Ghee
There is nothing quite like homemade ghee. Ghee is the primary oil used in Ayurvedic cooking. It is a digestive. It helps to improve absorption and assimilation of whole foods. It is good for improving memory and lubricates the body’s connective tissue. Ghee is a pure elixir for the body. On a culinary note, ghee has a high smoke point (482° F). You can cook and fry with ghee and it will not break down into free radicals like many other oils.
Preparation
Place 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 after 15 minutes. 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, it needs to be taken off the heat. Let it cool until just warm.
Pour it through a fine sieve with layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry, glass container like a Pyrex glass measuring cup. Then pour into individual glass canning jars. Discard the curds at the bottom of the saucepan by first removing with paper towel and then letting the pan soak in hot water.
1 pound of butter takes about 15-20 minutes of cooking time. The more butter you are using, the more time it will take.
Ingredients
1 pound unsalted, organic cow butter
Preparation
Total time: 40 mins
See below
STORAGE TIP: Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf in an airtight glass jar. It does not need refrigeration. The medicinal properties improve with age. Always use a fresh spoon when getting ghee out of the jar; refrain from using a wet spoon or allowing any water to get into the container, as this will create conditions for bacteria and mold to grow and spoil the ghee. Ghee can last for months on the shelf for months in a cool and dry place.