Ghee whiz

[bobmac]

How serious a crime is substituting safflower oil for ghee in a fairly spicy curry? I'm trying to save on fat and figure the predominant flavor will be the spices.

[Chris Amirault]

I'd guess that the substitution would be hard to detect for most people, but that the discerning curry-o-phile would miss the nutty flavor and rounded mouthfeel that gheee provides.

[Milagai]

How serious a crime is substituting safflower oil for ghee in a fairly spicy curry? I'm trying to save on fat and figure the predominant flavor will be the spices.

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if you are trying to save fat, then how would sub-bing one kind of

fat for another help?

or are you trying to cut back on animal fat for cholesterol

reasons?

ghee does add a distinctive flavor, but any other flavor won't

be inferior, only different....

milagai

[bobmac]

I wanted to avoid the saturated fat in ghee. Then I realized the amount per serving was going to be negligible.

[Edward]

Sometimes I use oil for the cooking and then just add a teaspoon or so of asli ghee to the dish at serving time. A little bit of good ghee goes a long way. If you infuse the ghee with flavorings during its cooking process it packs even more of a flavor punch when added to dishes just before serving. I like to make flavored ghee with things like curry leaves, ginger, cloves, black pepper or chilies etc. Try making halva with ginger infused ghee sometime...its really nice

Does anyone else do this?

[bague25]

Sometimes I use oil for the cooking and then just add a teaspoon or so of asli ghee to the dish at serving time. A little bit of good ghee goes a long way. If you infuse the ghee with flavorings during its cooking process it packs even more of a flavor punch when added to dishes just before serving. I like to make flavored ghee with things like curry leaves, ginger, cloves, black pepper or chilies etc. Try making halva with ginger infused ghee sometime...its really nice

Does anyone else do this?

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My mom always added a dried turmeric leaf when making the ghee. I always add a fresh bay leaf.

Bague

[Edward]

Sometimes I use oil for the cooking and then just add a teaspoon or so of asli ghee to the dish at serving time. A little bit of good ghee goes a long way. If you infuse the ghee with flavorings during its cooking process it packs even more of a flavor punch when added to dishes just before serving. I like to make flavored ghee with things like curry leaves, ginger, cloves, black pepper or chilies etc. Try making halva with ginger infused ghee sometime...its really nice

Does anyone else do this?

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My mom always added a dried turmeric leaf when making the ghee. I always add a fresh bay leaf.

Bague

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Western bay leaf or tejpatta?

[scott123]

I've always strived to reproduce Indian restaurant style food. Now that I think about it, with the price of butter/ghee, there's very little chance my favorite local places use much of it. I'm guessing soybean, probably.

[bague25]

Western bay leaf, Edward

[Geeta]

Does anyone know if it's possible to get danedaar ghee from Sweet cream butter.

If yes, PLEASE share how.

[deliad]

Does anyone know if it's possible to get danedaar ghee from Sweet cream butter.

If yes, PLEASE share how.

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Just make sure to buy the unsalted sweet cream butter and heat it up good till all the milk solids disappear. You will see brownish froth on the top (takes about 20 -25 minutes) Just sieve it into a clean bottle and let it cool. Desi ghee is ready. I am not too sure about Danedaar. But what we make from this process tastes and feels as good as Indana or Amul back home. Incidently, we buy the unsalted butter from Costco or Sams Club.

For the remaining milk solids (brownish frothy stuff) left in the pan, throw in some atta, salt, pepper and ajwain seeds and make some dough. Heavenly wonderful paranthas for next day!!

[Milagai]

For the remaining milk solids (brownish frothy stuff) left in the pan, throw in some atta, salt, pepper and ajwain seeds and make some dough.  Heavenly wonderful paranthas for next day!!

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great idea! i must try this next ghee making session

(about every 4 weeks).

until now i had just made fried rice with the residue (also yummy)

but parathas are a must.

milagai

[Geeta]

Thanks deliad,

I too make ghee from Sweet cream butter. But the ghee is quite smooth as opposed to having granules (danas). My mom always made ghee from Milk malai and hers always was danedar. I was hoping to achieve the same using sweet cream butter.

Great tip for paranthas, will try it next time.

Another use of the milk solids is in any gravy based dish. It enhances the flavor making it nuttier. Please adjust the salt as the solids are salty.

From Indianhospitality.com

GHEE

Clarified butter made by boiling pure, white butter until the clear fat separates. Normally, the fat soldifies into granules, called 'danedar' (seeded) ghee in the north. If stirred continuously while boiling, the ghee becomes a smoother solid, which is considered less flavourful than danedar ghee. It is 'neyi' in the south, 'thoop' in the west. A dollop of pure ghee (from butter) is usually added to paranthas , khichdi(a rice and lentil dish), rice and upama(a porridge made from cream of wheat)or halwa. In the Panjab, growing children, pregnant women and new mothers are almost medicinally closed with ghee for building strength.

[deliad]

Please adjust the salt as the solids are salty.

why would the solids be salty?? (Assuming that you have used "Un-salted" butter) for making ghee.

Have you been using the salted butter for making ghee? It is not clear from your response.

From you quote, it is clear that one must NOT stir the heating butter to achieve danedaar result. Will try that next time.

[Geeta]

Hi Deliad,

I checked a pack of unsalted sweet cream butter and it has no sodium. So i guess the milk solid would be unsalted as well. Perhaps that's a memory from before when i may have used the salted kind. Thanks for questioning.

BTW i donot touch the butter when making ghee so may be the granules are dependent on temperature or some other factor.