What Is Kefir?
Kefired milk (or Kefir; said as ke-fear), is the fermented dairy* product made from adding Kefir grains** (which are also known as Kefir; see picture above which shows kefir’s cauliflower-like appearance) into milk to ferment. The Kefir grains are a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast which exist on a structure of polysaccharide, protein, amino acids and lipids. Kefir grains ferment milk to produce a probiotic milk, similar to yoghurt. Kefir is another beneficial probiotic/cultured/fermented food which you may like to try adding to your diet. It’s relatively inexpensive and so very easy to make at home. And you don’t need any special equipment!
Some things to know about Kefir:
- How To Make Kefir
- How To Store & Ripen Kefir To Reduce Lactose
- Kefir Fermented For 24 & 48 Hours
- *Kefir is a dairy product so those who are sensitive to dairy please take caution.
- **Please note, Kefir ‘grain’s’ are not cereal grains at all, nor are they similar to cereal grains in anyway.
- Kefir is gluten-free.
This is a really delicious way to eat kefir! If you’re new to kefir you may like to try this simple recipe. This recipe also disguises the taste of kefir somewhat, which can take a bit of time to get used to. Like all fermented foods, starting with a small amount at first is best.
Recipe: Homemade Organic Kefir with Lemon Zest & Raspberries
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C. to 1 C. of kefired milk (made from organic milk)
- raspberries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen to chill my kefired milk)
- lemon zest, (best from an organic lemon, otherwise gently scrub a non-organic lemon to help remove the wax coating)
- B-grade maple syrup/honey
How to:
Pour the kefired milk into a bowl, add the berries, lemon zest and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Enjoy!
Michelle
Health Food Lover is Michelle Robson-Garth. Michelle is a degree-qualified Naturopath (BHSc) and Massage Therapist. She is also a passionate writer, recipe-creator and all-round foodie from Melbourne, Australia. © Copyright: 2009-2012 Michelle Robson-Garth. Please ask permission first when using any text or images on healthfoodlover.com. Read the disclaimer here. Have a look at the recipe index for more health food lovin’ recipes. Join the Facebook page & follow Health Food Lover on twitter.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Excuse me pointing it out “kefir” is NOT pronounced ‘ke-fear’ that is a totally wrong Anglisized pronounciation.
Kefir (pronounced keh-FEER) originates from the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe. It’s believed that the name comes from the Turkish word “keif” which means good feeling. Out of respect for the origin of the word then it should be pronounced properly – and NOT bastardised to accomodate English syntax.
Phonetically it shoud be pronounced “KEH-FEER”
Thank you,
G.
And “anglicises” is spelled with a “c” not an “s” but really does it matter? To come across your comment after reading such an interesting website made me rather sad. Is it really necessary to make points over such petty things? Respect for a words origin? Oh for goodness sake!
Christine.
Get a life , “Gwillam” or whatever your name is.
About the pronunciation, looks to me, THAT spelling of the pronunciation is different. However, it appears it is said he same, or similar enough. Stop being a book snob and enjoy the world around you. Start with some Kefir!!