John Myers
Anyone who deals with the topic of Ayurveda and the associated nutrition will certainly know ghee. Everyone else should read on and learn more about cooking fat.
What ghee can and cannot do
When making ghee – which is pronounced “Ghi” by the way – the fat in the butter is separated from the other ingredients. The resulting butterfat is as good as lactose-free due to the removal of the milk protein, has a long shelf life, and can be heated up to 250 degrees. These properties make ghee ideal for cooking and frying. It is mainly used in Indian, Pakistani, and Afghan cuisine. With us, ghee is popular with followers of the Paleo and Ayurvedic diets, who consider the fat to be particularly healthy and even say it has healing effects. From a scientific point of view, these statements are not tenable. Like butter, ghee contains mainly saturated fatty acids and differs only slightly in nutritional value. However, the lower water content leads to better-frying properties, which means that ghee has its justification in the kitchen.
Use of ghee in the kitchen
Ghee tastes mildly like fresh butter and can be used in many ways. You can use it to prepare typical Indian dishes such as chicken tikka masala, but also pancakes, fried potatoes, or cakes just as well. The clarified butter can form the fat base of spreads, refine soups and sauces and serve to sear meat and fish. Ghee is also ideal for frying. If you want to avoid animal products, you can find vegetable ghee (Vanaspati) in health food stores.
Make ghee yourself
High-quality ghee has its price, but you can also simply make the butterfat yourself. To do this, melt the butter in a saucepan and let the liquid simmer on low heat and without a lid for about 30 minutes. The milk protein settles on the surface as a white foam and can be easily skimmed off, the water evaporates. If the contents of the pot are completely clear, the ghee is ready. Strain leftover egg whites through a cloth or a very fine sieve and pour the butterfat into clean screw-top jars. It will keep for about three months at room temperature and half a year in the fridge.
