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Also known as “The Tea of Immortality” or a “Manchurian Mushroom”.

This is a living health drink made by fermenting black tea and sugar with Kombucha culture. SCOBY means Symbiotic Culture Of Bacterial Yeast.

It is a living symbiotic organism.

This tea has for over 2,000 years helped heal many disorders It helps strengthen the immune system and is extremely alkalising. The SCOBY turns the tea into a beverage full of vitamins, minerals, protein and iron. It converts the Sugar into various organ acids especially Gluceronic acid normally produced by a healthy liver. This is very beneficial for the gut and lower intestinal tract.  

How to prepare

1. In a stainless pot heat 3 litres of water.
2. Add 3 black tea bags and 1 cup of sugar ( white/ or organic raw)
3. Bring to the boil, remove from heat and allow to cool. If cooling over nightput a cloth over.
4. Fill a 3 litre jar with the cooled tea and place your SCOBY in plus a cup of the liquid from a previous batch.
5. Cover with a muslin square and tie or rubber band and place in a warm place.  
6. Taste test. After 8-10 days. There should be no taste of tea, or sugar but can be a little sweet and could also be slightly bubbly. It now will be ready to bottle. Store on the bench away from sunlight or in the pantry. Remember to keep a cup of your fermented tea to add to your next brew with your Kombucha SCOBY.
7. Drink 1 glass full 3 times a day with meals for maximum benefits. Children ½ glass. In the beginning your body will want more as it is so healthful and delicious.

Your SCOBY will eventually grow a baby which is attached but floats away from the mother. Leave it with the mother for a couple of batches then you can separate it off. This new SCOBY will make another batch so use it or give it away.It is important to use organic sugar and 1 or 2  Black /  green  tea bags in your tea mix as the SCOBY converts these into essential acids. These are antioxidants and are used particularly by the liver for detoxification

This culture is much easier to make than other yoghurts as the milk does not require any heating. It is as easy as mixing and leaving till ready.

It is preferable to use Raw Milk, otherwise use Organic Full Cream Milk from the supermarket. These milks have all the goodness in them to help your Caspian Sea Yoghurt grow.

Caspian Sea Yoghurt is a probiotic yoghurt, full of nutrition and probiotics that are beneficial for our whole inner eco system. Nourishment for your skin from the inside out, and a great way to consume your daily intake of dairy

The ratio is 1 part of starter to 9 – parts milk 

Put your starter into a jar ( 1 litre preserving jars are great )  and add 9x the amount of milk. Stir well and leave out on the bench or pantry shelf, ideally a warm spot in your kitchen but not in direct sunlight. Cover with a muslin cloth. Do not put a closed lid on as this will cause an anaerobic action which will kill the culture.

Stir a once a day and it should be thick and creamy within 12-24 hours. In the winter the hot water cupboard or a warm spot by the fire may be better and your culture will probably take 24 hours to thicken.

Once it has finished culturing store it in the fridge with a lid on till you are ready to use it. For your next batch just take out 1 part to start all over again. You can just keep going and the culture keeps culturing and you will have it for ever.

So easy, done in 1 hour, makes enough for a month, and the whole family will love to help you.

• Ingredients.  1 organic green / red Cabbage or Savoy Cabbage.
• Plain salt, filtered water.
• For a 1.5kg cabbage use 2 tablespoons ground unrefined sea salt.
• 1 litre Agee jars are good or a large pickle jar with a plastic lid.

Your Cabbage has a lot of good enzymes on the outer leaves that help with the fermentation. So remove only the 1st leaves. Keep these aside. Make sure your cabbage is organic and do not wash it.

Always cut a whole cabbage. Plan to use it all, as cabbage that is already cut will have started an oxidation process, which is not healthy for your Sauerkraut. The necessary water for your brine is held within your cabbage, so keep it whole until you shred it

Shred your cabbage with either a slicer / mandolin or with a food processor. Take out the hard core at its base. The thinner you slice your cabbage the easier it will ferment.

In your bowl sprinkle your Cabbage with the sea salt and toss well. Use your clean bare hands as these contain beneficial enzymes too. Leave to rest for about 10 minutes. This will soften it.

Now massage the cabbage squeezing it with your hands wringing out the juice. Keep going for 5 minutes till there is at least ½ a cup of juice. Remember if you are only doing ½ a cabbage your quantities will be less.

This can be made in wide neck jars (I use ½ litre jars).  This recipe will give you 3 ½ litre jars.

Pack your cabbage 1 good handful at a time into your jars. Make sure you pack it down firmly, using a round piece of wood ie recycle an old rolling pin. Pack your jar to just over ¾ full. Place 2 of your  left over cabbage leaves on top and press firmly into the top of the jar. This will act as a weight. Sit your lid on with one turn, do not screw down.

Rest your Sauerkraut on the pantry bench or on a bench away from direct sunlight.  After 5 days it can be eaten, but will still be a little sweet. The longer you leave it the more fermented it will taste and become. Some fermentations can be as long as 3 months.

Once you have the flavour you like you can then store in the fridge until you eat it.

Enjoy!