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How do you prep fresh frozen kava?

krunkgod

Kava Enthusiast
Do I really have to knead a half pound bag? It seems like a lot of work, but if anyone knows of an easier way I'm all ears.
 

nabanga

Kava Enthusiast
In Vanuatu kavabars they manually knead 10kg at a time. Ground or pounded fresh kava needs much less agitation than dried powder - you can massage it in the water directly without cloth - then strain at the end.
The key thing is how you grind it up before kneading - a strong blender is good, or you can use a large mortar & pestle arrangement made with a short length of 100mm PVC pipe set into a concrete base, and a heavy stick or shovel handle as the 'rammer". You'd get some good advice from the forum members who are lucky enough to drink fresh kava whenever they want @Alia, @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
Do I really have to knead a half pound bag? It seems like a lot of work, but if anyone knows of an easier way I'm all ears.
I blend it first, for 3-5 minutes and then knead for another 5-7 minutes. You don't need to use the whole 1/2 lb., start with a smaller amount and find your sweet spot.
 

hightides42

our Roots run deep
I've found about 1/4 pound, 100 grams, to be a good amount to work with for one person session. Using tap hot water, about a cup and a half, and the fairly large strainer bag from TKS-NZ and I "jiggle" or agitate the bag in the bottom of the water along with some dunking like tea bag for 2 minutes then use my vice like grip to squeeze the ever livin.... out of the bag one time. Water is generally skin temp by then and easy(er) to drink. Gives a real good first and second squeeze with nearly nothing released in a third. Will have to see how the makas release in a blended grog session but fairly certain I'm getting most all the gold with my jiggle&dip one squeeze method.
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
I agree with @nabanga comment and/or this method: add that I use a nut butter bag with 1/4-1/2 pound fresh, thawed, and lomi for a full minute or two in tap-water temperature*, squeeze, wring-out as: "wring out. v. 1. To twist, squeeze, or compress something, especially so as to extract liquid: I wrung out the wet towel. Wring the clothes out before you hang them on the line. 2. To extract some liquid by twisting or compressing something..." .
*temperature of water out of the tap, "cold".
 
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