Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter)

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As today is karthigai, the festival of lamps I wanted to make the traditional pori urundai (puffed rice balls in syrup)and so started with making fresh ghee.

When we first moved here, though I was successful in making yogurt and paneer I was never able to make butter out of yogurt/butter milk. Back home though there were Aavin and Nilgris to sell fresh butter and ghee. After a few discussions with mom, I bought some unsalted butter(Land o’Lakes) and tried making ghee.

It turned out to be smooth and silky and since then I have been making ghee every week. Just for the two of us, I use one stick of butter at a time. The ghee is usually fresh this way. And, I dont have to worry about buying a pound of ghee and working out ways to finish it soon.

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter- 1 stick

Method:

Heat a heavy bottom pan(kadai is the best) on medium-low heat and place the stick of butter at room temperature. Keep watching the butter as it slowly melts and bubbles(it will look like a soapy mess at this time).

Wait for another 3-4 minutes after this stage and you can see the froth clearing away. Keep watching the pan as it may turn transparent in seconds.

Keep a clean bowl ready(preferably stainless steel and not glass). Filter the ghee into this container and let it cool. Store in a air tight container and use a dry spoon to scoop out ghee.

Make sure that you dont heat the butter after it turns transparent. That way the ghee would be burnt and will be brown and bitter. Timing the stages of melting is the important step in making fresh ghee.