GheeGhee is, no doubt, clarified butter,” writer R.K. Narayan wrote in a 1955 New York Times article, “but it is also something more, in the same way that wine is more than the juice of a squeezed grape. Ghee is like a genius born to a dull parent.”

With roots in India, Ghee is used in the cuisines of South and South-East Asia, with modified versions used in parts of the Middle East and North and East Africa. With the domestication of cattle came a wave of butter consumption. India’s sun didn’t make for an environment conducive to storing butter. And so began the clarification process, where butter was cooked down until there was a clear separation between liquid fats, and milk solids which were removed.

Also known as ney or thuppakam in Tamil and thuppa in Kannada, the word ghee itself comes from the Sanskrit word “ghrita” meaning “to sprinkle.” Ghee has been venerated in Hindu mythology from thousands of years ago. The story goes that the lord of creatures, Daksha Prajapati, rubbed his hands together to create the first-ever lot of ghee and then poured it into flames to create his children. To this day, practicing Hindus still pour ghee into sacred fires as an act, auspicious enough for wedding and ceremonies, amongst others.

Rich in vitamin A, omega 3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid, ghee supports heart and bone health, reduces gut inflammation, boosts immunity. ghee is pure fat and has a much higher smoke point than butter. It can be used for high heat sautéing or frying, much as you would with cooking oils. The residual browned milk solids can be made into delicious laddus / Burfi’s / incorporated into paratha fillings and many more.

PREPARATION OF GHEE

Ingredients:

• Butter 1kg (cow butter / Uthukuli white butter unsalted)
• Drumstick leaves few

Preparation:

• Place the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan.
• Allow to melt on low flame.
• Once melted place a ladle in the melted butter to avoid boiling out of the vessel.
• Cook on low flame till the liquid is golden yellow and transparent and the milk solids dark brown.
• If you find froth at the surface cook for a few minutes more as it indicates the presence of moisture.
• Switch off the flame, add the drumstick leaves. cool strain and store in a dry container at room temperature.

Homemade Ghee is ready