Ghee

Ghee has been an important part in Indian cooking. You would have seen few of my recipes cooked in ghee or tempered with ghee or topped with Ghee!! Yes, there are few dishes that just do not taste right without ghee. Just like Olive Oil is to Italians, Ghee is to Indians! 

I remember, when we were kids, our mom poured a spoonful of fresh homemade ghee on steaming rice: the taste was just divine! I am sure most of you would have experienced that, and are almost drooling now :) I no longer do that, but yet the feeling of making fresh homemade ghee using fresh Homemade Butter is amazing. 

As promised, I have the detailed recipe of preparing fresh homemade ghee!! Oh yes, it is clarified butter, clarified to the stage where there is neither water content, nor any solid residue.

Watch Alton brown, as he talks about Clarified Butter using scientific terms.  Science and food, things that I am so passionate about, I just enjoy watching him! Clarified Butter

Here is a great article to read and understand about Goodness of Ghee!

Here is a recipe of traditional butter.

Inspired by Alton Brown, I used my flame proof beaker to watch and click pictures of my ghee making process.

On low heat, melt the butter and see how it clarifies to form Ghee.

This may take from 30-45 minutes.

"Remember my sasurji (father-in-law) adds a Tulsi leaf while preparing Ghee" I heard Snehanshu saying this as he plucked a fresh Tulsi/Basil leaf to add to the Ghee making process.

Yes, my dad adds a Tulsi leaf while making ghee. According to him, it not only makes your ghee granular in texture (danedar), but also increases the shelf-life.

Allow it to heat till you see no froth and a beautiful golden colored, transparent liquid. Solid residue settles at the bottom and starts turning brown. I heat till the entire residue turns brown. This will ensure that there is no moisture content in your ghee. You do not want the ghee to change color.

When slightly cooled, strain into clean, dry bottle or a cute serving container.

The burnt milk solid residue, which we call kitti or kitto is so delicious. Add a tsp. of sugar to make a quick spoonful of instant crunchy sweet. 

Childhood favorite!!

At room temperature, ghee solidifies. 

Top a tsp. over steamed rice, dal or lentils. 

Rajma Rice,  Dal Dhokli,  Khichdi,  are incomplete without Ghee.

Fresh Ghee to dip your Puran Poli or hot steamed Dhokla!!