How to Make the Perfect Bowl of Kava

There is something meditative about making a cup of tea. The boiling of the water, the measuring of the leaves (you don’t use bags, do you?), waiting while the pot steeps up something special, and finally, the moment arrives when you pour your perfect cup and enjoy. The process itself enhances the experience.

The same can be said for enjoying traditional kava. But how do we prepare it?

Understanding Kava

There are two basic types of noble kava—instant powder and traditional grind. (Noble kava is high-quality kava and the only kind allowed to be exported from Vanuatu.)

• Instant kava is made from dehydrated kava juice—simply add water and stir.

• Traditional grind kava is far more common and requires a little māhi (effort). This is where the meditative magic comes in.

Why Traditional Kava Needs Preparation

Traditional grind kava consists of dried kava roots ground into a powder. Since the fibre of the kava root can irritate the stomach, we need to extract the kavalactones (the active ingredients) while filtering out the fibrous material. Unlike tea, kava cannot be steeped; it must be kneaded out of the root fibres.

The Art of Kava Preparation

To prepare traditional kava, you'll need:

✅ A kava strainer bag
✅ A mixing bowl or tanoa (traditional kava bowl)
✅ 60 grams (about ¾ of a cup) of kava powder
✅ 1 litre of room-temperature water

Follow These Four Simple Steps:

1. Prepare Your Bowl

• If you have a traditional tanoa, great! Otherwise, use a clean mixing bowl and pour in 1 litre of water.

2. Measure and Contain

• Pour 60 grams of kava powder into your strainer bag. Tie the bag closed or pinch the end shut with your fingers.

3. Knead with Purpose

• Place the bag into the water and knead it with your other hand, much like kneading dough.

• The key is gentle, meditative agitation.

• While kneading, reflect on life’s continuity; you are engaging in a ritual performed every night across the Pacific for thousands of years.

4. Extract & Serve

• Continue kneading for 5 minutes.

• Remove the bag and wring it out into the bowl as if squeezing a towel.

Congratulations! You have just made perfect kava. 🌿

Enjoying the Kava Experience

🥥 Stir the bowl with a ladle and measure 200ml into a coconut shell or small bowl.
🙏 Give thanks, raise the shell to your lips, and scull it in one go.

Kava has an earthy, muddy flavour, but we don’t drink it for taste—we drink it for the effects.

The Magic of Kava

Shortly after drinking, you will feel a tingling sensation on your lips and tongue as the kavalactones take effect. Within minutes, a wave of calm and euphoria begins to wash over you, like the warm waters of the South Pacific lapping at your feet. 🌊

Tips for the Best Kava Experience

✅ Always stir the tanoa before serving—kavalactones settle at the bottom.
✅ Chasers help with the taste:

• 🍹 Kombucha (a personal favourite)

• 🍵 Chilled yerba mate

• 🍊 Fresh fruit

✅ In Vanuatu, they spit on the grass after drinking—but your flatmates might not appreciate that. 😆

The Ideal Time to Drink Kava

🌙 Drink kava on an empty stomach, preferably before dinner.
🍽️ Enjoy a relaxing meal afterward.
💤 Expect vivid dreams and a restful night’s sleep.
🌅 Wake up refreshed, hangover-free, and ready to conquer the new day.