Ghee – Clarified Butter
Have you ever tried cooking with Ghee? If not, then you definitely want to try it now. It’s never too late. I promise once you start cooking with it, you will never want to use any other fat. Ghee, is by far the best fat I have ever used for cooking.
What is Ghee?
Ghee, is nothing but melted butter that has been cooked for longer time to separate the milk solids. It is a browned butter that has a stronger and nuttier taste. It can be easily prepared at home with minimal ingredients. Since it is clarified form of butter, it is also used for ritual preparations in Indian culture. In Ayurveda, Ghee is used for massage purposes. Compare to butter it has a longer shelf life. It can be stored in air tight container at a room temp for a month and 6 month refrigerated.
Where can you buy?
It can be purchased online at Amazon or locally at the Indian Supermarket. Even though you can buy it, but there is nothing like homemade Ghee. All you will need is a heavy bottom pan and some good quality grass-fed butter.
What can it be used for?
There is countless ways that you can use Ghee for daily cooking. It is used more commonly in Indian Cuisines. Since Ghee has higher smoking point compared to all other fats, it makes it ideal for making desserts, sautéing and stir frying vegetables and meat. It adds a slightly nuttier taste to the food and aroma, I can’t even tell you how irresistible is the aroma.
How is it prepared?
Traditionally Ghee is prepared from raw cow milk. I have grown up watching my grandma making ghee from scratch and remembered how time consuming it was, but it was fascinating to see the entire process. I think it is nearly impossible to make it the way she used to. She will prepare butter from scratch and then ghee. It begins by milking cow. Milk is then boiled and allowed it to cool down. Once the milk is cooled down (at least 6-8hours), a spoonful of yogurt is added to make more yogurt (stored overnight in warm place). It is then churned with water to obtain butter. Butter is then further cooked until milk solids are separated. This entire process roughly takes about two days.
We can skip the butter making process, as a good quality butter can be easily purchased at any local supermarket.
Make sure to try our Mumbai style Pav Bhaji recipe using homemade Ghee instead of butter.
Ghee – Clarified Butter
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Unsalted Butter
- 1 Ice cube
Instructions
- Start off by melting good quality butter in a heavy bottom pan. It is recommended to use unsalted butter, but I have used it both salted and unsalted and they both taste great! Pro Tip: Cut butter in one inch cubes as it makes the melting process faster.
- Once all the butter has melted and starts bubbling you will notice white stuff floating on the top. It is nothing but the whey protein. Discard it using a spoon and let it further cook until it gets little browned and clear.
- Once the milk solids starts to separate and sink to the bottom of the pan, add an ice cube or sprinkle few drops of water. This will help in separating milk solids easily and faster.
- At this point if desired it can be cooked for little longer to get that nice brown color. Cooking for little longer will give you a nuttier taste. Let it cool down completely and strain it using a strainer or cheesecloth. I like to double strain and store it in a mason jar. You can keep it refrigerated for at least couple of months.
Notes
- Using a good quality butter is really important. (preferably organic or grass-fed)
- Ice cube will help separate milk solids from butter and make it clear browned ghee.
- Cook with lid on to avoid splattering.
- Use double straining technique for smoother consistency.
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