When I first
came to the US few years back I had brought the homemade desi ghee with me. Obviously
it didn’t last for a long time and I ended up buying ghee from Indian grocery
store. Did I like the taste? Yes and no, since didn’t have any other option. One
day a friend of mine told me about the magic of unsalted butter which
transforms it into our own desi ghee or tup (in Marathi language) or clarified
butter. I was so excited to try it. We always have unsalted butter in the house
so tried it and voila yes it was our own desi ghee. Couldn’t stop thanking her
enough. She made my life easier and tastier. Here you go with step by step
description of this most easy recipe.
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: 4 Sticks (1Lb)
- Tulasi leaves- 3-4 (optional)
- Cardamom/ choti ilaychi: 2 (optional)
- Water: 1-2 Tsp
Method:
- Take a heavy and thick bottom pan.
- Put all the sticks of butter (room temperature) to the pan.
- Switch on the gas on the medium to low setting.
- In less than 2min the butter will melt. Now put the gas on the lowest possible
setting.
- Keep stirring in between and after it starts to leave its foam add tulasi
leaves and crushed cardamom powder to the ghee. Adding these ingredients is
completely optional. But it surely leaves a nice aroma to the ghee.
- Once the foam starts clearing off and you can see the bottom of the pan, sprinkle
a tea-spoon of water in the ghee. If it bubbles and makes cracked kind of
sound, your ghee is ready. If not let it simmer for couple of minutes more and
repeat the water test.
- Once the ghee is ready, you may want to let it cool down a little bit before
you transfer to a glass jar/ bottle.
- Your glass jar/ bottle has to be extremely dry and clean. If you feel it’s damp, microwave the empty bottle for a minute or so. Or alternatively you may want to keep it in a preheated oven just for a minute or so.
- If you wish you may filter this ghee and then transfer. I do not like to filter it since we like the flavor of tulasi leaves to remain in the ghee for a longer time.
- Pour the ghee in the glass bottle but do not put lid immediately. Otherwise the
lid will have moisture and it may spoil the ghee.
- Take out some ghee for regular use and refrigerate the rest. If you have made a big batch then put it in two different bottles and freeze one of the bottle for the future use. This will be good for more than 2 months.
- Do not put damp or wet spoon in the ghee otherwise it will be spoiled in no
time.
Note:
- Recently found out that you can make this ghee in microwave too. Just keep room temp. butter sticks in a big microwave safe bowl and microwave it on full power for about 12-14 min, stirring it occasionally. Once it changes the color, take it out. Obviously every microwave is different so keep a close eye on it.
- Also got to know about pressure cooker method. Keep the sticks in a pan and keep it in the pressure cooker on the lowest possible setting. Since it will be on the lowest setting, it won’t whistle. However as soon as it starts leaving bubbles switch the gas off and your butter will be ready.
- Some people also make it with salted butter but I have never tried that one.
Found all these recipes useful and easy. If you like this recipe, give a thumps up and
please share it with others. Happy Cooking!!!!
