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Cook not only from bread crusts, but also from a wide variety of berries, leaves and herbs. The most popular in cuisine is currant kvass, which is very easy to prepare, it does not require large expenses and turns out to be a very tasty, nutritious drink.
Useful properties of currant kvass
Any kvass is useful for a person. First of all, it is valuable for the digestive system. The drink affects the body similarly to kefir:
- improves the course of digestive, metabolic processes;
- normalizes the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract;
- improves the condition of the heart, vascular system.
In addition, the currant itself is a very useful berry. It is considered a rich source of vitamins, organic acids, trace elements and other substances. There is especially a lot of vitamin C in the berry, which is the strongest antioxidant necessary for the flow of many vital processes in the body.
Currant kvass recipes
Summer has come and you want to always have refreshing drinks on hand, which you can get out of the refrigerator at any time and get rid of the thirst caused by the intense heat outside and indoors. Currant kvass would be a good option, especially since the berry ripening season is already beginning.
Kvass from blackcurrant
If it is winter outside and there are no fresh berries, frozen ones will do. Currants must be allowed to thaw at room temperature. First of all, pour everything into an enameled pan, crush it well with a wooden pestle. Berries under pressure will open and give the juice. This could be done on a blender, but its knives are chopped too finely and subsequently it will be difficult to filter the drink. To crushed currants add the entire volume of water indicated in the recipe.
Ingredients:
- currants – 0,3 kg;
- sugar – 0,3 kg;
- water – 3 l;
- raisins – 0,02 kg;
- wine yeast – according to the instructions;
- cinnamon – on the tip of a knife.
In parallel, it is necessary to start the yeast. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes. Yeast can be used any intended for the manufacture of drinks, but it is better not bakery. Pour a small amount, approximately at the tip of a knife, into a glass of water, make a sugar top dressing. Mix everything well and set aside.
Pour the berry infusion into a 3 l jar, add sugar, raisins, cinnamon. Stir all this with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely dissolved in water. Pour the yeast solution from the glass into the jar, mix again. Leave at room temperature for a few days to ferment. The neck of the jar can be covered with gauze or a water seal can be installed.
At the end of the fermentation process, the drink must be removed from the sediment by filtering it through a fine sieve. Re-filter through a fabric filter. Put the purified kvass in the refrigerator for several hours and you can drink it.
There is another recipe.
Before proceeding with the extraction of juice, wash the blackcurrant, remove twigs, debris and transfer to a colander to allow excess liquid to drain. Then mash with a crush so that the skin on the berries cracks, and the juice can flow freely from there.
Ingredients:
- juice (blackcurrant) – 1 l;
- water – 4 l;
- sugar – 0,1 kg;
- Yeast – 15-20
Dissolve yeast and a quarter of the indicated volume of sugar in half a glass of warm water. Pour the rest of the water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, pour in the juice and add the rest of the sugar. Keep on low heat for 10 minutes. Cool to a warm state, add yeast sourdough. Rearrange the fermentation solution in a warm place for four days. Pour the finished drink into bottles, cork and keep in the refrigerator.
Kvass from red currant
Rinse the currants thoroughly and mash with a wooden crush until a uniform consistency is obtained.
Ingredients:
- currants – 0,8 kg;
- sugar – 0,4 kg;
- water – 3 l;
- yeast – 25 g;
- citric acid – 3 g.
Mix yeast with sugar. Dilute in a liter of warm water. Heat the remaining 2 liters to a hot state and pour into the berry mass. Put the pan with berry infusion on the fire and bring to a boil, but immediately remove. Set aside for a three hour infusion.
Then strain the drink, add the yeast mixture and citric acid. Leave to ferment for twelve hours. Then pour into plastic (glass) bottles, send for storage in the refrigerator.
Kvass from berries and currant leaves
Wash the currants, mash and transfer to a jar, along with sugar. Boil the leaves in 2 liters of water for 5 minutes, and then immediately pour into a jar of berry mass. Wait until everything cools down, add yeast.
Ingredients:
- currant (black) – 0,5 kg;
- water 2 l;
- currant leaves (fresh) – 20 pcs.;
- sugar – 1 Art .;
- yeast – ½ tsp
From 2-7 days, kvass should be infused at room temperature. It can be considered ready when the smell of yeast ceases to be felt. The duration of infusion depends on the ambient temperature, so the number of days may vary. Strain the drink through a dense cloth, pour into bottles and place in the refrigerator for storage.
Yeast-free currant kvass
This drink can be prepared from both blackcurrant and redcurrant. In both cases, kvass will turn out tasty and refreshing.
Ingredients:
- currant (red, black) – 0,5 kg;
- water – 2 l;
- sugar – 120 g;
- raisins – 6 pcs.
Currant berries can not be removed from the branches, just rinse well. Dip in water with boiling water, simmer for a couple of minutes on low heat, then let it brew under the lid until it has partially cooled. When the broth becomes warm (35-40 degrees), strain it through a sieve, add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Pour into a bottle, add raisins. From 2-4 days to insist at room temperature, then put in the refrigerator.
Caloric value
Black and red currants are a low-energy product. Kvass made from them will have a calorie content much higher than the berries themselves. This is due to the fact that the drink also contains other ingredients, such as sugar, which has a high energy value.
Calorie content, as a rule, ranges from 200-300 kcal / 1 l of the product, depending on the presence of additional ingredients and their quantity. Thanks to this, they like to drink kvass during fasts. Doctors recommend taking it to patients during the recovery period after serious illnesses.
Terms and conditions of storage
Kvass is well stored in cold places, for example, a cellar, a basement. It must be tightly sealed, the duration of its storage will not exceed 3-5 days. In the city, it is best to keep the drink in the refrigerator for 7 days, no more. The most useful kvass is the one that was stored for no more than three days. As a result of continued fermentation, the content of the alcohol component in the drink increases. After opening the container, kvass must be consumed within a maximum of two days, in the future it becomes unusable.
Conclusion
Currant kvass can be prepared from any variety of currants, red or black. In any case, it will be tasty, healthy and refreshing!