Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter - a staple of Indian cooking. It is considered the best quality of oil for daily use because it pacifies both vata and pitta. Containing natural antioxidants, it has short chain fatty acids and its cholesterol fraction resists oxidation. Butter quickly burns at high temperatures due to the milk solids in it, whereas ghee withstands high temperatures because it is, in essence, the pure oil extracted from the butter. Ghee can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated. Ghee is available at natural food stores, and Indian groceries but is easily made at home.
Ghee is used commonly in Ayurvedic medicine for oleation and during the gentle cleansing program done at home ten days before panchakarma (in residence purification programs). It loosens the impurities in the system and acts as a solvent to draw the impurities into the elimination system where they are easily eliminated during the laxative therapy.
I. Traditional Ghee
Place one or more pounds of unsalted butter in a deep stainless steel or Pyrex type glass pan on medium-low heat. Do not leave ghee unattended during this process and watch to make sure that the butter doesn't scorch while melting.
During the next 30-40 minutes the water will boil away (approximately 20% of butter is water). Milk solids will appear on the surface of the liquid and on the bottom of the pan.
As milk solids turn golden brown on the bottom of the pan, be alert to remove the ghee from the heat (otherwise, the ghee may burn). At this point, you may notice that the ghee may smell like popcorn and you may notice tiny bubbles rising from the bottom. Remove the ghee from the heat before the bubbles stop or it will burn. Remember that once the bubbles stop, there is no more water, and the temperature of the oil will quickly, and that water will continue to evaporate for a few minutes after you remove it from the heat.
Strain the sediment from the ghee while it is still warm by pouring it through a cotton cloth or steel strainer into another stainless steel or Pyrex glass container. Be cautious making ghee as it can burn you as well as catch fire.
II. Crock-pot Method
Place one or more pounds of unsalted butter in a crock-pot on low temperature setting. Leave it on all night. In the morning you will notice that there is a brown crust on the top and a white sediment on the bottom. Skim the crust off the top and pour the golden liquid into stainless steel or glass containers. When the white sediment begins to mix with oil while pouring strain the sediment from the ghee by pouring it through a cotton cloth placed over a stainless steel strainer.
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This information on "Ghee" is in the "Recipes" section of AyurvedaMed.com website. To return to the index page of this section, please click here.
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