Image from The Kitchn

Kombu-what?  Say it, 'kawm-boo-chah'.

Kombucha is a variety of fermented sweetened black, and occasionally, green tea that are normally mixed in cocktails and other beverages. It was dated all the way from China in 221 BC during the Tsin Dynasty and is a kind of fermented tea beverage. It later traveled into Europe, Russia and Japan in the 415 AD. It was initially called hongchajun, or, Black Tea Mushroom in Chinese and later named Kombucha from Japan till date.

How is Kombucha made? Are there really mushrooms in it?

Well, there aren't exactly mushrooms in it but a type of fungus called SCOBY. It is fermented by using SCOBY a.k.a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast or Kombucha Mothers, if you prefer it that way. SCOBY acts as a home for yeast and good bacteria to develop and transform the sweet teas into tangy kombuchas for you to enjoy. So simple, right?. Here's the waiting time -  fermentation process normally takes up to 10 days or more.

In case you were wondering, this is how a SCOBY looks like, (image from The Kitchn)

Now that you know what a Kombucha is, you may want to try making one or at least try some drinks with it. See the roundup of Kombucha Recipe's and How-Tos that we've curated for you here.