Topic: Homemade Ghee

[DalPuri]

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2010/06/03/homemade-ghee-clarified-or-drawn-butter-or-beurre-noisette/

[Les]

Surely "Beurre Noisette" is a French term for "Brown Butter" which clearly this is not

Les

[beachbum]

I've made Ghee a few times, but by the time you have spent an anxious hour trying not to burn the stuff, then waited an hour to cool before straining through cheesecloth, which seems to waste a heap through retention in the fabric, then the absolutely horrific cleanup of the greasiest utensils and pans you can imagine, I think it's well worth the ?6 I pay from the Indian Grocer for a kilo  ;D

However it's like any other artisanal thing I suppose, if you feel a sense of achievement then go ahead. I've got onto a supply of unhomogenised milk and going to have a stab at making Paneer as it's impossible to get an authentic version here. So same priniciple applies I guess.

[Emma Santiago]

1 pound unsalted butter

Put the butter in a heavy, medium-sized pan. Turn the heat on to medium until the butter melts.

Turn down the heat until the butter just boils and continue to cook at this heat. Do not cover the pot. The butter will foam and sputter while it cooks. Whitish curds will begin to form on the bottom of the pot. The butter will begin to smell like popcorn after a while and turn a lovely golden color. Keep a close watch on the ghee, as it can easily burn. After a while it will become a clear, golden color. You will have to take a clean, dry spoon to move away some of the foam on top in order to see if the ghee is clear all the way through to the bottom. When it is clear and has stopped sputtering and making noise, then it needs to be taken off the heat. Let it cool until just warm. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid. Discard the curds at the bottom of the saucepan. The ghee is burned if it has a nutty smell and is slightly brown.

1 pound of butter takes about 15 minutes of cooking time. The more butter you are using, the more time it will take.

Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf, covered. It does not need refrigeration. The medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don?t ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.