“If there was a way of disguising that kombucha was fermented tea, I would. It doesn’t sound appealing. A dark, stewed, foaming gravy appears in the mind’s eye, yet the reality is delightfully different,” says food writer Mark Diacono, author of new book Ferment.
“Originating in China, and traditionally enjoyed for good health, it is simple and cheap to make and is endlessly adaptable to the flavours you fancy.”
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To make kombucha, you’ll need a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) – you can buy it online. Try Happy Kombucha (happykombucha.co.uk).
Nutrition Facts
Mark Diacono's kombucha
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 51mg2%
Potassium 9mg0%
Carbohydrates 80g27%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 80g89%
Protein 1g2%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Mark Diacono's kombucha
A delicious naturally fermented drink
Servings: 2 litres
Calories: 311kcal
Equipment
- two-and-a-half litre jar
- muslin (cheesecloth) or clean dish towel
- two one-litre ceramic flip-top bottles
Ingredients
- 2 L water ideally filtered, as chlorine can inhibit fermentation
- 1 tbsp tea of your choosing (green, black, white etc)
- 160 g sugar
- 1 SCOBY
- 2 tbsp starter Kombucha
Method
- Boil the water and pour over the tea, leaving it to brew for 15 minutes or so (less or more will affect the flavour, so experiment to your taste).
- Clean a large two-and-a-half litre jar with boiling water. Once clean, pour the tea into the jar, straining out your chosen tea leaves.
- Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool completely before adding the SCOBY and starter kombucha.
- Cover the top of the jar with a muslin (cheesecloth) or clean dish towel and fix with an elastic band, leaving in a light place, but not direct sunlight, for about 10 days. The amount of time is dependent on how warm your room is and how sour you like the kombucha, so keep tasting to find the right point. Two weeks is suggested for those that need a ballpark time frame.
- Decant the kombucha into two one-litre ceramic flip-top bottles, retaining the SCOBY and a little of the kombucha. In the jar, the SCOBY will live indefinitely, and will kickstart your next batch. At this point you can drink it or do a second fermentation to add more fizz and flavour. If you decide to do a second fermentation, you will need something sweet to allow the process to work its magic successfully. This can include juice or fruit. A reasonable ratio of kombucha to juice/fruit is around 6:1. Have some fun and add ingredients like mangoes and mulberries, or even herbs such as lemon verbena, hibiscus leaves, star anise, fresh ginger or turmeric. Leave the kombucha to ferment for two to three more days.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 80g | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Ferment by Mark Diacono is published by Quadrille. Photography by Mark Diacono.
Ferment: Slow Down, Make Food to Last (From Scratch)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Diacono, Mark (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best-selling flip-top bottles
Need some flip-top bottles for this recipe? Check out our list of best-selling bottles on Amazon!
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Last update on 2024-04-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This article may include affiliate links to products and services where we may receive a small fee to support the running of this site if you make a purchase or is a sponsored article from one of our select editorial partners providing valuable advice and information to our readers.
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