Ghee is oil that has undergone a melting (slow boiling) process. If ordinary butter contains up to 20% moisture, then melted ghee contains less than 5%. Also, the process of slow heating removes a significant part of the lactose, casein, and other impurities.
The advantage of ghee (compared to cream) is that it does not burn through at high temperatures – allowing you to fry food. Ghee also lasts longer without a refrigerator – and you can cook it at home using any kind of butter.
What is ghee?
Ghee (घी) is the Sanskrit name for clarified butter. In India and most Asian countries, it is used for frying food – most Indian dishes involve cooking with ghee. In addition, it is used as a traditional medicine.
Essentially, ghee is butter that has been refined from impurities by heating and simmering. During cooking, water is evaporated from the oil, and the protein casein and a significant part of the lactose are also lost (milk sugar is baked when heated to a high temperature).
Because boiling also kills bacteria, ghee lasts longer than usual – and the low percentage of liquid keeps it firm even without refrigeration. As for the taste, ghee has a sweet caramel smell and a pronounced taste of butter.
What are its health benefits?
Like regular butter, ghee contains saturated fatty acids as well as vitamins A and E.
It is often claimed that the fatty acids found in ghee are “easier” for the body to absorb, as they are classified as short or medium-long chain fatty acids.
However, at the moment, there is no scientific information showing any noticeable effect of consuming ghee – compared to butter of a similar profile.
Main benefits of Ghee:
- Can be kept for longer at room temperature
- Has a pleasant taste
- Suitable for frying food
- Acceptable for lactose-intolerant people
What does it taste like?
Properly cooked ghee has a pleasant caramel smell (essentially the smell of baked lactose, which is milk sugar) and a firm texture at room temperature. Most people who compare the taste of butter and ghee make the choice in favor of ghee – including due to the aroma of herbs.
Note that the taste is affected by both the quality of the original butter and the cooking process. It is important not to overboil the butter (in which case it will darken and taste bitter), and not to remove it from the heat too soon (in this case it will retain a slight milky smell and be more liquid at room temperature).
How to make ghee butter at home?
Ghee can be bought ready-made or you can make your own at home. The recipe is simple – you need to melt a bar of butter in a suitable dish, bring it to a boil, hold it for 30 minutes over low heat, and then strain it with a strainer.
The recipe
1. Take butter
To prepare ghee, it is best to use fresh butter without the addition of salt.
2. Melt the butter over high heat
Place the stick of butter in a saucepan and melt it over high heat. After that, reduce the heat and wait until the liquid begins to boil.
3. Wait for the foam to appear
After 1-2 minutes after the start of boiling, a white foam will form on the surface – do not remove it. After the amount of foam decreases (5-7 minutes), reduce the heat to a minimum.
4. Bring the ghee to readiness
Boil the oil over low heat for 15-20 minutes without closing the pan with a lid.
5. Check if it’s ready
The ghee is ready when the liquid begins to crackle and the smell of fried popcorn appears. To test readiness, you can add 1-2 drops of water.
6. Cool and strain
Remove the ghee from the heat and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. After that, pour it into a glass jar, straining it with a strainer with a medium weave of threads.
What to do if my ghee gets burnt?
If during the preparation of ghee it burnt and turned dark, this does not mean that it is spoiled. Remove the butter from the heat, let it cool, and then taste it. If it is only slightly burnt, it can still be used – it will give a more pronounced caramel flavor.
Water bath cooking
An alternative way to make ghee (less likely to burn) is in a bain-marie. In this case, the pan with the stick of butter is not placed on a direct fire, but inside another, larger pan, in which water is brought to a boil.
This method is fine if you’re using a regular thin-walled aluminum pan – after all, the water helps to heat evenly. If you have a thick-walled pan with a non-stick coating, then you can cook ghee in it using the direct method, without a water bath.
How to store?
After cooking, ghee must be cooled to room temperature, then poured into a glass container and placed in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. After hardening, ghee becomes thicker and does not delaminate – then it can be stored both in a conventional refrigerator chamber and under normal conditions.
However, remember that at room temperature, ghee remains fresh for no more than one to two weeks – after that it may turn sour or mold may begin to form on it (especially if you accidentally introduce germs into it when using a spoon).
How to correctly use ghee butter?
The main purpose of ghee in cooking is to fry food or add it to prepared dishes. First of all, you can fry eggs, chicken, and even meat on it. You can also add ghee to porridge made from buckwheat, quinoa, lentils, spelt, or any other grain.
However, remember that the calorie and fat content of ghee is even higher than that of the original butter, so consume ghee in adequate amounts – it cannot be considered dietary or less caloric than regular butter.
100 g of ghee contains up to 98-99 g of fat (60% of which are saturated fatty acids), which is equivalent to 900 kcal.
What is ghee used for:
- To roast meat (chicken, beef)
- To cook eggs
- As porridge dressing
- For homemade baking
Because ghee is just a form of butter processing, their fat profile is nearly identical. However, in practice, ghee differs in taste and texture characteristics, and also does not contain lactose – and due to the removal of liquid, it is better stored at room temperature.