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Ghee is clarified butter (in the west). This is the gentle cooking of butter which enables the milk solids to be removed, leaving a sweet-tasting oil.

Ingredients

Use only organic, unsalted butter. You will need a medium saucepan, and a clean, dry jam jar or two. It is also good if you have some muslin cloth, but a piece of ordinary plain cotton will do.

At first, try making 1-2 blocks of butter's worth. If you start using ghee in all your cooking, you may want to make up a batch.

Method

Melt the butter in a pan on medium-low. Then reduce the heat to low. It will foam and bubble.
Remove the foam during cooking. At first, it is good to remove the foam as it cooks, that way you can see what is going on underneath. However, one can with practice judge when the ghee is nearly ready and remove the foam at that stage.
Solids will form, and eventually sink to the bottom and start to turn brown. The ghee will begin to become golden or light brown and sweet smelling.
Stir the ghee occasionally to prevent it from sticking (some methods say don't stir it-but both ways work).
It is ready when all the solids have fallen to the bottom, and the ghee isn't spitting any more, and has a good golden colour.
Leave the ghee to cool a little (10-15 mins).
Pour the liquid (ghee) into clean, dry jars. If you have muslin etc, you can filter the ghee at this stage, preventing any residual foam or floating solids to mix in with the ghee (a tiny bit will be OK).

How long will it take to cook?

If you are prepared to stand over the ghee, and you are making a small amount (1-2 blocks of butter) then you can cook it at medium / medium-low in around 30-45 mins. However, for larger amounts, or if you have the time, cook it on low / very-low. It will take 2+ hours, but will allow you to mill about the place at the same time.

Storage

If cooked long enough, it can be stored indefinitely in a cool, dry place.

Using Ghee & Other Oils

Ghee is a superior fat for cooking with; or simply add ½ - 2 tsp. per person to a meal after it is cooked (the less for K, more for V). If ghee can not be made/found, Palm Kernel oil then Sesame oil are next best for cooking with. Olive oil is good-but not as a cooking oil. It may be too heavy for Kapha also.

Benefits

Ghee is said to be a rejuvenator, nutritive (same as butter but without harmful effects), increases and protects bone marrow and nerve tissues, promotes: fertility, immunity, intelligence, vision, liver function, voice, enzyme function in intestines, liver and tissues, strengthens kidneys and brain. It prevents congestion in blood and plasma. It increases the nutritional value of any foods that is prepared in it. It helps clean ALL the channels and ducts in the body.

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