How to make your ghee the Ayurvedic way?
Updated: Mar 10
After years of misconceptions, Ghee is again a topic of interest. The invention of ghee is dated as far back as the vedic period.
Ghee (Ghritha) is an extremely important food and medicine discussed in the Ayurvedic textbooks. Even people, who may not digest milk, may digest ghee. When we say ghee, we are mostly referring to grass fed cow’s ghee. It is a good fat with plenty of benefits. The following procedure further helps to make the ghee more bioavailable, hence lighter and easily digestible.
Samskritha ghritha
The literal meaning of the Sanskrit term ‘Samskritha ghritha’ would be ‘transformed ghee’.
Samskara: Sanskarohi gunantaradhanamuchyathe (samkara refers to transformation of the qualities of a substance)
Ghritha: ghee
Properties of ghee as per Ayurveda: Consuming ghee improves digestion, immunity, respiratory strength and functioning of the sense organs. Ghee balances Vatha and pitta dosha and nourishes the body tissues. It has detoxifying abilities and moistens dry skin. Ghee promotes memory and intellect and is useful during convalescence. It improves shukra dhatu (reproductive system in both male and female). It has the ability to improve eyesight and is also an aphrodisiac. It is a very important part of the postnatal diet for new mothers.
Ghee is one of the food items which is allowed to be consumed habitually. That is, it can be consumed in all seasons on a daily basis or for a long time.
So, I here present a method to make to make Samkritha Ghritha.
Simply put, I intend to post a recipe to make ghee lighter, easily digestible and healthier.
Of course, the ideal way would be to collect the cream from the milk, churn out the butter and melt it to make ghee. During my school days, I often saw my mother collecting the milk cream after boiling milk, every morning. She stored the cream in the freezer for a few weeks and then churned it in the mixer to extract butter.
But, nowadays, as you may have noticed, we hardly get good cream from the milk we buy. Overzealously, I did try the whole process a couple of times, only to realize that it is a complete waste of time and fuel. I got a miniscule amount of ghee after melting a jar full of frothy butter
Since then, I have tried making ghee from various brands of butter available in the market. I have zeroed in on a few brands which offer unsalted butter from grass fed cows. I would suggest you research locally and procure fresh butter.
Ingredients:
Cooking butter (unsalted)- 500 grams
Turmeric- 1 pinch
Clove-2
Green Cardamom- 1 tiny black seed
Curry leaves- 1 twig
Sea Salt- 1 small pinch
Method:
Place the butter in a big, wide mouthed, thick bottomed vessel (Avoid non- stick cookware)
Melt the butter on low flame throughout.
Once the butter has melted, add all the other ingredients.
After some time, you will observe the butter slowly beginning to boil and the froth rising up. Wait till the froth comes up to the brim and again settles down. The froth starts disappearing and the clear ghee will be visible now. (Phenashanti)
End point: Pick up a curry leaf from the boiling ghee and press it in between your thumb and index finger. If it is fully crisp, then your ghee is done. If not, wait until it becomes crisp. It is nothing but an indication that, all the water in the butter has evaporated.
Immediately filter and transfer the ghee to a steel airtight container. (If you allow the ghee to cool in the vessel itself, it may cook a little more because of the heat and the aroma may be lost)
Ghee is best had with warm food. 1-2 tsp can be added with rice or spread over chapatis/roti.
During my practice, it is very common for me to hear objections about ghee from patients, after I tell them about the benefits of ghee. To understand better if ghee can cause bad cholesterol, here are some studies which may help to throw more light on this.
Ghee and cholesterol:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215354/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24575140
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23358722
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