Guide

Milk Kefir Preparation –

Utensils Needed:

  1. Wide mouthed glass jar
  2. Wood or plastic spoon to separate grains post fermentation.
  3. Plastic nylon strainer (single or double mesh)
  4. Large container to separate kefir grains and collect kefir milk post fermentation.

Ingredients needed: (To serve upto 2 people)

  1. 200-500ml liter fresh organic milk would be best, even regular dairy milk available at the store is good to use.
    (It is better to avoid skimmed milk, ultra-pastuerized* (UHT) or ‘lactose-free’. Goat milk if available please use it. Cow milk or buffalo milk to be used. Buffalo milk is too thick and creamy, you may face trouble while separating the kefir grains, then use single mesh for easy separation.)
  2. Milk Kefir grains 1 Tbsp.

Method:

  1. Add kefir grains to empty glass jar or BPA free plastic jar.
  2. Add minimum 200 ml of milk at room temperature or cold milk to the jar. Do not add milk upto the brim of the jar, leave one or two inch gap for breathing. Please note, you can use boiled and cooled down milk or directly use fresh pasteurized milk directly from the sachet.
  3. Give a stir with plastic spoon.
  4. Cover the jar with clean cloth and secure with rubber band.
  5. Place the mixture in the kitchen top or open cabinet or any safe place away from the direct sunlight with good ventilation.
  6. After 24 hours (maybe other 12 hours) you can see a thick consistency liquid (sometime air bubbles or pockets at the bottom of the jar), now it is ready to strain and use it.
  7. Use a plastic strainer and spoon to separate the grains and the ready kefir drink.
  8. Try to clear all buttery milk cream mixed with kefir grains from the from the strainer, so that you don’t carry butter cream along with kefir grains to the next batch.
  9. Use the separated grains for next batch of kefir drink in same way.
  10. You can keep the kefir drink in air tight bottle and place in normal cooler section of the refrigerator and use it within 15-20 days.

How do we know milk kefir is ready?

  1. We can notice the milk is thickened like gel and crust type on the top layer.
  2. Air pockets would have developed in the bottom part of the jar. These are the fermentation air bubbles trapped.
  3. Next stage, the water will separate at the bottom of the jar. It is better to take before water separation.
  4. Before and after separation of water in the fermenting jar is absolutely fine, both are drinkable. It will be too sour if you allow water to separate and also straining out of kefir grains will also be a tough job.
  5. It is noticed by many people, mild fermentation before water separation in the jar is considered to be laxative and over fermented kefir tends to constipate. So, it would be ideal to ferment in between which suits us.

Which strainer to use?

It is best to use double mesh nylon strainer to save the kefir granules from flowing down the sieve along with the milk. Here, you will have to swirl the spoon rubbing the mesh, so kefir grains will be easily separated.

You can use single layer mesh to separate big size milk kefir grains, here, do not use spoon to push the kefir milk down the strainer. You will have to tap the strainer rim gently so that kefir milk will flow down without touching or swirling.

How to flavor milk kefir, demo video by my daughter Disha –

Best practices to grow healthy Kefir Grains >>

IMPORTANT LINKS –

  1. Check best time to consume kefir and how much?
  2. Why Kefir Grains are not Multiplying? Looks Smaller in Size? 
  3. How to Strain Over Cultured Thick Kefir Milk or when cream is mixed with kefir grains? How to separate Kefir Grains and thick cream using the strainer?
  4. Side effects of kefir?
  5. Does your kefir milk tastes bad, yeasty, wierd or spoilt? Easy steps to solve.

Buy Kefir Grains Online Throughout India : Kefir Grains in Delhi, Noida & Faridabad, Kefir Grains in Mumbai, Pune & Nashik, Kefir Grains in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Hyderabad, Kefir Grains Chennai, Madurai, Trichy & Coimbatore