golden ghee
This post is a humble one. It is not one that boasts an abundant ingredient list - but one of purity of purpose, flavour and simplicity. The silent hero that laces the background of my cuisine - the very bass player in the band of South Asian food: Ghee.
My recollection of homemade ghee would always start from the day my mother took out a stash of fresh buffalo milk cream that had been skimmed off milk delivered daily and stored secretly at the back of the fridge - in anticipation and glory of ghee-making day. A weeks accumulation of these milky clouds, my mother would begin making this amber nectar. The process though a simple one, the stages, aromas and test of patience were another story.
Plop went the white congealed cream, thick from refrigeration, into a large pan, the fire turned on low. Slowly, silently at first the cream melted into a pool of clear liquid. Starting to bubble at the sides, releasing rather intense aromas, a certain cocktail of melted butter and astiringnet hay.. From sunshine hay scents to rich, overbearing toxic scents of sweet rubber burning, with bits of cola coloured debris begging to be skimmed through, this was by far the final stage before the crowing glory appeared. I know I am not selling it, but I promise you a divine reward awaits.
With slow patience, the rubbery essence would leave the atmosphere, replaced with what smelt like a sunny afternoon at a children fair ground. Butterscotch popcorn freshly tossed in melted butter with vanilla ice cream in waffle cones came to flood the senses. And here we were closer to the final epic masterpiece. Homemade ghee.
This sweet, nutty nectar of reminiscent childhood pleasures poured into a heatproof jar, sat with quiet patience to cool. Dependant on the atmospheric conditions, it became a solid mustard mass or remained an amber liquid. A simple pleasure with such elegant and extravagant abilities to add flavour to whatever it touches.
Prepare to be intoxicated and enveloped with bewitching aroma making the exercise in forbearance worth each second.
Homemade ghee:
I use unsalted butter as opposed to fresh double cream here, (you can use cream if you like as above story) - but this is a quicker version, less mess and time consumed. However if you were to use full fat double cream, allow for more skimming and definitely more patience!
TIP: Takes about 30-40 minutes maximum, and makes about 250 ml of liquid ghee. If you want it to be particularly butterscotch-y, cook for the full 40 minutes, when it goes very dark amber.
You’ll need:
250 g unsalted farmhouse butter.
A saucepan
A sieve
A heatproof storage jar with lid
Some time and patience.
Method:
1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted and scum rises to the top, anything between 25-40 minutes. Skin occasionally, until all scum stops rising.
2. Allow to cool slightly before pouring into a heatproof storage jar using a sieve. Cool completely before closing the lid. Keep at room temperature and use in 10-15 days. Keeps longer in fridge, about 3 weeks.
