Homemade Ghee or Clarified Butter
Homemade ghee or Clarified butter is traditionally prepared from unsalted butter. It is made by culturing milk into yoghurt, taking the cream from it, churned to butter & then boiled to ghee. It is widely used in Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
- 250 grams unsalted butter Used organic butter
- ½ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- Equipment:
- A medium size saucepan
- A fine wire mesh strainer
- Several layers of cheesecloth to line your sieve
- A spoon to stir
- A clean jar for storage
Instructions
- Cut butter into cubes and place in a heavy saucepan. Heat it over medium-low heat.
- Allow the butter to melt slowly. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally with a spoon..
- During this time, the butter will go through several stages. You will find the fat separating from the milk solids.
- It will foam, then bubble, then seem to almost stop bubbling and then foam again.
- Add fenugreek seeds (optional) after the first foaming and when it stops bubbling. Adding fenugreek seeds enhances the flavour of the ghee.
- Just scrape the sides of the pan from time to time to help those milk solids sink to the bottom.
- As the milk solids sink to the bottom, you will notice that your liquid is beginning to clear up.
- It will get more and more translucent, the bubbles will get larger and the foam will eventually completely disappear.
- When the second foam occurs, the ghee is done.
- At this point, the melted butter should be bright gold in colour and there should be reddish brown pieces of milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
- Let it cool slightly for 5 minutes and then slowly pour through the wire mesh strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth.
- The sediment is discarded.
- Ghee will last up to a month at room temperature or even longer in the fridge.
- Ghee is much more flavourful than butter, but use it sparingly!
Notes
Cut butter into cubes for fast melting.
Use low heat so the butter will not burn.
You can also use drumstick leaves instead of fenugreek seeds. Both of the enhance and retain flavour of ghee.
Do not let any water get into your clarified butter or ghee jar. A drop of water can easily promote bacteria and spoil the ghee.
Use low heat so the butter will not burn.
You can also use drumstick leaves instead of fenugreek seeds. Both of the enhance and retain flavour of ghee.
Do not let any water get into your clarified butter or ghee jar. A drop of water can easily promote bacteria and spoil the ghee.