Kombucha

Kombucha is an ancient Chinese drink known as an Elixir.

Kombucha has been around for more than 2,000 years and has many health benefits like preventing and fighting cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases as well as balancing hormones and weight.

Kombucha is made from sweetened tea that is fermented using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast which is called a “mother” because of its ability to reproduce, or it is called a  “mushroom” because of its appearance or its know as a scoby.

Kombucha didn’t gain prominence in the West until recently and as i landed from my recent trip having shared my Kombucha with my London Yogini’s after a 3 hour workshop, i was told that a Kombucha bar is opening in London!

so here’s how you make your own! after acquiring a mother, (because they reproduce it always lovely to pas on the love) or buying one online 🙂

Kombucha Recipe

You need to prepare for this and so it’s made with love. so you will need

a Mother
Tea
Green Tea
water
pot
sugar
large vase
wooden spoon
muslin

 

Once you have your mother, (see picture she’s resting in kombucha that she was ‘born in” the night before she is transferred into the tea, you need to prepare the tea. so

in a large saucepan bring water to the boil( i use a 4.5 litre vase so i boil 3 litres of water)  – once boiled turn of heat

 

 

Add 4 normal tea bags and 4 green tea bags let steep, when the liquid starts to cool a little bit add ½ cup of white or brown sugar and stir with a wooden spoon NOT metal (the mother doesn’t like metal). Cover and leave for approx. 8 hours. some leave the tea bags in, I prefer to take them out of the water after 30minutes- 1 hour – play and see what you prefer

the following morning
Remove your mother from the fridge and allow her to come to room temperature.

Strain the tea liquid into your suitable glass container (mine’s above)

now you’re ready to add your mother! take off all jewellery, wash hands and gently add your mother. you may use gloves if you do not wish to remove jewellery as the mothers are sensitive to silver of metal jewelry.

Cover with top with muslin and place in a light (not direct sunlight,) and breezy place and let ferment for 5-7 days.
When your batch of Kombucha is ready, her’s the fun bit!

gently remove the mother and you will soon she she has produced a baby, turn her over and you will be able to very gently remove the baby  from her. Depending how strong the baby looks, either re-use the Mother or use the baby for your next batch of tea.

pour the Kombucha into bottle and enjoy!

how do you enjoy, well i like to have minefirst thing i nthe morning with my hot water and lemon, so i pour a glass of kombucha have on a empty tummy and then enjoy my warm hot water

 

happy reproducing, happy health!

 

ps this is so appropriate for Diwali as Lakshmi offers us the elixir of life and for me this is it!

pps you may wish to buy your own “mother” search for scoby or mushroom online and I am sure amazon sell them!