Milk and kefir grains left at room temperature for a day turn into tangy, drinkable kefir. Strain out the grains and repeat.
Ingredients
4cupsmilk (cow, goat or sheep)
2Tbspof kefir grains
Directions
Put the milk and kefir grains together in a glass jar or pitcher.
Top with a loose lid, a cloth, or a paper towel; it should not be airtight, because the kefir will carbonate.
Leave it at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, depending on how strong you like it (6 to 8 hours is a good middle). The longer it sits, the fizzier and more sour it gets.
Refrigerate it to slow the fermenting. When you are ready to drink it, lift out the grains and drop them into fresh milk to culture again.
Keep the finished kefir in the refrigerator.
Notes
Keeps fermenting in the fridge and may separate if not used within a few days. Grains usually float after about 8 hours and can be scooped out; strain tiny grains. Too many grains or too long out can curdle the milk; curdled kefir is still safe and can be made into kefir cheese. Coconut-milk (vegan) kefir needs a different recipe. Allergy: dairy. Discard if moldy or it smells rotten rather than sour.