Basic Soy Kefir

Basic Soy Kefir

I read on Dom’s website (<-- at this site, scroll to bottom and click the link for seed/nut milk kefir, my link to it is not working at the moment) that kefir grains will not live long and happy lives in soy-only diets. I have no idea. I generally like water kefir more often than I like soymilk kefir, so I alternate my grains between the two. I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not, but I do it. And it seems to work.

Many of the same principles apply to kefir making as to yogurt making. You can look at Basic Soy Yogurt for information on choosing milk, cleanliness, etc. There are also some kefir-specific things you should know.

As kefir ferments, it creates carbonation in the milk, and causes pressure in sealed containers. If you seal the container (and I do, because I like those bubbles ☺), you should fill it only ¾ full to avoid explosions, no matter how cool creating your own explosives might seem.

If you keep making milk kefir, it’s a good idea to rinse the grains in room temperature, filtered water (unchlorinated). Otherwise, they can get a gooey layer on their surface which makes it hard for them to function.

I just feel silly writing more because Dom’s Kefir Making Site has all the information you could ever need and if you want to know more, check it out. Here is my extremely low-key kefir-making process:

Basic Soy Kefir

Ingredients:
1 liter soymilk, at room temperature
1 tbsp kefir grains

Materials:
glass container (at least 1.5 liter sealed, at least 1 liter open)
plastic mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or something else to strain the grains out (loose weave)

Directions:

1. Clean all the materials before you start with soap and then again with hot water. Finally, rinse with cool water to avoid damaging the kefir grains.
2. Add the milk to the container and gently add the grains.
3. Cover if desired and leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours, occasionally swishing around the contents to break up curds. You can also open the lid if it is sealed to release pressure.
4. When it’s the thickness you like, you can either strain the kefir through a clean cloth or you can just spoon them out, rinse them with unchlorinated water, and plunk them in some new milk or water kefir mix.
5. Let the kefir age at room temperature for a more sour taste, or refrigerated to keep it mild.

Notes:
If you let the kefir age with the grains inside for an extra 12 hours or so, you will get a very thick kefir which can be strained and made into a thick, quark-like cream. It’s a great ingredient for Vegan Mint Raita or any other recipes that need sour cream or similar dairy products. Check out the easy instructions here.

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The Versatile Vegan "Cream"

(kefir cream strained for 20 minutes or so)

This is the easiest and healthiest way I know to make a good cream substitute for recipes where I want something rich. It is essentially quark, a thickened yogurt I discovered in Switzerland for the first time. The process is incredibly simple, and just takes a little bit of time. If you have a lot of kefir grains, it's a good idea to just make your extra kefir into an extra stockpile of this cream.

For savory things, I tend to prefer using kefir as a base, as it is usually more sour than yogurt. It can even be used plain as a sour cream on potatoes. For sweet sauces or dips, the yogurt is perfect. In baking and cooking, it really doesn't seem to matter. Remember that if you would like to maintain the live bacteria, add the cream after cooking so it doesn't get too hot. Of course, it's not always possible to do that, and the taste and texture will stay great no matter what.

The Versatile Vegan "Cream"

Ingredients:

• 4 cups soy yogurt or thick soy kefir
• cheesecloth (or a thin, clean towel)
• string, and a place to hang it over a
• bowl to catch the "whey"

Directions:

1. Make sure everything's very clean before beginning.
2. Lay the cloth inside the bowl, draped over the edges
3. Pour all of your yogurt or kefir into the bowl, making sure it all stays inside the cloth.
4. Gather and life the edges, then tie a strong knot around them so you have a sack.
5. Loop the string around a hook and let it hang above the bowl.
6. As the whey drains out, your cream is thickening*. Just remove when you think it's ready and store in a clean container in the fridge!

Notes:
*For most recipes, a few hours is plenty to get it very thick. Sometimes I even leave it for less than one hour. It's totally up to you. For more ideas about kefir "cream" you can visit Dom's Kefir-Making Site, which has a lot of creative recipes for cheese-making and other cool things.

My favorite use for Kefir-cream right now is Vegan Mint Raita.

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Vegan Mint Raita

(Raita over crispy slices of oven-toasted Kvass-Potato Paprikash Bread)

Raita is an Indian dip served with spicy food as a cooling agent. As this one involves its own chilis, it is also a little spicy, but it still maintains the cool sensation of the yogurt/kefir. Since making it to go with an Indian meal cooked by a friend the other day, I have been addicted to its spicy-cold duality. I now have a jar permanently out at meals to add to salad, today’s risotto, or to dip veggies and bread in.

Vegan Mint Raita

Ingredients:

• 2 cups soy kefir, strained, or soy yogurt
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• 1 green chili
• ½ bunch cilantro
• ½ bunch mint
• 1 clove garlic
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Ground, roasted cumin seeds*, to taste
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp grated ginger

Directions:

1. Grate the cucumber and add it to the yogurt or kefir
2. Finely chop and add the chili, cilantro, and mint.
3. Grate in the garlic clove and add the lemon zest, cumin, salt, and ginger.
4. Taste and adjust, then cover and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. It's even better the next day ☺

Notes:
* Roast about 1 tbsp cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned. Grind into a powder and add as much as you like the taste of. It’s strong, so test it as you go.

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