• kefir grains
• organic whole milk
Put the kefir grains into your chosen pot and cover with organic whole milk at a ratio of 1 part kefir grains to 3 parts milk. This will obviously just be a small amount when you start out, but they grow quickly and you will soon be trying to offload them onto anyone who shows any vague interest!
Cover the container with some muslin, a clean j-cloth or kitchen roll to stop dust or flies getting in, but allowing the kefir to breathe, and keep it at room temperature. We keep ours out on the kitchen bench along with the kombucha, which leads to some funny looks when we have guests. Approximately every 2 days, mix the kefir, then drain it through a plastic colander into a bowl. This is the liquid kefir that you can then drink. Return the grains to the cleaned pot and cover with fresh organic whole milk, and start the process again.
The kefir itself is quite tart compared to what you can buy in the shops, but if it still tastes like milk you need to leave the next batch for a little longer. Make sure you keep the kefir in the fridge once you have drained it. It keeps for a couple of weeks.
NOTES
The grains grow with time so at the moment we have two large tubs full, but on starting I received roughly an amount equivalent to a teaspoon in the post. They come with instructions and everything you need to know.
We keep our kefir, which is called ‘Brian’ (I have no idea why) in two large plastic pots. I initially tried it in glass but he didn’t seem happy.
When stirring or draining the kefir, use plastic utensils as the acids in the kefir can react with the metal.