Tahlia's mum's water kefir

Ingredients:

7 cups of filtered water, boiled

1/3 cup organic raw sugar

2 prunes or a few sultanas

a slice of lemon

1/4 teaspoon egg shells

1 teaspoon molasses

1/8 teaspoon bicarb soda (aluminium free)

1 cup kefir grains

Method:

First sterilise the jars that you are going to ferment in. I use 2 approx 4 cup jars with proper seals - if you use two jars, just split the ingredients evenly between the two. Boil your water, add all ingredients except the kefir grains. Once the liquid has cooled to body temperature or lower, you can add your kefir grains and close the lids. Leave for 24 hours.

Second ferment - this is the one that makes the kefir bubbly.

Sterilise 2 bottles with stopper lids. Strain the kefir into each bottle and add a small amount of your preferred fresh fruit juice. My favourite is half a lime, passionfruit is also delicious - experiment away. Put on the stopper and leave for another 24 hours. Your kefir is now ready to be consumed :) Keep in the fridge.

Store your kefir grains in the fridge in a sugar and water blend. To do this, you will need to remove the ginger, sultanas etc from your last kefir batch. Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of sugar in enough water to cover your kefir grains. Allow to cool before pouring over grains. Refrigerate until you make your next batch. If it is a long time in between making kefir, you might want to feed them again with some fresh sugar solution.