A few years ago I went to India with my husband … it was a wonderful experience..we were exactly in Kerala region. We made some Ayurvedic treatments and we followed a diet based on recipes prepared in according to the basic principles of Ayurveda. It was really regenerating.

My curiosity incited me to deepen some aspects of this ancient tradition; I also returned home with a strong desire to reproduce some dishes, we ate during that wonderful stay. I discovered that in Indian kitchen, they used clarified butter to stew vegetables, to toast spices or prepare their excellent bread (chapati and puri). So I bought a book of ayurvedic recipes to learn more about those preparations.

Today I share with you the recipe to prepare Ghee, which comes from the unsalted common butter: the butter has to simmer on a low flame to eliminate water, proteins and lactose; in my kitchen, I use it occasionally, instead of extra virgin olive oil, to sauté vegetables, to flavor stews, to prepare desserts … and to remind me of this wonderful stay in India, which brought so much enrichment into my life.

Ingredients (for a medium glass jar):

  • orgainc butter 17,6 oz

equipments:

  • skimmer
  • pan
  • flame spreader
  • 1 sterilized medium glass jar
  • colander

Steps:

  1. Cut butter in cubes and rinse under the water until it becomes clear.
  2. Put a pan on fire and melt the butter over medium heat.
  3. When foam forms on the surface, lower the flame and let it simmer without covering (use a flame spreader..it can help); discard the foam with a skimmer, from time to time.
  4. You will hear a noise during boiling: it means that the water has not completely evaporated.
  5. Continue to simmer until it starts to sizzle; as soon as it stops, immediately remove it from the fire, it must not burn: it must have a golden color and a scent of walnuts.
  6. For 17,6 oz of butter the time varies (depending on the type of flame) from 30 to 60 minutes.If you do not have a flame spreader and you are going to use the smallest fire, be careful: sometimes you can turn off the heat and tilt the pan: if you see that the bottom has browned, keep it away from the fire for a few minutes … it’s a sign that it was burning.
  7. When the ghee is ready pour it into a glass jar using a colander and let it cool without covering.You can store it out of the fridge, in a cool place.