Calamansi tibicos
Kat Cortez
My earliest memory of tasting calamansi was when I was five years old. Our usual weekend ritual in the western suburbs of Sydney was to hang out at my mum’s best friend’s place where all the Titas, Titos, Lolos and Lolas would spend the day and night cooking, chatting, drinking and singing karaoke. The kids would be left to their own devices in the backyard, where we would play basketball and hide and seek. This particular week, a new form of entertainment had been invented. Gathered around Tita Grace’s tree, we would take turns sucking on a freshly cut calamansi, roaring with laughter as each of our faces would twist in its mouth-puckering tang. I've since passed on this tradition to my relatives in Pampanga, and the novelty of seeing everyone’s maasim face still hasn’t worn off!
This drink is inspired by these memories and is also a little nod to our precolonial love of fermentation. Water kefir is a natural soda that is teeming with probiotics and is all thanks to the Symbiotic Colonies of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) that convert the sugars into a delicious, fizzy drink. Unlike kombucha, it does not require caffeine, is less acidic and closer in taste to the soda we all know and love. If you are feeling extra adventurous, sneak in some chopped siling labuyo chillies - it makes for a good immunity boosting tonic (or a fun adult prank!)
Ingredients & Materials
For the first ferment:
Water kefir grains (also known as tibicos). This can be found at your local health food store (or if you’re based in Gadigal land, ask me for some!)
¼ cup sugar (to feed the water kefir)
1 litre water
1 fresh calamansi, cut in half (optional, promotes an ideal pH for the water kefir to thrive)
Large jar
Cheesecloth
Rubber band
For the Second ferment:
1x clean, empty plastic soda bottle (1.25L is perfect)
1x funnel
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed calamansi juice*
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger*
2 tablespoon raw sugar*
Optional: chopped siling labuyo chillies*
*These quantities can be adjusted according to your personal preference. As this is a living drink, the beauty of this process is that each batch you make will be different and uniquely yours. Bahala na - embrace it!
Method:
Primary fermentation phase:
1. Dissolve sugar in hot water. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
2. Add mixture plus the halved calamansi and water kefir grains to a large jar.
3. Fasten the jar with the cheesecloth and rubber band and allow to ferment in a warm place for 1-2 days. The mixture should be slightly tangy and sweet.
Secondary fermentation AKA the fizzy phase:
4. Dissolve sugar using some of the liquid from the first fermentation. Add this as well as the calamansi juice, freshly grated ginger and optional chillies to the empty soda bottle.
5. Using the sieve and funnel, strain out the water kefir grains* and calamansi from the first fermentation and transfer the remaining liquid into the soda bottle, ensuring there is at least 2.5cm of headspace at the top.
5. Seal the bottle and allow to ferment in a warm place until the mixture is fizzy and to your desired taste (this typically takes 3-7 days). During this phase, the micro-organisms are converting the sugars in the mixture into carbon dioxide, which causes it to be fizzy, so please monitor the bottle closely and take care when opening (unless you would like a calamansi shower!)
6. Refrigerate or enjoy immediately served over ice.
*Repeat steps 1-3 with the water kefir grains. If you do not want to keep making soda, keep the water kefir grains in a jar with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 cup of water.
Kat Cortez (she/her) is a food scientist, fermentation-dabbler and passionate gardener living on unceded Gadigal land. She is on a journey to connect with her Kapampangan roots and one day hopes to cultivate her own thriving food forest for her Filipino community.
Luisa Brimble is a food and lifestyle photographer, creative, and cook. At her core, Luisa is driven by the power of food and the way it connects friends, families and communities. As a Filipino-born Australian, Luisa prides herself on shining a light on Filipino food culture throughout her personal work.