Kelli’s summer ferments
Water kefir
TIME TO MAKE: 5 minutes TIME TO FERMENT: 1-2 weeks MAKES: 2 litres This is a very fizzy, slightly sweet, tangy drink. Instead of the thick, pancake-like scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) used to ferment kombucha, you use kefir grains. These are a different mix of bacteria and yeasts which look similar to grains.
“The grains float and dance and play,” says Kelli. “And it doesn't use tea, like kombucha does.”
Once you have water kefir grains, you can keep re-using them indefinitely if you feed them. You can buy them online, on Trade Me, and from health food stores. NOTES •
Don't leave bottled water kefir in your fridge for weeks as it may explode. Drink within 2-3 weeks of making it. •
Like kombucha, a small amount of alcohol is produced during the fermentation process.
INGREDIENTS
2 litres of water 4-6 tbsp water kefir grains ½ cup raw sugar slices of lemon and ginger 1 piece of dried fruit, eg fig, apple, sultanas
METHOD
1 Place the grains, water and sugar into a glass jar, give it a gentle stir, then secure with a lid to create an anaerobic environment. Taste the mix so you know the flavour. 2 Place your jar somewhere with a steady 18-21°C temperature for 48 hours. Don't place in direct sunlight. If you're fermenting in cold weather, it may take slightly longer than 48 hours; if it's really hot, it may take less time. You're looking for the flavour to become less sweet, and more sour. Water kefir grains will float, and sink to the bottom as they flavour the water.
3 Strain out the grains* - use a plastic mesh strainer, not metal. 4Pour the liquid into your storage container or bottle, then add any flavours. Kelli recommends a thumb-size piece of ginger and a lemon (sliced), both unpeeled. You can also try fresh, sliced fruit, fruit juice (about 4 tbsp or 60ml), or a fruit tea bag. 5 Make sure the lid is tightly screwed in place to help it carbonate. Leave to ferment for another 24 hours. 6Strain out the lemon, ginger and fruit through a plastic mesh strainer. You can reuse the ginger and fruit for 2-3 batches. 7 Store your water kefir in the fridge in a bottle with a screwtop lid – be aware it will be very fizzy. Use within 2-3 weeks. The longer you leave it, the less sweet and the more sour it will become. * add the strained grains to a new batch of sugar and water, and place back in your 18-21°C storage area. To keep the grains alive, change the sugar/water every 3-4 days. You can add a pinch of baking soda and a 1/4 teaspoon of molasses occasionally if the grains start to look stressed (eg, if they go slimy, or start to reduce in size).
Sweetcorn pickle
TIME TO MAKE: 20 minutes TIME TO FERMENT: 1-2 weeks (mild), 4-6 weeks (strong) MAKES: 6-10 servings You'll need a 5-litre crock or a similar-sized glass jar/crock. You can ferment the cobs whole, but cutting them up makes it easier to get more into the container.
Corn is the only vegetable that needs to be quickly blanched before you ferment it, to help break down starches.
INGREDIENTS
6-10 corn cobs, husks removed,
cut into 5-10cm pieces 2.5% brine: 5 litres water, 8 tbsp sea salt Kelli’s Mexican flavour mix: 3-5 jalapenos, 8-10 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs of oregano, 1 sprig of lemon verbena or peel of 1 lime
METHOD
1 Blanch the corn cobs in boiling water for 30 seconds only – you don't want to cook the cobs as you would if you were going to freeze them. Cool the corn under cold running water. 2 Make the brine, mixing the salt into the water until it dissolves. 3 Add the flavour ingredients to the jar, then the cooled sweetcorn. Add brine until the sweetcorn is completely covered. 4 Place a weight on top to hold the corn under the brine. Seal the jar. 5 Leave for 1-2 weeks to ferment, ‘burping' the sealed jar every week or so. You can eat the cobs straight from the jar, or put them on the barbecue for a hot treat.