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Cool Kava Drinks

Kava is prepared traditionally by chewing and regurgitating the chewed root and spittle into a ceremonial bowl for shared consumption. Since this method is unappetizing to most, more hygienic methods have evolved. We have found two recipes to prepare and enjoy Kava.

Method 1: A "hands-on" method that is most commonly used in the South Pacific.

Ingredients

  • One cup of powdered Kava root
  • A large cloth bag (or a clean dish towel placed in a large clean bowl)
  • A quart of water
  • Clean hands!

Directions

  1. Place the Kava into the cloth bag or into dish towel within a bowl.
  2. Add the water.
  3. Keeping the Kava root within the cloth, knead with fingers and fist for about 5-10 minutes or until the water takes on the color of coffee with cream and a slightly foamy surface.
  4. Decant the liquid from the powder. Retain the liquid.
  5. This amount will serve one to four people. The process can be repeated with the same bag of Kava. The second rinse will be less potent.

Method 2: Less traditional and less messy, as a blender is used.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons of powdered Kava root
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of milk or coconut milk or olive oil *
  • Blender
  • Fine strainer or cheesecloth

* It is important to add something that has fat as it helps to extract the compounds in the Kava.

Directions

  1. Add the Kava, water and milk (or coconut milk or olive oil) to the blender.
  2. Blend the mixture on high for three minutes, pausing to remove any powder that may be stuck to the sides of the blender.
  3. Strain the mixture through a strainer or cheese cloth to filter out any kava powder.
  4. Pour the liquid into a glass. This amount will serve one to two people.