Gee, I can Make Ghee!
Love butter, but worried about cholesterol? Guilt-free ghee is your alternative!
Butter About to Become Ghee
Fat is good for you! In fact, “good” fat (in moderation) is an essential part of a healthy diet if you want happy joints, healthy tissues and good digestion. This is what I learnt today at our Ayurvedic cooking class with Dr Arun Sharna of the Ayuskama Ayurvedic Clinic in Bhagsu, Himachal Pradesh.
Ghee (clarified butter) is:
- easily absorbed by the body
- a pure form of fat, with no milk protein in it
- a healthy form of fat, nourishing the tissues and helping to prevent diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s (note: I am not a doctor, so insert my disclosure here about doing your own research about what is good for you)
Gee, I Can Make Ghee!
I use ghee (from my local Indian shop) when I cook Indian food, but always thought it was a convoluted and difficult process to make your own. Same with paneer … as much as I love this cheese, when a recipe’s ingredients calls for cheesecloth, I immediately file it in the “Complicated” category.
I’ve been eating my way through a mountain of paneer here in Macleod Ganj. Paneer in curry sauce. Paneer with grilled green peppers. Paneer with peas. The thought of being able to make my own paneer when I get home, instead of buying frozen paneer, had me salivating. And so I found myself spending cheerful cooking time with Arun, learning his family recipes for ghee and paneer.
Straining the paneer through a muslin cloth
Arun is one of the many Sanskrit words for “sun” and he couldn’t be more aptly named – he was sunny and smiling throughout, answering our questions and smiling as he told us that healthy eating is not complicated; it’s common sense.
He explained the Ayurvedic belief that the body has 7 different types of tissues and they all need different foods for healthy functioning; so a balanced diet consists of grains, protein, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, fruit and yoghurt or milk – all of this, every day.
Simple advice, like avoiding processed and refined foods (white rice, white flour, processed sugars), keeping a regular eating routine and not eating in a hurry or late at night, are a good start. All things that we inherently know, but often ignore – well, I know I do!
I’ve only just recently been introduced to Ayurveda and there’s lots to learn, but I’m inspired to ditch some of my bad habits and try a healthier approach. And if the lifestyle results in a sunny disposition like Arun’s, that’s an added incentive. (recipes to follow soon, once I have better wifi access!)
I once heard that one can help allergies by putting ghee up one’s nose!
You first, Karen!
It definitely beats the cooking lessons in Housecraft!!!!
Brenda, that really made me laugh! Perhaps I would have paid more attention if they’d given us recipes like this!
So ghee, or clarified butter can be a bit time consuming to make, you need to heat it carefully so that it doesn’t brown or burn, and then carefully scrape off the white milk solids from the oil. This is what my Mom taught me, make a big batch when you have the time. Then pour the clarified butter, once it has cooled a bit, into a cookie sheet or shallow pan and put it in the freezer. When the ghee has frozen solid, take the cookie sheet out and break the ghee into smaller pieces and store it back in the freezer a glass container! You will always have ghee on hand, at whatever quantities you need. Ghee adds a richness to your cooking, and is very healthy for you and easily digested!
Love the tips on freezing and storing – perfect! I have all these fabulous photos of the various stages of cooking the ghee and the paneer, and you’ve reminded me I need to upload them and share the recipes…