Spinach and lamb pides

Spinach and lamb pides

• 31/3 cup plain flour
• 2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar1 tsp salt
• 11/4 cups (310ml) warm water
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp nigella seeds
  Lemon wedges, to serve

Spinach and lamb filling

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp ground coriander500g lamb mince
• 1 bunch English spinach, stems trimmed, washed, finely shredded100g toasted pine nuts1 egg, lightly whisked

1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in water and oil and stir to combine. Turn on to a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return to bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

2. To make the spinach and lamb filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add lamb and cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat.

Pomegranate jellies with cardamom-pistachio cream

Pomegranate jellies with cardamom-pistachio cream

• 4 large pomegranates, seeds removed
• 2/3 cup (140g) caster sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water
• 5 tsp (16g) powdered gelatine

Cardamom-pistachio creamSeeds from:

• 3 cardamom pods, finely crushed
• 3/4 cup (185ml) thin cream
• 1/3 cup (50g) chopped pistachio kernels
  

1. To make cardamom-pistachio cream, whisk cardamom and cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in pistachios.

2. Reserve 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds. Use a food processor to process remaining pomegranate seeds until a coarse puree forms. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing with back of a spoon to extract juice. Discard solids. Line a sieve with muslin and place over a bowl. Strain juice through sieve. Measure juice. Add enough water to make 600ml of liquid.

3. Place pomegranate mixture and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, place cold water in a heatproof cup. Sprinkle with gelatine and set aside until gelatine softens. Place cup in a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat for 2-3 minutes or until gelatine dissolves. Add gelatine to pomegranate mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Berries & nuts

Berries & nuts
Sweet berries and crunchy nuts are a delicious combination, and great for your health, too.

Berries and nuts are a match made in heaven, and while not often thought of in the same vein, both are fruits. A berry is a small flesh fruit with its entire ovary wall encasing seeds; blueberries, red currants, gooseberries and grapes are included.
Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries do not fit this botanical definition, and are actually aggregate fruits consisting of many ‘drupelets’ (flesh surrounding a hard case of seeds). Nuts are generally a dry fruit encased in a shell, with the exception of the brazil nut (a seed) and the peanut (a legume).

Tips & facts
• Almonds belong to the same family as apricots, plums, cherries and peaches.
• Traces of almonds were found in the tomb of Egyptian pharoah Tutankhamen.
• In China, hazelnuts have been cultivated for almost 5,000 years.
• You can judge freshness of pistachios by colour: young kernels are bright green and turn yellow/brown as they age.
• In England, it was once believed that eating the first blackberry spotted growing each year would banish warts.

White chocolate mousse and pistachio mille-feuille

White chocolate mousse and pistachio mille-feuille

• 50g butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (60ml) honey
• 10 sheets filo pastry
• 1/4 cup (40g) pistachio kernels, thinly slicedFresh raspberries and blackberries, to serveFresh figs,
• cut into thin wedges, to serve
• White chocolate mousse: 180g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 egg yolks300ml thickened cream
• 1 egg white 1/3 cup (70g) caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Combine butter and honey in a bowl. Place filo on work surface. Cover with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out. Brush 1 filo sheet with butter mixture. Top with another filo sheet and brush with butter mixture. Continue layering with remaining filo and butter mixture. Sprinkle with two-thirds pistachios.

2. Use a large knife to trim edges. Cut filo sheet lengthways into thirds. Cut each filo strip into 6 even rectangles (you should have 18 rectangles). Arrange on prepared trays. Bake in oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Cool on trays.

3. Meanwhile, to make chocolate mousse, stir chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water until melted. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Whisk in egg yolks until well combined.

Soft polenta with mushroom ragout

Soft polenta with mushroom ragout

• ¼ cup (about 5g) dried porcini
• ½ cup (125ml) boiling water
• 1¾ cups (435ml) milk
• 1¾ cups (435ml) chicken stock
• ¼ tsp salt2/3 cup (110g) polenta80g (1 cup) finely grated parmesan
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced widthways
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced widthways100g butter200g king brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 200g chestnut mushrooms
• 200g Swiss brown mushrooms
• ½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
• 6 sprigs thyme
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Place dried porcini mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside to soak.

2. Combine milk, chicken stock and salt in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, then while whisking, add polenta in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 30 minutes or until polenta is tender. Stir through ½ cup (50g) parmesan. Remove from heat and keep in a warm place until required.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large casserole pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to high. Add butter, mushrooms, wine, thyme, porcini and porcini water, and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms soften.

Sopa de tortilla

Sopa de tortilla

You will need to start this recipe one day in advance.

• 1 cup (200g) dried kidney beans
• 6 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 long fresh red chilli, seeded,
• coarsely chopped
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1L (4 cups) chicken stock
• 2 corn cobs, husk and silks removed
• 2 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 corn tortillas, cut into 2cm-thick strips
• 50g feta, crumbled
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, stoned, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• Lime wedges, to serve

1. Place kidney beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Set aside overnight to soak.

2. Drain beans and place in a saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Bring to the boil. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, use a small knife to cut a shallow cross in the base of each tomato. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of cold water to cool. Remove skins. Coarsely chop and place in a food processor with chilli and onion and process until almost smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until soup thickens slightly.

Roast pork with macadamia and sage stuffing with roasted pears

Roast pork with macadamia and sage stuffing with roasted pears

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 slices pancetta, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup (80g) macadamias, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup (45g) toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup (70g) dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tbs finely shredded sage
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• 1 (about 1.5kg) boned rolled loin or leg pork
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 4 Williams pears, halved lengthways
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• Steamed asparagus, to serve
• Baby rocket leaves, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add macadamias and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until nuts are lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the pine nuts, breadcrumbs, sage and egg and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the pork loin, rind-side up, on a clean surface. Pat dry with paper towel. Turn pork over and use a small, sharp knife to make a 5cm-deep cut under the eye of the meat to make a cavity for the stuffing. Place the stuffing across the centre of the pork. Roll pork to enclose the filling. Secure with kitchen string, tying at 2cm intervals. Place in a roasting pan. Drizzle with remaining oil and sprinkle with fennel seeds and salt. Use your hands to rub into the rind. Place the pears around the pork and drizzle with maple syrup. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and roast for a further 45 minutes or until pork is tender and pears caramelise. Remove from heat and cover with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.

Cake Icing

Cake Icing
Uncooked icingsConfectioners Sugar Glaze
* 2 tablespoons hot water, or milk or light cream
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, lemon, or other extracts, or 1 teaspoon lemon juice or rum
* 1 cup confectioners sugar

Stir the liquid into the sugar, adding more, a few drops at a time. The icing is of the proper consistency when it coats the spoon.

Chocolate Icing
* 1 square of chocolate, unsweetened
* 6 tablespoons boiling water
* 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler, add boiling water and stir until smooth; add vanilla and the sugar; stir until mixture is smooth. Or dissolve 1/3 cup cocoa in boiling water. A little cinnamon may be added.

Coffee or Mocha Icing
* 3 tablespoons hot strong coffee
* 3 tablespoons dry cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar
Add coffee to cocoa, stir until smooth, add vanilla and enough sugar to reach spreading

consistencyLemon Icing
* grated rind of lemon
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon boiling water
* 1 cup confectioners sugar
Add lemon rind to juice and water, stir into the sugar, a little at a time, until thick enough to spread.

Orange Icing
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 cups confectioners sugar
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* grated rind of 1 orange
Add yolk to sugar, mix well; add the rest.

Fruit Juice Icing
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons fresh fruit juice
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Add lemon juice and strained fruit juice (strawberries, cherries or grapes) to the sugar, a little at a time, until thin enough to spread.

Uncooked FrostingsBasic Butter Frosting
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 2 tablespoons milk, cream, sherry, rum or brandy
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and sugar well, add the flavoring and liquid until mixture is smooth.

Caramel Butter Frosting
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups brown sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
* heavy cream
Cream butter, add sugar gradually and mix very well. Add vanilla and only enough cream to obtain desired consistency

Chocolate Butter Frosting
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 square unsweetened chocolate melted over boiling water, or 1/4 cup cocoa
Proceed as for Basic Butter Frosting

Coffee Butter Frosting
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 2 tablespoons strong, hot coffee
* 1 teaspoon dry cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Proceed as for Basic Butter Frosting.

Orange or Lemon Butter Frosting
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 tablespoon milk or water
* 1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice and a little grated rind
Proceed as for Basic Butter frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting
* 3 ounces cream cheese
* 1 tablespoon warm milk
* 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
Mash cheese with milk. Add sugar, gradually, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Any other desired flavoring may be substituted for the vanilla.

Broiled Coconut Frosting
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 5 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons light cream
* 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Mix all ingredients. Spread on warm cake before removing cake from pan. Broil until sugar is melted and bubbles. This takes only a few minutes, and should be watched carefully, as it burns easily!

Boiled Frostiings
Meringue Frosting
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 egg whites
* 1/2 teaspoon flavoring extract
Boil sugar and water over low heat until syrup spins a thread; pour very slowly onto stiffly beaten whites and beat until smooth and stiff enough to spread. Add flavoring. Spread on cake.

Brown Sugar Marshmallow Frosting
* 2 cups brown sugar
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 5 marshmallows
* 2 egg whites
Cook sugar and water over low heat until it spins a thread. Add vanilla and marshmallows. Beat until marshmallows are dissolved. Pour gradually onto the stiffly beaten whites, beating constantly.

Maple Frosting
* 1 cup maple syrup
* 2 egg whites
Boil syrup until it spins a thread; add very slowly to stiffly beaten whites of eggs, beating constantly until stiff enough to spread.

Sea Foam Frosting
* 2 egg whites
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/3 cup corn syrup
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cook all ingredients except vanilla in a double boiler, beating constantly, until mixture stands in peaks. Remove from heat, add vanilla, beat until thick enough to spread.

Frostings Without SugarCorn Syrup Frosting
* 2 egg whites
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pour egg whites and syrup into deep mixing bowl. Beat with electric beater at medium speed until mixed, then continue for about 15 minutes until stiff. Add vanilla. Will fill and frost 2 large layers.

Chocolate Molasses Frosting
Use 2 egg whites, 1 cup molasses and 2 squares melted unsweetened chocolate. Proceed as in the recipe for Corn Syrup Frosting

Whipped-Chocolate Frosting
* 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
* 1/2 cup light cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 egg whites, beaten stiff
* 1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners sugar
Cook chocolate and cream over boiling water until smooth; cool, add vanilla. Beat whites, add sugar and continue beating until stiff enough to cut. Combine the two mixtures, beat well.Cooked Fudge Frostings

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
* 1/4 cup water
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 square unsweetened chocolate
* 2 egg yolks
Boil water and sugar to a thick syrup, add the chocolate, pour syrup over the beaten yolks, stirring constantly. Beat until thick enough to spread

Fudge Frosting
* 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
* 1/2 cup milk or light cream
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt chocolate over low heat, add milk and sugar, boil until a few drops form a soft ball in cold water. Add butter and vanilla. Let stand undisturbed a few minutes, then beat until thick enough to spread. If too thick, stir in a little cream.

Sour Cream Caramel Frosting
* 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 1 teaspoon butter
Mix sugar and cream, let stand until dissolved, about 30 minutes or longer. Add butter and boil 5 minutes or to the soft-ball stage. Beat and spread on cake.

Chocolate Brandy Frosting
* 3 cups confectioners sugar
* 5 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons light cream
* 3 tablespoons brandy
* 3 tablespoons strong coffee
* 1/2 grated, sweet chocolate.
Combine all ingredients in double boiler and cook, stirring until well blended. If necessary, add cream until thin enough to spread.

Filling Uncooked Whipped Cream Filling
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat cream until it begins to thicken; add sugar gradually, add flavoring; until to beat until cream holds its shape when the beater is raised.

Whipped Cream filling with Pineapple and Nuts
* 1 egg yolk, beaten
* 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
* 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
* 1/2 cup chopped nuts
* 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
Fold yolk and sugar into cream, add nuts and pineapple.

Cooked FillingVanilla Custard Filling
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 cup scalded milk
* 2 egg yolks
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Mix cornstarch and sugar,add the hot milk and pour gradually on the beaten egg yolks. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened. Cool and flavor with the vanilla.

Chocolate Custard Pudding
Add 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted, add to the and follow instructions for Vanilla Custard Filling.

Cream Custard Pudding
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups of milk or light cream, scalded
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix dry ingredients, add the milk and pour gradually over the slightly beaten eggs. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened; cool and flavor.

Sour Cream Filling
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup thick sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract
Beat yolk slightly, add sugar and cornstarch, mixed, stir in cream; cook in double boiler until mixture coats the spoon. Add flavoring. If desired, add 1 cup chopped nuts.

Fruit and Nut FillingsApple-Lemon Filling
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon cold water
* 1 egg
* pinch of salt
* 1 apple, pared and grated
Mix sugar and flour in saucepan; add lemon juice, cold water, beaten egg, salt and apple. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool before spreading

Whipped Fruit Filling
* 1 1/2 cups pared, grated apple, peach or mashed berries
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 egg whites
* grated rind of 1 lemon
Mix all together. Beat until very stiff. Use between layers and on top of layer cake or as a filling for Schaum Torte.

Pecan Filling
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup milk, heated
* 2 egg yolks
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
Dissolve Cornstarch in the milk, and cook in double boiler until smooth. Beat yolks and sugar until very light; pour hot milk mixture gradually over yolks; return to double boiler and cook until mixture coats the spoon, stirring constantly. When cooled, add nut meats.Strawberry Cream

Make Sourdough Bread and Cake

Make Sourdough Bread and Cake
Kefir and Kefir whey both provide a convenient starter for sourdough bread and cakes. Note this recipe does not use a flour sourdough starter, it uses kefir or kefir whey.

Basic Sourdough Bread Recipe
1.3 cups of freshly ground spelt flour.
2.¼ teaspoon of Celtic sea salt.
3.25 grams (2 tablespoons) of fat (butter or lard).
4.1 cup of Kefir or Kefir whey
5.Water.

Mix the salt with the flour, then mix half of the flour with one cup of Kefir or Kefir whey to form a thick batter. Beat in the fat with a wooden spoon then add the rest of the flour and more Kefir or water until you get a dough that is just damp enough to stick to your fingers.

Lightly flour a bench top and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Flatten out the dough with your hands then fold it back upon itself. Turn the dough ninety degrees and flatten it out again before folding it back upon itself. If the dough sticks to the bench top scrape it off with a plastic dough scraper and sprinkle a little more flour on the bench. If the dough sticks to your hands it may help to grease them with a little fat. The correct consistency of the dough may be found by trial and error. If it is too damp it will stick to the bench top, if it is too dry it will be difficult to knead. A good dough is soft and pliable with a satin sheen. Once you have kneaded the dough leave it for 15 minutes in a warm place. (You may find that your oven, with just the oven light on, will keep a steady 25C.) Then knead it again for 5 minutes.

Form the dough into a loaf shape and transfer it to a greased and floured bread tin or pyrex dish. Incubate the dough for 12-24 hours or until the dough has increased in doubled in size.
Preheat the oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40-50 minutes. The dough may rise during the first ten minutes, called oven spring, or it may sink. Sinking is usually a sign that the fermentation period was too long.

Sourdough Cakes
You can make a sourdough cake in the same way that you would normally make a cake but by using a sourdough starter or kefir in place of the baking powder. As a general guide mix free range eggs, butter and raw honey in a food processor, then add freshly ground spelt flour (nut and seed flour can be ground in some blenders.), spices, salt and so on. Use enough Kefir or Kefir whey to give the cake mixture the desired consistency. (Note: Cake mixtures are not kneaded.) Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish and incubate at 28-35 degrees Celsius for 12-24 hours or until it has risen substantially. Bake at an appropriate temperature.

Kefir vs Yogurt

Kefir vs. Yogurt
Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products, but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match. Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.
It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.
Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.
Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, invalids and the elderly, as well as a remedy for digestive disorders.

Kefir

Kefir

Kefir (alternately keefir, kephir, kewra, talai, mudu kekiya, milkkefir, búlgaros) is a fermented milk drink that originated in the Caucasus region. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed .

Overview

Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower. Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.
Traditional kefir is fermented at ambient temperatures, generally overnight. Fermentation of the lactose yields a sour, carbonated, slightly alcoholic beverage, with a consistency similar to thin yogurt.

Kefir fermented by small-scale dairies early in the twentieth century achieved alcohol levels between 1% and 2%, but kefir made commercially with modern methods of production has less than 1% alcohol, possibly due to reduced fermentation time.
Variations that thrive in various other liquids exist. They may vary markedly from kefir in both appearance and microbial composition. Water kefir (or kefir d'acqua) is grown in water with sugar (sometimes with added dry fruit such as figs, and lemon juice) for a day or more at room temperature.

Making kefir

90 grams of kefir grainsProduction of traditional kefir requires kefir grains which are a gelatinous community of bacteria and yeasts. Kefir grains contain a water soluble polysaccharide known as kefiran that imparts a rope-like texture and feeling in one's mouth. Kefir grains cannot be produced from scratch, but the grains grow during fermentation, and additional grains are produced. Kefir grains can be purchased or acquired from other hobbyists, see below. Kefir grains appear white to yellow and are usually the size of a walnut, but may be as small as a grain of rice.
Recipes available at Kefir Article at Wikibooks
See also: kumis, ayran, lassi, tibicos and other dairy products.

Health and nutrition

One can change the nutrient content by simply fermenting for shorter or longer periods. Both stages have different healthful benefits. For instance, kefir over-ripened (increases sour taste) significantly increases folic acid content.Kefir also aids in lactose digestion as a catalyst, making it more suitable than other dairy products for those who are lactose intolerant. The kefiran in kefir has been shown to suppress an increase in blood pressure and reduce serum cholesterol levels in rats.
Drinking kefir

While some drink kefir straight, many find it too sour on its own and prefer to add fruits, honey, maple syrup or other flavors or sweeteners. Frozen bananas, strawberries, blueberries or other fruits can be mixed with kefir in a blender to make a smoothie. Vanilla, agave nectar and other flavorings may also be added. Still others enjoy kefir, in lieu of milk, on cereal or granola. It is also a typical and universally available breakfast drink (again, in lieu of milk) across all areas of the former Soviet Union, where it has been popularized as a cheap health drink.
Culinary uses

Kefir is one of the main ingredients in Lithuanian cold beet soup šaltibarščiai (commonly known as cold borscht) and Russian summer soup okroshka. Other variations of kefir soups and foods prepared with kefir are vastly popular across the former Soviet Union, likely due to cow milk kefir's near-universal availability from just about any grocery and dairy shop in Russia.
Different milk types

Kefir grains will successfully ferment the milk from most mammals, and will continue to grow in such milk. Typical milks used include cow, goat, and sheep, each with varying organoleptic and nutritional qualities.
In addition, kefir grains will ferment non-mammal "milks" such as soy milk, rice milk, and coconut milk, as well as other sugary liquids including fruit juice, coconut water, beer wort and ginger beer. However, the kefir grains may cease growing if the medium used does not contain all the growth factors required by the bacteria (which are all present in mammalian milk), so it is best to only use excess kefir grains for trying alternative fermentation media.
Milk sugar is, however, not essential for the synthesis of the polysaccharide that makes up the grains (kefiran), and scientific studies have demonstrated that rice hydrolysate is a suitable alternative medium. Additionally, it has been shown that kefir grains will reproduce when fermenting soy milk, although they will change in appearance and size due to the differing proteins available to them.