last 20 hours) and to drink it not before you washed your Kefir grains under water put it insine the clean jar and add the milk to it for the next 24 hours.
Remember to treat. enjoy and to share..I will be glade to answer all your questions so feel free to put a comment.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefir
