Ghee is another staple in Indian kitchens, and it's incredibly useful while cooking. It's got a high smoke point, which means it won't burn at temperatures where butter would've long burnt. The name is actually suggestive of what's gone on - we've essentially clarified or remove most of the milk solids from butter by heating it. This also makes it suitable for lactose intolerant people, since most of the milk solids are gone. Still not vegan though, sadly. It's also incredibly easy to make, by far the easiest thing imaginable.
All we need is butter, around 500g of unsalted butter. Really, that's it! Oh, and a strainer, and a saucepan, but I'll assume you have them anyway.
The process
500g of butter in a saucepan on low heat, until it comes to a boil. While it's on the heat, keep stirring it from time to time. Usually around the 20-25 minute mark, you'll see three distinct things - a layer of foam on the top, a lightly coloured (or should I say clarified) middle layer and a third layer rich in fat that's fallen to the bottom. The middle layer is what we're after. The bottom is essentially the milk solids that we want to remove. Strain the liquid out, and we're done!
Wasn't joking when I said it's that simple. As always, I'm keen to hear your thoughts and opinions on this, and if you have any variations, do share them below.
See you all in the next one.