Ghee – Clarified Butter

Ghee is something you will find in every Indian kitchen, it is a traditional super-food. Ghee is a form of pure milk fat prepared by simmering unsalted butter to separate the milk solids from the fat. It is widely known as clarified butter and is use in most of the Indian recipes.

Benefits of Ghee:

• Ghee helps in neutralizing stomach acids and repairs the stomach lining, helps with producing digestive enzymes and lowering indigestion.
• Reduces inflammation as it contains butyrate, a fatty acid that has been linked to an immune system response.
• It decreases cholesterol in the body.
• Boosts the immune system, as it contains vitamins A, D, E and K.
• Ghee aids in the body’s absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
• Aids in weight loss.
• Cures blisters and burns, soothes irritated skin when used externally.

1. Use organic unsalted butter for the recipe. I used 8 sticks of butter for this recipe.

2. Place a deep heavy bottom pot or sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the unsalted butter.

3. As the butter melts, reduce to medium heat.

4. As the butter begins to boil, it will froth . Use a ladle to skim the top layer. Within 15-20 min the butter begins to change to golden color.

5. The milk solids will begin to separate from the fat.
As the milk solids settle to the bottom of the pot, there is a possibility that the contents might burn. Keep stirring to avoid it and reduce the heat if necessary. Once the butter becomes transparent gold color, the ghee is ready.
Turn off the heat and set the pot aside to cool down.

6. With the help of a strainer, strain the milk solids by pouring the ghee into a heat resistant jar or container, I used a glass mason jar for this.

How to store the Ghee ?

Ghee can be stored in a Steel/ Porcelain/ Glass container.

It has a very stable shelf life and can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 months or in the fridge for up to a year. Ghee solidifies slightly at room temperature.

Ghee slightly solidifies at room temperature within 4-5 hours after making.

Make sure you use a fresh spoon to avoid contamination.

How to use ghee?

• Indian food has been made using ghee for thousands of years and there’s a good reason for it. It is a healthy fat that aids digestion and also acts as a mild laxative.
• Because of its high smoke point, it is the perfect for deep fried recipes.
• I swear by ghee for tempering the dals / lentils soup / Sambar.
• Add a teaspoon of ghee to hot, steamed Idli / Dosa /Rice or warm sambar as a topping.
• Ghee can also be used as a body moisturizer.

Making ghee at home is definitely inexpensive when compared to buying in-store. Not to mention the house smells divine when you cook ghee.

Making ghee at home is something that’ll become a habit after you try it the first time.

Have I convinced you to give this a try?

If you’ve never tried making it at home before, now is the time 🙂

Much Love <3

Sneha