Friday, January 3, 2014

Ghee

Happy New Year, a little late, but I've been busy.

Sorta.

OK, so I've just been recovering from Christmas.  geez.  

And I've also been going through one of my stages where I just can't burn water without boiling it, again.

I've burnt, overseasoned, underseasoned,  undercooked, overcooked and generally just needed a break from cooking.

I actually started this Ghee last year.  Of course that was just a couple of days ago so...
Ghee
I'm preparing for an special day, which we will do soon, as soon as we can all get on the same page. 
Last year, a bunch of us were talking about how we love Indian Food, and what started this conversation was a friend coming to an event wearing a Sari, and in the course of the conversation, it was decided that we were going to get together with other friends, the ladies would wear their Sari's (I have one in my closet) and we would prepare our favourite Indian recipes.

So I decided to go ahead and make some Ghee, in preparation for making my Curried Chicken and Rice recipe. 

I then realized I've never shared my 'Ghee' recipe here.

Maybe I should clarify that, I've never shared how I make Ghee.  And while this isn't a totally traditional way, it works, and works well for me.

Ghee is a clarified butter, widely used in Indian Cooking, and is readily available there.   When you clarify butter and make Ghee, you are basically taking out any milk solids, which means the butter lasts longer, and it is shelf stable.   And when you remove the solids, the butter doesn't burn as easily either.

I like to keep some Ghee on hand in the freezer for certain recipes, not just the Indian ones, but for those recipes which call for frying something in butter, or browning something in butter, but you don't want that slightly burnt taste of browned butter overwhelming the flavour of say,  a fillet of sole?

I used some unsalted butter for this, just cause I had some on hand, for no other reason.  Well, ideally you should use unsalted butter anyway.   But I have made it with salted butter as well.  So...

Take your butter and put into a saucepan, and melt over low heat.  And let it cook for about 10-15 minutes.  It may foam, at which point just skim off the foam and discard, or do as I do.  Put it on a piece of bread.  No sense in wasting it. 



Let the butter cool for just a little bit, then pour it into a Ziploc bag, and hang it from a cupboard, like this, and after it has hung for about an hour or so...

Just snip off the end, let the solids out, and Voila!!!!  you have Ghee. 





 Or you can put the bag in the fridge after it has 'set' and then cut open the bag, remove the solids and use the clarified butter.   I use the solids in mashed potatoes, just adds a touch more buttery flavour.  I know you can throw it away, but why?
Ghee
Of course this is my version, but it works and works well.   I do freeze the Ghee in chunks, each is about two tablespoons or so.
And then when I need some clarified butter or Ghee, I just grab some out, melt it down and use it. 

I also use Ghee when I'm making Æbleskiver.  It works so well in those little indentations in the pan.

Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

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