Ghee is an indispensable component in our kitchens. It has multiple applications, including as a cooking medium, a spread, a seasoning (or chhaunka), and as a topping for rice dishes. It imparts a delicious aroma to our food. Additionally, it provides immense health benefits.
While Ghee is readily available in India, it is also possible to make it at home. There are two common methods for producing Ghee. You can use cream (also known as malai) or curd as a base. Here is a step-by-step guide on making Ghee at home.
How to Make Ghee at Home using Curd?
Before cooking the butter, Ghee is traditionally made with curd. The added step increases the nutritional value of the Ghee. When a manual bilona is used, the process becomes even more genuine.
Curd can also be used to make Ghee at home. This procedure also consists of three steps, but the first involves collecting cream and preparing curd.
Step-1: Making Curd
- Using a spoon, remove the cream from cooled, boiled milk and store it in a jar or container.
- Continue collecting for several days until the jar is full. Ensure that the collected cream is refrigerated.
- In a jar, crumble the cream lightly.
- Add one or two teaspoons of curd to the cream and stir until combined.
- Allow the container to sit for 6 to 8 hours so the curd can be properly set. At this point, do not refrigerate.
- Once the curd has been set, you can proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Churning Out the Butter
- Incorporate ice-cold water with the curd in a blender. You can add ice cubes if the water isn’t very cold.
- Blend it for several minutes until the butter separates from the liquid buttermilk.
- Create a clumpy ball of fresh butter and rinse it four to five times with water. The water for rinsing should be in a bowl. Do not rinse under running water.
Step 3: Making Ghee
- Incorporate the freshly made butter into a kadhai or skillet.
- Bring it to a boil over low heat and allow it to simmer.
- The Ghee will separate from the milk solids.
- Sieve it, then allow it to cool. Store it in a container made of glass or steel.
Both of these methods result in delicious homemade Ghee. You will observe that all of the byproducts of these processes are edible and can be consumed. Buttermilk is beneficial for the intestines and digestion. The milk solids remaining at the end of the process can be consumed by adding sugar. No waste is produced when making Ghee at home.
It is possible to overcook Ghee, turning it from yellow or off-white to dark brown. In this case, it should not be discarded. Utilize it in cooking. It will impart an identical flavour to the dish.
How to Make Ghee at Home using Cream?
A few days are required to collect cream or malai to produce Ghee. Full cream milk produces a thick layer of cream, whereas skim milk produces a thin layer.
There are three steps involved in this procedure. Nevertheless, Step 2 is optional. If you are pressed for time or wish to expend less effort, you may skip this step and proceed to Step 3. However, cooking time will increase if you skip Step 1 and proceed directly to Step 3.
Step 1: Collecting Cream or Malai
- Refrigerate boiled milk (preferably whole cream) to obtain a layer of thick cream on top.
- Collect the cream in a container made of glass or steel.
- Ensure that the collected cream is stored in the refrigerator.
- Over a few days, amass three to four cups of cream.
Step 2: Making Butter and Butter Milk
- Blend the collected cream with 1/2 cup of ice-cold water in a blender.
- Blend the cream until butter begins to form.
- Collect the butter by hand or strain it through a sieve.
- The remaining liquid is buttermilk.
- The buttermilk can be consumed as a healthy beverage or used to prepare pancakes, cakes, or muffins.
Step 3: Making Ghee
- Take a heavy-bottomed skillet or kadhai.
- Add butter if you have followed Step 2.
- Add the gathered cream; there is no time to make butter.
- Start cooking after melting the butter or cream over low heat.
- The cream/butter will be simmered with milk solids at the bottom.
- Water will evaporate, leaving behind milk solids and clear liquid Ghee.
- Allow the Ghee to cool, strain it and store it in a glass or steel jar.
Ghee made from curd vs. Ghee made from cream: Which is healthier?
Both of these methods result in delicious homemade Ghee. However, Ghee made from curd is more advantageous than cream. This is because curd undergoes fermentation and contains numerous micronutrients absent in cream. Additionally, the Ghee produced from curd is more aromatic and tastier.
You will observe that all of the byproducts of these processes are edible and can be consumed. Buttermilk is beneficial for the intestines and digestion. The milk solids remaining at the end of the process can be consumed by adding sugar. No waste is produced when making Ghee at home.
It is possible to overcook Ghee, turning it from yellow or off-white to dark brown. In this case, it should not be discarded. Utilize it in cooking. It will impart an identical flavour to the dish.
How to Make Flavoured Ghee
Additionally, you can attempt to create flavoured Ghee if you so desire. To create liquid Ghee, simmer the butter with any one ingredient. You can add Tulsi, garlic, or even curry leaves. Ensure that you only add a small amount of each of these. Otherwise, the Ghee may become heavily flavoured with these flavours and become unpalatable.
Why and Where You Should Purchase Pure Ghee?
As you can see, making Ghee at home is not a particularly difficult process. Twice per month, you can easily make a fresh batch of Ghee. Why, then, should you purchase Ghee from the market?
First, you may lack time to collect the cream and complete the lengthy procedure. Additionally, you may not be consuming whole milk, which provides the thick cream required for ghee production.
The most significant reason is that you do not influence the type of milk you receive. Grass-fed cattle produce the purest and highest-quality Ghee.
The Ghee is produced using the age-old bilona method, which involves the manual churning of curd. Earthomaya A2 Desi Cow Ghee produces the highest quality and purest desi ghee because it oversees the entire process from cattle to Ghee.