How to Make Your Own Ghee

As I began learning about Indian food and flavors many years ago, one of the things I realized was that ghee is called for in a LOT of recipes. In the interest of keeping to my idea of making everything (as far as possible) from scratch, I read about making ghee, finding it was really quite simple. 

Ghee

What is Ghee?

Ghee is nothing more than clarified butter taken a step further, and allowing the browning of milk solid bits that fall to the bottom of the pan. This last step imparts a lovely, nutty flavor to the ghee, and in turn to any food cooked with it. 

When making ghee, I would first suggest that one invest in some decent quality butter. I have mostly used Land o Lakes® brand unsalted butter. I have on occasion tried using a lesser quality brand, only to find that the water content of the butter was so high, it caused huge molten bubbles to spew out of the pan. Thankfully I was not burnt, though this could certainly be an expected outcome. For your peace of mind, stick to a butter with lower water content. Most European butters have far lower water content, but are more expensive. 

What to Expect

There are a few steps that will mark the 15 minute progress through this process of making ghee, and skimming off the foam that continually forms is ongoing throughout. Use a pan large enough to accommodate a pound of butter. If your pan does not have a light colored interior, you may not be able to distinguish when the milk solids are browned, though you may be able to smell the nutty aroma once this occurs. Keep the heat at medium to medium low throughout, or a temperature that maintains an active simmer. There are also some visual and audio cues that will help define the approximate 5-minute stages:

1. The butter will melt, figure 1, and as it comes to a low boil, immediately begins foaming, figure 2 (the beginning of the skimming process). At this time, the liquid is totally opaque and bubbles are of all sizes: large, medium and small, figure 3. The sound of the bubbles is rather loud and crackling, as water is being boiled out.
2. As the skimming of foam continues, the bubbles will start to come to a more consistent size and the foam changes its look. At the same time the bubbling sound becomes quieter, figure 4.



Steps to watch for in Making Ghee

3. Toward the last five minutes, as skimming off foam continues, the liquid will begin to come clear, and the bottom of the pan becomes visible, figures 5 & 6. At the point where the pan bottom becomes visible (between foaming), milk solids will be seen accumulating on the bottom. They may not be browned yet, but will be visible. Once these milk solids brown, figure 7, your ghee will be ready. The photo makes the ghee appear to be deep brown, but the color is simply the solids in the pan bottom. The bubbles will be exceedingly tiny, fine and of a consistent size. The sound will have become very quiet, like a low buzz.

Once the ghee is done, if it seems that the browned solids are loose instead of firmly stuck on the pan bottom, use a coffee filter to strain out the solids. I have never had this problem, so once done, I place a metal spoon into a 12 to 14-ounce glass container and pour in the hot ghee. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the spoon and cap your jar. 

The ghee can be kept in the cabinet to use whenever needed, and will keep well for months, as all the milk solids (the part that could go rancid) have all been strained or cooked out. If the process was not completed well and the ghee spoiled, the culprits would be either not skimming off all the foam or some milk solids left in the liquid. If you will not be using the ghee in any reasonable period of time, keep it in the fridge until needed. Remove and bring to room temperature when needed for cooking (otherwise you nearly have to chip it out with a knife, it becomes so hardened in the fridge!).

There are many ways to use ghee. Obviously, if you love Indian cuisines as I do, you will have many opportunities to use it. But if not? Firstly, think about the nutty aroma and flavor and imagine what that flavor would enhance, then use it. It can be used in any application for cooking in butter, although ghee will not burn  as will butter. (What burns when adding butter to a hot pan is the milk solids, which have already been removed from the ghee.) 

When my children were teens, I concocted a noodle dish for a meatless supper once, and long after they pleaded that I make it again and again. Cook some curly egg noodles and drain. Add in some ghee to the hot noodles and stir, then add freshly-ground coarse black pepper to taste (we like a lot!), a drained can of mushrooms and a large handful of basil, cut in chiffonade: stack a goodly pile of basil leaves, roll them into a tight roll, then slice across the roll very thinly. If desired, sprinkle on some shredded Parmesan cheese.

Another dish I created, this one in the style of Kashmir, I called Kashmiri Style Chicken. Original, huh? But it is delicious, so here is that recipe also:

Kashmiri Style Chicken

Kashmiri Style Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

Kashmiri Style Chicken

WHOLE SPICES
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon black "onion" or nigella seed (Kalonji/Calonji)
½ teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon green cardamom seeds
2 inches true cinnamon

1 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ - 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (not the mixture used for Chili con Carne) 

2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 onion, thinly sliced, lightly chopped
1 walnut sized piece fresh ginger, minced
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tej patta leaf 
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 - 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thighs)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt

In a dry skillet over high heat, toss the first seven whole spices for 2 to 4 minutes, or until very fragrant. Turn out onto a plate to cool, then grind in a spice grinder. Add the next 3 pre-ground spices to this mixture and set aside.

Heat ghee in a large skillet and saute the onions, ginger and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add all the spices, including the tej patta leaf and saute for 2 - 3 minutes more. Add the coconut milk and lemon juice and allow the mixture to reduce for a few minutes.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and add to the skillet along with the tomatoes and salt and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice or naan bread.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.