Kotisima!

So during Vappu, we were introduced to the local drink sima. It is a seasonal drink that is usually found in stores around Vappu. We really liked it so we’ve been buying the leftover stocks in the stores for the last few weeks but now there’s no more left. This was a problem until I discovered how easy it is to make sima. I thought that I’d share the recipe with you. For those of you who live in the Karoo and make that yummy lemonade, this is very different. Much easier to make and maybe a grown-up version because by all reports, if you leave it for long enough, it can have a bit of a kick.

The Recipe

Ingredients:

4 l mineral water

1 l mineral water

2c sugar

2c brown sugar

2 lemons

120 ml molasses or honey

1.23 ml yeast

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 2 days

1. Wash the lemons and peel them thinly. Remove the pith. Slice the lemons and place them with the peel and sugar in a sufficiently large vessel.
2. Bring half of the water to the boil and pour it over the lemons, peel, honey or molasses and sugar. Stir and leave to stand covered for a while. Add the rest of the water cold. When the liquid is lukewarm add the yeast.
3. Keep the mead at room temperature until it starts to ferment, i.e. about one day. Put a couple of raisins and 1 tsp of sugar into clean bottles, and strain the mead into the bottles. Loosely cork the bottles and store them in a cool place. The mead is ready when the raisins rise to the surface.

Enjoy!

PS: “Kotisima” means home(made) sima