Startercultuur om zelf zuivel te maken | echte melkkefir korrels

Make your own kefir at home with these real milk kefir grains. The special thing about kefir grains is that they continue to grow, giving you an endless supply. The grains are dried, so they are less vulnerable than the fresh ones. After activation, they work exactly the same.

What is Milk Kefir?

Milk kefir is a fresh, slightly sparkling, probiotic dairy drink. The drinking yogurt is easy to prepare yourself and is made with kefir grains.

What does kefir taste like?

The consistency is somewhere between yogurt and buttermilk. The taste is a bit more mature, and unlike its more well-behaved yogurt siblings, it contains both fizz and alcohol. The alcohol percentage is between 0.1 and 2%, and the latter only in exceptional cases.

What are milk kefir grains?

Kefir is made with kefir grains that are somewhat reminiscent of cauliflower florets in shape. Like kombucha and water kefir grains, milk kefir grains are a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts). They contain more than ten different yeasts living in symbiosis. The lactic acid bacteria predominate. These microbes are held together by proteins, fats and sugars.

At room temperature and with sufficient nutrients, the grains double in size in about two weeks to spongy white balls, which is why they are also incorrectly called yogurt plant or yogurt flowers. The pseudo-flowers are not at all critical. They work at both room temperature and in the refrigerator and ferment raw, skim, whole milk or cream with equal love and make no distinction between cow, sheep or goat milk.

Where does kefir come from?

The drink seems to have originated accidentally, as with so many fermentation methods, thanks to sheep and goat herders in the Northern Caucasus who hung their sheepskin milk bags in the sun without cleaning them properly. But the story also goes that Mohammed (yes, that one) personally came to bring the drink there. As a gift, because that’s who he is.

What are the benefits of kefir?

Kefir is full of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2, B6, B12, C, D, H (Biotin) and K. It also contains minerals and essential amino acids. In addition, milk kefir is easily digestible due to a large amount of dextrorotatory lactic acid bacteria.

Because many of the milk sugars are converted, kefir is often better tolerated by people with lactose sensitivity than milk. Kefir comes from the Turkish word ‘keyif’, which expresses a feeling of pleasure.

What is the difference between milk kefir and yogurt?

Yogurt is thicker than kefir and only undergoes a lactic acid fermentation process, resulting in a smooth texture without bubbles. Kefir has a thinner consistency and undergoes fermentation with lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria, resulting in a slightly alcoholic and sparkling drink. Kefir ferments well over a wider range of temperatures than yogurt.

What is the difference between water kefir and milk kefir?

Despite the similarity in names, milk kefir and water kefir differ greatly. Milk kefir is made with milk and gives a creamy texture and a mildly sour taste. It can best be compared to a yogurt. Water kefir, on the other hand, is made with a sugar solution, often with fruit, which leads to a slightly sparkling soft drink.

Content:

• 1 packet with 1 gram of dehydrated milk kefir grains

Storage instructions milk kefir grains

A cool, dry place. Shelf life is approximately one year.

How do I start the milk kefir?

You buy dried grains, so you have to restart them yourself.

1. Pour a small amount of milk at room temperature into a glass jar and add milk kefir grains
2. Let it ferment for 24 hours.
3. Strain the kefir grains and discard the milk.
4. Wash the kefir grains with lukewarm tap water and repeat the first step.
5. Change the milk every 24 hours until the kefir starts to ferment. That can take up to seven days, but usually they are ready for use within 3 changes
6. Once you are satisfied with kefir, use more milk for fermentation.

Your milk kefir made in 7 steps

Ingredients:

Started kefir grains and 1 liter of milk, from whole or skimmed cow’s milk, to goat’s milk, breast milk or even soy milk.

Preparation

1. Take a liter of whole milk and add 50 grams (two tablespoons) of fresh kefir flowers to it (but anywhere between 2 and 10% is good).
2. Let the milk ferment covered for 24-48 hours at room temperature in a jar, container, bottle or otherwise. It doesn’t really matter.
3. Remove the kefir flowers by pouring the kefir through a sieve. You can store the grains in some milk, or freeze, dry or of course just make new kefir with them.
4. Cool the kefir back in the refrigerator.
5. Enjoy.

Tips from Mr. Wateetons

• If you want bubbles in your kefir, use a sealable container (for example, a plastic milk bottle) so that the carbon dioxide gas cannot escape. If you prefer flat kefir, covering with a handkerchief, tea towel, loose lid or loosely placed plastic foil is sufficient.
• Shake the kefir gently a few times during fermentation.
• Rinsing with water in between is done by some, but is not necessarily necessary. It does help to get the yogurt off the grains.

Frequently asked questions about milk kefir

How long do your kefir grains remain active?

With the right care, your kefir grains can remain active indefinitely. Feed them regularly with fresh milk to keep them lively and growing.

Can kefir help you lose weight?

Kefir can be a valuable addition to your diet if you want to lose weight. It is rich in proteins that give you a feeling of satiety and contains probiotics that support your digestion and intestinal health. For optimal results, of course, combine it with a balanced diet and regular exercise.

How many kefir grains should you use per liter?

Use about 1 to 3 tablespoons of kefir grains (50 grams) per liter of milk to make your kefir. Adjust this amount based on how thick you want the kefir to be and how quickly you want the fermentation to take place. More grains speed up the process, while fewer grains give a slower fermentation.

How long can you store your kefir grains?

For long-term storage, you can dry or freeze kefir grains. This way they will keep for several months to even a year. Don’t forget to rehydrate them occasionally by placing them back in fresh milk (see above).

How do you know if your kefir is spoiled?

If your kefir has an unpleasant odor, is discolored or shows mold, it is no longer good. Fresh, good kefir has a slightly sour smell and a somewhat creamy consistency. If the kefir becomes too sour or begins to separate after fermenting for too long, it is still safe to consume but may no longer be as tasty.

More kefir?

Also check out this starter package in which we combine our milk kefir grains with our beautiful kefir pot so that you have everything you need at once to make your own milk kefir. Other tips are our Vegan milk kefir starter culture, water kefir, and regular milk kefir.

Buy milk kefir grains?

You can order milk kefir grains at starterculturen.nl, the webshop for all your tempeh, koji and tofu. From Mr. Wateetons, the author of the standard works Over Rot and Over Inpakken. He regularly gives fermentation courses to chefs and hobbyists, including on making milk kefir. Ordered on working days before 15:00, shipped the same day. Questions about the use of milk kefir grains? Ask them via the chat function. We always figure it out.

Online Course ‘Make your Own Milk Kefir’

Learn to make milk kefir during this online course from fermentation expert Meneer Wateetons, author of Over Rot. Milk kefir is a fresh, effervescent, easily digestible, and above all delicious probiotic dairy drink. You make kefir using kefir grains that resemble small cauliflower florets in shape. How the fermentation of milk kefir works exactly, how to obtain the grains and keep them alive, and how to make delicious milk kefir for the rest of your life, you’ll learn in this online workshop.