Kefir is one of those things I have really had trouble enjoying. A friend brought me some kefir grains a little while ago and I didn’t have the heart to tell her. I also felt too wasteful to flush them down the loo so I thought I would give it one last go.
Well, after playing with the end product, we can say that we totally adore this wonderful substance! Wonderful you say??? Well let me tell you what we chanced upon…
SECOND FERMENT
After learning about all the fabulous nutrients kefir had to offer we felt there must be some way to pleasantly consume it eagerly, so I did a little research on the internet.
I found it was popular to do Second Ferments, as they call them.
ADD FLAVOUR TO KEFIR
After making your batch of kefir, remove the grains and then add any fruit or flavour you want and infuse it for another 24 hours. Some say to seal it and leave it in the dark whilst others say just place a cloth over the jug and leave it on the counter.
It is obviously not overly temperamental but as the weather gets warmer you will want to keep it in the fridge while it does it’s ‘thing’.
The fruit inside the container does give off gases and so I do keep a lid on the jar, but not overly tightened so the gases can escape, or otherwise open it occasionally to let the gases out. This Nog as we call it becomes slightly carbonated from the fruit. The flavour and texture are just delicious. If it is left in a warmer area with the fruit in it, it will be more carbonated than if it cures in the fridge.
At the time of learning about this extra process I happened to be making apple strudel and had mixed grated apples with sugar and cinnamon and was leaving them to drain.
I decided to try adding the strained apple and spice juice into the kefir and also peeled 6 large strips of lemon rind and put that in too.
After a day I strained the kefir drink and poured us each a glass. Well, we were both hankering for more all day long.
It tasted so like a really good eggnog and had a lovely consistency too. Sadly, though, I only had a few teaspoons of kefir grains so production was a bit on the lean side.
We would have to wait for my grains to grow in order to make enough to satisfy our new desires.
- 500 ml to 1 litre of kefir
- 1 apple cored and sliced into 8 pieces
- 1 heaped tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 rounded tsp sugar
- 4 slices lemon rind using peeler, no pith
- Place the sliced fruit, rind, sugar and spice into a large jar or lidded jug
- Pour on kefir
- Place lid on but do not tighten
- Leave to sit for 24 hours in cool area
- In Summer place it in the fridge
- The next day remove lid and strain
- The fruit can be used for another batch of kefir or otherwise eaten or placed in a pastry to make a pie
But that’s not all – actually, I have a bigger problem now. A kefir dilemma. The trouble is we came across another irritatingly fabulous discovery.
KEFIR BLINIS
In Russia, kefir is widely drunk on a daily basis and the most delicious blinis are made with kefir! Did you know that? I had never heard of it.
We didn’t believe it and had to try it out ourselves of course and I can only say that we were totally flabbergasted.
Extraordinarily good, simple and quick to make. No whipped egg whites or waiting for yeast to rise.
These fluffy little flapjacks / blinis are The Biz and after a bit of playing around, we feel we have the recipe sorted.
We actually got so engrossed with the blinis that we started experimenting and blowing them up to to full blown pancake size.
There is no denying it, that this has to be one of the best textured blinis or pancakes we ever tried and it is virtually impossible to go wrong.
So give these a go. You will be addicted in no time I am sure. Your head will be spinning with what delights to serve on them.
Although there is a little sugar in them, we actually think white cheese is a really tasty topping. Blinis are very versatile and anything goes.
Smoked salmon with a little sour cream, a small amount of chopped raw onion, dill and a grinding or two of black pepper is of course the most famous topping to dress blinis. We were definitely not disappointed with this even if the weather could have been a little sunnier.
- 2½ cups flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda / karbonat
- 1½ tsp baking powder / hamur kabartma tozu
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 2½ cups kefir, carefully heated to a warm temperature
- 3 Tbsp melted butter
- vegetable oil
- Mix together the first four dry ingredients on the list, in a bowl
- Mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a separate bowl
- Warm the kefir carefully so it does not curdle. If microwaving, try 30 seconds then increments of 10 seconds until tepid. If it curdles, whip it up using a whisk before adding to other ingredients
- Add the kefir to the egg mixture
- Add the melted butter to the egg mixture
- Add the flour mix to the egg mixture and mix to make it fairly smooth but do not overmix
- Leave to settle for 10 minutes.
- Add a little more flour or kefir to make it the consistency of a slightly thick pancake batter
- Heat a minimum amount of oil in a non-stick frying pan and drop some batter around the pan leaving room for them to spread
- Cook till golden on both sides.
- From time to time, more oil will be needed to cook batches but not every time.
KEFIR CAKES
And lastly, two kefir cake recipes that my Russian friend Anastasia gave me.
They are really simple cakes to whip up and have a lovely texture to them. Both cakes are quite similar in the making but have a variation oN the flavour and texture.
One being a clean vanilla and lemon taste whilst the other is a heavier cake using a fair bit of grated apple and pumpkin, to make a lovely dense cake.
Both can be served with or without icing.
- 1 cup semolina
- 1 cup kefir
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- Juice and rind of 1 lemon
- A handful of raisins (optional)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp plain flour
- Grease a 9" cake tin or bundt mould.
- In a mixing bowl mix together the semolina and kefir
- Wait 30 minutes before continuing
- Heat oven to 180C
- In a second bowl mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla
- Pour the second bowl's mixture into the kefir mixture, mix well
- Add the juice and rind of the lemon, stir
- Add the raisins if using
- Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl and mix in
- Pour into greased cake tin or mould
- Put into 180C oven and test with skewer once golden. (btw 20 - 30 mins)
This magical kefir is mentioned over and over in Russian cookbooks and is a major ingredient in their cuisine.
There is no doubt that kefir creates a wonderful lightness to any preparations in which it is used.
The Russians have kept this little secret under wraps far too long! It’s out now.
Spread the word!
- 1 cup semolina
- 1 cup kefir
- 1 cup grated, peeled pumpkin or zucchini
- 1 cup grated, peeled apple
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 70g butter
- 2 Tbsp vege oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A handful of raisins (optional)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 150g plain flour
- Grease a 9" cake tin or bundt mould.
- Place grated apple mixed with 1 tsp sugar in strainer and drain for 30 minutes
- Reserve juices for icing if desired
- Place grated zucchini or pumpkin mixed with 1 tsp sugar in another strainer, drain for 30 mins
- In a mixing bowl mix together the semolina and kefir
- Wait 30 minutes before continuing
- Heat oven to 180C
- In a second bowl mix the eggs, oil and butter
- Squeeze out the apple and zucchini / pumpkin well and add to eggs mixture
- Fold the remaining sugar through the fruit and zucchini mix.
- Pour the second bowl's mixture into the kefir mixture, mix well
- Add the raisins if using
- Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl and mix in
- Pour into greased cake tin or mould
- Put into 180C oven and test with skewer once golden.
- Should take around 40 minutes.
- Icing can be made using the some of the drained juice from the apple and icing sugar if desired.
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