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Kefir
Кефир (kefir): tangy fermented milk made at home with kefir grains, drunk from a glass
Kefir is the sour, lightly fizzy fermented milk that families across Russia, Georgia and the North Caucasus drink plain from a glass at breakfast, as an evening snack or alongside a meal, and also use in pancakes and cold soups. It is made by leaving milk with kefir grains, a living culture of yeasts and bacteria, at room temperature for a day until it thickens. Nothing is added: no salt and no sugar. About 0.25 g salt per 250 ml glass, all from the milk itself. Always use pasteurised milk. The usual mistake is leaving it too long, until it separates into curds and whey; check after 18 hours and stop when it is just thick and pourable. Chef's tip: a second ferment of 6 hours in the fridge in a closed bottle makes it smoother and a little fizzier.
- Total time
- 1445 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups pasteurised whole milk
- 2 tbsp milk kefir grains
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 2 tbsp milk kefir grains in a clean 1.5 litre glass jar and pour in 4 ¼ cups pasteurised whole milk. Cover with a cloth held by a rubber band.
3 minStep 2: Leave at room temperature, ideally 20–75°F, out of direct sun, for 18–24 hours, until the milk has thickened and smells pleasantly sour.
1440 minStep 3: Stir gently and strain through a plastic sieve into a jug, keeping the grains for the next batch. Chill the kefir and drink within 5 days.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 155 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kefir take?
- About 1445 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 1440 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of pasteurised whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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