How to make Ghee | Kitchen basics

Ghee | Clarified butter is a staple ingredient in Indian kitchen. We use Ghee for making sweets and mix with rice and use to cook parathas too. At South Indian homes, mixing up dal, hot rice and ghee and having this as a first meal is a common one. During my childhood days i remember my mom and grandmother takes out malai from curd and makes home made butter. From that big ball of home made butter, she makes ghee and i could still recollect that aroma of the ghee. After i got married, one day when i mother in law told me to melt the butter for ghee and she went out. I never know what is the right stage to switch it off. With total confusion i just started the process but somehow felt that i will be able to do it right. When it was almost done, my co sister came and she taught me how to switch it off at the right stage. After coming to Singapore,most of the time i used to buy store bought ghee. But on and off i make ghee at home. Some time back, when a friend in our apartment, was explaining the details of making ghee from the scratch, i thought i will share the process of making ghee at home, in Jeyashri's kitchen. Yesterday i made ghee with butter and took the video of how to make ghee. Share any interesting tips if you follow at your home, while making ghee, in the comments section.
P.S: This Post is just for basic beginners. Experts please excuse me😀

Home made Ghee

  Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 12-15 Mins |Makes: 1 cup

    Unsalted butter  250 gm
    Rock salt  4-5 pieces
    Venthayam | Methi seeds  4-5
    Turmeric powder  a tiny pinch 
Method:

• I use store bought butter for making ghee. Generally many people used to make butter at home either using malai from milk or the malai from curd. 
• Let's proceed with making the butter.
• In a pan add the butter. You can take this out straight away from the fridge or freezer and proceed. 
• Just leave this undisturbed till it melts. Keep the flame in medium. You can stir once or twice.
• Always ensure that you use little bigger pan as some butter tend to froth up more.
• If the pan is small, you will end up cleaning a messy kitchen. 
• Once the butter is completely melted, keep the flame to low.
• You can see a separate layer of floating on the top. At this stage the butter will give a  curd smell.
• Just continue to cook this.
• At one stage it will completely stop making big bubbles and froths up (like rasam). 
• At this stage add the methi seeds.
• They say adding methi seeds retains only the good cholesterol in the ghee. 
• Some people add pepper or drumstick leaves or even curry leaves.
• Switch off the flame and add 4-5 pieces of rock salt. 
• Add a very tiny pinch of turmeric powder. 
• Adding turmeric powder prevents this from spoiling of the ghee.
• The remaining process will be done in that heat itself.
• By this time, you will be able to experience the divine smell of ghee.
• The aroma will fill the entire house. 
• Allow this to completely cool.
• Do not fully cover and keep. 
• Filter the ghee and store it in a clean dry bottle or a dabba.
• Discard the kasandu or the black portion which got filtered .
• You can mix some hot rice with that kasandu and have it with some spicy curry.

                                                     Video of how to make ghee

                                             

     

Method with step wise pictures:

• I use store bought butter for making ghee. Generally many people used to make butter at home either using malai from milk or the malai from curd. 
• Let's proceed with making the butter.
• In a pan add the butter. You can take this out straight away from the fridge or freezer and proceed. 

• Just leave this undisturbed till it melts. Keep the flame in medium. You can stir once or twice.
• Always ensure that you use little bigger pan as some butter tend to froth up more.
• If the pan is small, you will end up cleaning a messy kitchen. 
• Once the butter is completely melted, keep the flame to low.

• You can see a separate layer of floating on the top. At this stage the butter will give a  curd smell.
• Just continue to cook this.
• At one stage it will completely stop making big bubbles and froths up (like rasam). 
• At this stage add the methi seeds.

• They say adding methi seeds retains only the good cholesterol in the ghee. 
• Some people add pepper or drumstick leaves or even curry leaves.
• Switch off the flame and add 4-5 pieces of rock salt. 

• Add a very tiny pinch of turmeric powder. 

• Adding turmeric powder prevents this from spoiling of the ghee.
• The remaining process will be done in that heat itself.
• By this time, you will be able to experience the divine smell of ghee.
• The aroma will fill the entire house. 
• Allow this to completely cool.
• Do not fully cover and keep. 
• Filter the ghee and store it in a clean dry bottle or a dabba.
• Discard the kasandu or the black portion which got filtered.

• You can mix some hot rice with that kasandu and have it with some spicy curry.

Notes:

1. You can keep this outside, no need to refrigerate.
2. Always use clean dry spoon to take out the ghee.
3. If making butter in large quantity, you can store it in the refrigerator too.