BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Night Shift  >  Breaking Bread  >  Ep1: Kombucha

Ep1: Kombucha

Loh Yi Jun, junandtonic.com | Boon Loke, Scoby Farm

16-Feb-19 10:00

Ep1: Kombucha

Breaking Bread is a brand new show that aims to foster any and all geeky discussions surrounding food. Whether it’s figuring out the intricacies of our kuih-muih, deep-diving into Malaysian coffee culture, or hunting for the best Laksas in town, this show shines a light on the food we eat and how it ties to the very fabric of our Malaysian culture and identity. This week, we’ll be delving into all things Kombucha, a delicious 2000 year old fermented drink that can be brewed at home.

--

Yakult Kombucha Recipe

Makes 1.5 litres of kombucha

Ingredients:

• 1.2L water

• 150g sugar, granulated or caster

• 3 tea bags, black tea works best, you could alternatively use 15-20g of loose tea leaves

• 1 SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), which you can get from anyone you know who makes kombucha

• 100ml starter tea, from the previous batch of kombucha

• 2 bottles (160ml) Yakult

Directions:

1. To make the tea base, add the water and sugar to a pot or saucepan and bring to a boil. Take it off the heat, add in the tea bags, and let it steep for an hour or two, until the water is cool to touch. Then, remove the tea bags and pour the sweet tea into a glass jar, preferably one with a large mouth.

2. Add in the SCOBY along with the starter tea, cover the jar with a few layers of cloth tightly secured with a rubber band or string, and leave to ferment for 1-2 weeks at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

3. The SCOBY with turn the sugar in the tea into alcohol, and then into various acids. So with time, the kombucha will turn increasingly sour. Start tasting the kombucha after 7 days, and depending on your desired level of sweetness vs. sourness, you can halt the fermentation process and proceed to the next step.

4. Remove the SCOBY from the now fermented tea, along with a bit of the tea itself. You can place the SCOBY in another jar of sweet tea to immediately begin brewing another batch. But if you’re not quite ready for this level of kombucha commitment, you can keep the SCOBY in an airtight container in the refrigerator, along with some starter tea, where it’ll happily hang out for a few weeks.

5. As for the fermented tea itself, mix in the Yakult, and transfer this into an airtight glass bottle (or two if it doesn't fit in one). Leave the kombucha out at room temperature for 2-3 days, which will further ferment and carbonate the tea. Then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill, and it's ready to drink! If you see the kombucha split into 2 layers – clear liquid on top and a murky sediment underneath that – don’t worry, this is normal! You can strain the liquid through a few layers of cheesecloth and discard the sediment, though it’s perfectly drinkable if you just give it a quick stir so it all comes together.

Produced by: Othniel Ting

Presented by: Loh Yi Jun


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  Food

Tags:  breaking breadfooddrinksjun and tonickombuchascoby farm





Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Laurent Lequeu of The Macro Butler Newsletter tells us where international markets are heading.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Adrian Ang of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies discusses the political implications of the LA protests.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Datuk William Ng of SAMENTA voices concern as the expanded SST threatens to raise costs and complicate compliance for SMEs.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

KPKT Minister Nga Kor Ming speaks about Malaysia's presidency of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for the 2025–2029 term and the Urban Renewal Bill.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

Lawyer Kee Hui Yee discusses the legalities of government-instated travel bans.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

World Market Watch: Laurent Lequeu of The Macro Butler Newsletter tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Eddy Do, Hong Leong Investment Bank shares his outlook for Malaysia's banking sector.

9:35 AM

The Property Show

Yap Zer Ken of Plush Services gives us the 101 on how to start a successful short-term rental space.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Dato’ Ronnie Chong, Managing Director of Absolute Protech Sports, shares how this Malaysian brand grew into a global badminton player, and why pickleball might be its next big move.

11:00 AM

The Workplace

Camelia Loh, Founder & CEO of Kabel, joins us to talk about the growing disconnect in the workplace, what “quiet quitting” is really telling us, and why traditional engagement strategies are no longer enough. From the role of empathetic leadership to what Millennials and Gen Z truly want at work, we explore what’s changed, what still matters, and how companies can rebuild trust and connection in a way that actually sticks. Camelia also shares how Kabel has reimagined work culture to engage young talent, and what she’s learned about the real meaning of employer branding—beyond the perks and buzzwords.

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

KPKT Minister Nga Kor Ming speaks about Malaysia's presidency of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for the 2025–2029 term and the Urban Renewal Bill.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Earth Matters

Today on the show, we explore artivism - where art meets activism to reimagine our environmental future. Joining us are the creators of a Malaysia-based initiative using art to inspire change: Dr Thomas Smith, Dr Felicia Liu, and Jakob van Klang.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

tbc

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

6:00 PM

Good Things

Anson Thomas, a former Indian hockey goalkeeper and customs officer, has dedicated 30 years to rescuing over 800 women and children from human trafficking, often at personal risk. We hear about his motivations, rescue experiences, and how he assists survivors in rebuilding their lives.

7:00 PM

Made in Malaysia

8:00 PM

Cruise Control

Daniel Fernandez, Managing Editor, dsf.my