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.

Chapatis are an Indian Version of Tortillas

Meaning to get to this blog days ago, I have been doing other things since returning from our trip. I made Lamb Korma last week and decided that while my husband is absolutely wild about Indian Naan bread, this time I was going to give a go with making Chapatis instead. I am not sure if he cared for them, truly. He said nothing at all. Still, I cannot completely go with making only what my husband will eat; it's just a little too prohibitive for my tastes. Sometimes I absolutely must try something that intrigues me.

Chapatis

Kamut® Khorasan

Kamut® Khorasan

Part of the reason I decided on something other than Naan Bread (apart from the fact that it is, by popular acclaim, the only bread accompaniment for Indian meals in my house), is that while on our trip, I stopped at The Whole Foods Market and found Kamut® Khorasan berries (triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum) in the bulk aisle! I have used Kamut® in past, as a flour that was a variation on regular wheat flour, and that so many are allergic to. It has been available in flour form for quite some time. Kamut® Khorasan is an ancient strain of wheat, along with another called "Emmer". These two tetraploid strains have 28 chromosomes instead of the 42 found in our hexaploid strain of durum wheat of today. Kamut® Khorasan berries are nearly twice the size of our modern wheat berries. When I bought Kamut® flour in past, I thought that Kamut® was the name of the type of wheat, but was in error. The name of this grain is actually Khorasan, referring to a historical region in modern Afghanistan and northern Iraq. The title of "Kamut®" Khorasan was given later by two brothers in Montana. Growing this strain of wheat in hopes of preserving the strain cleanly, they registered the name of Kamut.

Side by Side Size comparison of the grains

So, I bought about a pound or so of the whole Kamut® Khorasan berries and had no particular plan for how to use them. In reading about both the Kamut® itself and recipes for Chapatis, these flat bread recipes call for a whole grain flour. Kamut® has a lovely nutty, buttery flavor and has far less bitterness than our modern wheat. Since Chapatis are made with whole grain flour, and since Afghanistan and Iraq are setting just above India (Northern Indian cuisine has much influence from these areas), I felt that possibly Kamut® Khorasan would be the perfect flour for these breads. To top it all off, my husband recently bought me a Wonder Mill grain mill, so this would make quick work of milling the Kamut® Khorasan berries.

Chapati recipes are all basically the same. Use a whole grain flour. Moisten it enough with water to be pliable but not wet. Knead it. Make Chapatis. The basic ratio of flour to liquid is identical everywhere I looked for comparison. The only technicality would be if you live in a very dry climate or a very humid climate, as this affects how much water will actually be needed. If you live in a humid place like Florida or Louisiana for example, your flour will already be more water saturated than if you live in Arizona. I live in neither of these places, but climate in the high plains is often dry. Add to that the heat running in the house for more than a month already, with temperatures already been dipping below zero regularly. Dry.

On to the Chapatis

As far as Indian breads go, there are quite a few types and styles. Even Naan, which is getting to be very well known, can be made as a yeast dough or may be leavened with simple baking powder. The store varieties are certainly not yeast breads, and most very closely resemble large, soft flatbreads or pitas without pockets. Chapatis are more similar to a flour tortilla, in that they are most basically a simple and unleavened, thin, flat cake, traditionally cooked on a flat griddle called a tava. At home a hot skillet works just fine. Other Indian breads are many. To name a few, there are rotis (similar to chapatis), parathas (larger, thicker, fried), puris (fried and puffed up) and papadums (crispy). Each of these is unleavened. The differences are in how they are made, thickness, size and texture. I hope to make parathas again sometime soon. I have made them in past and they turned out very well. (If any of these descriptions is in error, please pardon me. I have not a drop of Indian blood in me, but am endlessly fascinated with all things Indian).

Flour water & oil mixed    |    dough well kneaded    |    rested and cut in portions    |    dough rolled into 6 - 7-inch circles

It is most common to make all of these breads with whole grain flour, though some are made with white flour. The recipe's ratio of flour to water is 3 parts whole grain flour to 1 part water. Some recipes call for added oil or ghee; some do not. I added a little oil to my recipe. Some recipes call for mixing the ingredients and kneading briefly to combine, while some recipes call for kneading for longer periods of time. Longer kneading yields a more elastic dough, easily rolled and shaped without tearing. 

I spent some time here on the detail of using Kamut® Khorasan flour. Whole wheat flour may as easily be used. It is an option to leave the dough, once kneaded, for a minimum of an hour, and even better if it is left overnight, before proceeding to roll out the chapatis.

Chapatis

Chapatis

Makes 8 chapatis

1½ cups whole grain flour; wheat or Kamut® Khorasan
½ cup water
1 tablespoon of oil or ghee
more oil or ghee for cooking the chapatis

In a bowl, combine the flour and water, mixing to combine. Add the oil or ghee and blend in. Turn the mixture out onto a very lightly floured surface or an oiled surface. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes; more ideally for about 9 minutes. This develops the gluten in the flour, making it easier to roll out and form the chapatis without tearing. Set the dough aside to rest, covered, for at least one hour, or longer if possible. If leaving to rest overnight, place the dough, well wrapped, in the refrigerator until ready to use.

dough circle just placed in hot pan | bubbles forming under the surface | flipped over and nearly done     

Cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. Roll each portion of dough into a smooth ball. Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough into a thin circle of about 6 or 7-inches diameter. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add in a small amount of oil or ghee to the pan and place one of the circles of dough in the hot pan. Almost immediately it will begin to form bubbles. Turn the chapati to cook the opposite side once the first side has well browned spots, about 2 minutes. Once flipped over, the opposite side should also have nicely browned spots, about 1 minute longer. Remove to a towel lined container and continue to make each individual chapati in the same manner.

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.