Kefir is first and foremost a simple but wonderful thirst quencher, to which, however, you can easily add enhancing juices, jams, liqueurs, etc. Kefir is also suitable for flavouring soups, sauces, salads, raw vegetables, and it makes a great party dip! Moreover, wherever a recipe calls for milk, cream, buttermilk or yoghurt, you may freely substitute kefir.

All the recipes can be prepared from home made kefir, either freshly made to suit the recipe, or taken from refrigerated stock. Remember though that while you can use any quantity of milk to make kefir, the larger the amount of milk used, the longer it will take to curdle or "set." Also be aware that if you use too much milk it might go off before it ferments. If this should happen, wash the grains well under running water and start again, using less milk. If your kefir turns out thicker than anticipated, you can always thin it down with milk. In such cases I prefer to use skim milk for thinning it to the desired consistency.

Yoghurt Soup
Ingredients:

• 1.5 Litres beef or chicken stock
• 50 grams flour
• 70 grams rice
• 250 grams yoghurt
• 60 grams butter or margarine
• 1 crushed galic glove
• 1 egg yolk salt dry mint cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons of mint
  
• Place rice in stock and boil until rice is soft.
• Sautee galic in butter add flour and brown
• Gradually add rice and stock, stirring constantly.
• Lightly whisk yogurt and egg yolk. Add to soup mixture gradually, stirring constantly.
• Cook until ready to boil. Add salt and mint, remove from heat.
• In a small pan melt a tablespoon of buttter and add cayenne pepper. Brown lightly and pour over soup.
• Stir through and serve.

Roast Lamb
Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 200 grams yogurt
• 50 grams flour
• 10 grams tomato paste
• 1 lt water
• 2 onions
• 2 bay leaves salt
  
• In a large saucepan, place yogurt, flour, tomato paste and water. Whisk thoroughly.
• Add peeled onions, whole. Place on heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
• Place leg of lamb into saucepan. Place on hot-plate until cooked.
• Remove lamb from saucepan and place on baking dish. Pour some of the liquid from saucepan over lamb. Place in medium hot oven until lamb browns. Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Carve and serve with remaining sauce.

Kefir Drinks