Ghee – Clarified Butter

Years ago when I was in school,mom had to visit my aunt and left me in-charge of the kitchen.After she reached her sisters home she reminded me that there was butter on the shelf and it needed to be melted.[We lived in a hill station and there was no need for refrigerators].I has seen her make ghee so I ventured alone to transfer the pat of butter into the golden yellowy liquid that would soon fill the house with a delicious aroma.

But things turned out the other way.The liquid turned out almost black and the house smelt like it was on fire.Dad rushed to see what was burning and had to suppress his smile when he saw me standing in front of the stove,ladle in hand,tear stricken face and a pan of black smelly liquid.

Soon we cleaned the pan and I took a silent vow to learn this ‘art’ as soon as mom was back.So the very next time mom got another pack of butter I was there by her side to see how the it goes on.It is a delicate process where care has to be taken in the final stages,the importance place which I did not know,so that it turns out nice and yummy.

I have always been making ghee at home and somehow the store brought ghee tastes a lot different from the one we make at home.Here is a step by step procedure to make ghee at home..

• Take unsalted butter in a heavy bottom pan and heat
• It will melt and start to bubble.
• After this stage simmer and stir.It will be a little foamy.Make a small clearing and use the ladle to see if it starts changing color.
• When it does.Switch off the flame immediately for if you go on heating in this stage you will end up with an undesirable product.You will know when the ghee is ready if you notice that the ladle you used will have be coated with a brown layer.
• Put in a sprig of fresh curry leaves and a few[around 5 no.’s] fenugreek seeds and allow to cool.These two will impart a very good aroma to the ghee.
• Once cooled you can filter it into a clean jar and store.[I usually put back the curry leaf sprig into the jar of ghee.]
• It will keep for a longer time if refrigerated.
•  If you live in a cooler place / refrigerate ,the ghee will solidify.When you want to use it,take out only the portion you will require for that particular meal and heat it gently[or place it a vessel over hot water].Do not reheat the whole container with ghee .It will lose the taste and color.

This basic recipe is off to join Jaya’s Back to basics event.

Here are some interesting facts about what Ayurveda has to say about Ghee…

• Ghee is referred to as Ghrita in Ayurveda.
• The ancient believed that milk and ghee were the only elixirs in the world.
•  In Ayurveda ghee is used as a medicine and a medium of treatment of many disease conditions.
• It is considered that older the ghee,the better it is for healing.
• Ghee increases intelligence and memory power.
• It rejuvenates and gives a nice glow to the body.
• It is said that if you use ghee while performing sacrificial rites like yagna/homam,it will clear the air of atomic radiations.

Happy Cooking….