Basil and strawberry kombucha

Making kombucha is a regular ritual in our household. Like all fermented foods, kombucha is medicine for the digestive system and therefore the whole body. During summer, we almost always have a freshly bottled batch in the fridge ready to go. It’s such a thirst quencher on those balmy beach days! Spend half an hour making kombucha every few weeks, and you’ve always got a brew ready to go. You can buy a scoby and starter tea from a health-food store; however, you may be able to find a friend or community member who can give you both the scoby and starter tea for free.

Makes 12 cups (3 litres/105 fl oz)

Use

8 cups (2 litres/70 fl oz) water

1½ cups (330 g/11½ oz) raw (demerara) sugar

2 heaped teaspoons loose-leaf black tea

1 scoby (kombucha culture)

200 ml (7 fl oz) starter tea

Handful of fresh basil leaves

⅔ cup (100 g/3½ oz) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

DO

1

In a large saucepan, bring the water to the boil. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved.

2.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the tea leaves. Allow the tea to steep while the water cools to room temperature.

3

Place your scoby and starter tea into a sterilised jar.

4

Once the tea has cooled to room temperature, strain it into the jar.

5

Cover the top of the jar with gauze or muslin (cheesecloth) and secure with a rubber band (don’t put the lid on the jar).

6

Put the jar in a dark place with good airflow (our kombucha loves sitting on top of our fridge). Leave it to sit for 10–14 days. Begin tasting the mixture at about day 10 – it should be mildly sweet and slightly vinegary.

7

Once you’re happy with the final taste, use a large spoon and your freshly washed hands to remove the scoby. Place it into a sterilised jar with 200 ml (7 fl oz) of starter tea for your next batch.

8

Add the fresh basil and strawberries to the kombucha, pop the jar lid on and store the jar in the fridge. Once it is cool, your kombucha is ready to serve.

Remember to have some fun experimenting with flavours from the garden – we also love pairing lemon and ginger, blueberry and sage or lime and raspberry.