Description
This tangy flavored almond milk kefir is very simple and easy to make. You can drink this probiotic-rich beverage once or twice a day or add it to smoothies. This recipe does not involve the use of kefir grains. Yet, you can call it kefir for its sour taste and the rich content of nutrients, especially probiotics.
Almond milk kefir could help rebalance your body’s eco-system, rejuvenate your mind, and restore your vitality.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup of raw almonds
- 7 cups of water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon of probiotic powder
- Liquid stevia, preferably alcohol-free, or honey
- One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak almonds in water for 8 to 12 hours by placing them in a ceramic or glass bowl. Add salt and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add enough water to soak these ingredients completely.
- Cover the bowl with a breathable kitchen towel and allow the almonds to soak for 12 hours at room temperature.
- Drain the water and discard it. Rinse the almonds a few times to remove enzyme-inhibitors and anti-nutrients.
- Add rinsed almonds in the blender and pulse on high for 40 to 60 seconds or until the nuts have been pulverized completely.
- Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or a piece of nylon hosiery. Twist the bag gently to squeeze the milk through it.
- Add probiotic powder and stir it into the almond milk using any wooden spoon. Avoid using a metal spoon as it may damage the probiotics. You can get probiotic powder by opening capsules of any probiotic supplement from a reliable brand.
- Then, cover the bowl with a breathable cloth and allow to stand for 12 to 14 hours.
- After about 12 hours, the mixture would look like a yellowish “almond water” and have a thick foamy layer of scum or fat floating on the top. It would smell fermented just like yogurt or dairy kefir. If the layer is thin and doesn’t have much of odor, allow it to ferment for a few more hours.
- Once done, skim off the layer of fat gently with a spoon.
- Strain the remaining liquid with a fine mesh strainer. Keep aside about half a cup of this liquid as a starter for the next batch of kefir.
- Sweeten the cultured milk by adding a tablespoon of honey or stevia and drink it.
Notes
- You can use a part of the cultured milk as a starter. It can be used as an alternative to probiotic powder to make about 4 to 5 batches of kefir after which you will need to use probiotic powder from a capsule again.
- The skimmed off layer of fats can be used in puddings and smoothies.
- You can store the excess almond kefir in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- You can follow the same recipe to prepare kefir using other nuts. Make sure the nuts are raw and unsalted. Don’t miss the step of soaking the nuts as it makes them softer and easier to blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 hours
- Category: Fermented drink
- Method: Fermentation
- Cuisine: Caucasus
