Today I would like to discuss ghee? What? Ghee is the name for clarified (non salted) butter, heated much longer than the clarified butter used in restaurant kitchens. During the process all milk solids and water is removed.
Is it a typical Indian product?
No! Our ancestors already prepared ghee in order to increase conservation time of butter. We can keep ghee at least a year outside the fridge.
Another benefit is that ghee could be used for cooking high temperature without burning and without becoming toxic.
Back to Ayurveda In Ayurveda ghee is used not only in the kitchen. During detoxes and panchakarma (an Ayurvedic treatment in clinic) it is possible that you will be drinking an increasing amount of liquid ghee in the morning this could be pure ghee or medical ghee (ghee prepared with Ayurvedic herbs). Why? Because ghee removes fat soluble toxines from cells.
Another benefit of ghee is that calms inflammation and it supports the assimilation of nutritients. It seals the intestinal skin when leaky and lubrificates the intestinal skin. Ghee has a proven to have a beneficial effect on the intestins for thousands of years and proven by modern science because of the butyric acid in ghee.
Besides internal use, ghee could also be used for (foot) massage, it could be applied to the skin after sun burns and applied in the nostrils (jala neti).
Ghee balances all doshas (unless Kapha (water/earth) is very much out of balance). It helps to calm and clear the mind.
How does it taste?
Ghee is delicious! Especially home made ghee, which is much cheaper than store bought ghee.
I use ghee not only for cooking, but also in pastry.
How to prepare ghee
The preparation of ghee is quite easy. It only costs some patience :-):
Melt (non salted, organic) butter in a casserole, preferably with a thick bottom. As soon as it has melted, lower the heat to medium. I have an electric stove with a scale of 1-12 and I turn it to 4.
You will hear a sizzling sound. This is the water coming off. There will be foam on top.
Over some time the foam will disappear and new foam sill be created. The milk solids will sink to the bottom. Personally I start taking off the foam after 30-40 min.
The ghee is ready when the foam has more or less disappeared and the sizzling sound has stopped. The ghee has changed to a light caramel colour. Make sure the residue on the bottom doesn't turn black! Dark brown is ok.
You could also test it by putting some ghee on kitchen paper. When you burn it (in the sink!, be careful!) there will be no sound.
Filter the ghee through some cotton or cheese cloth (do not wash it with a softener before use!). Wait for around an hour for cooling down before putting it in a clean glass jar. Put a lid on the jar when the ghee is cold.
The ghee should be clear without residue on bottom or top. If there is some residue on top: take it off. When there is some residue on the bottom: heat it again till it has become solid so you can filter it out.
When cold the ghee will become a bit solid, most of the time a bit granulated.
Enjoy! I will post a video later to show you how to prepare the ghee.
0o0o0o0o
0o0o0o0o
About the author:
Hi! My name is Antje. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
I am an Ayurvedic and Orthomolecular health and lifestyle advisor and a yoga teacher. I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in October 2019, at 49 years old, and I was struggling like you: I had to lay down after each little walk, I had problems to get to sleep. Thanks to Ayurveda I learned to overcome the pain and currently I am living and active life full of energy.
Please visit Ayurveda By Antje to read more about my story and about Ayurveda.
#osteoarthritis #osteoarthritissucks #kneeosteoarthritis #osteoarthritisawareness #osteoarthritisknee #hiposteoarthritis #osteoarthritislife #osteoarthritiswarrior #osteoarthritissurvivor #osteoarthritistreatment #earlyonsetosteoarthritis #spinalosteoarthritis #osteoarthritispain #livingwithosteoarthritis #runningwithosteoarthritis #osteoarthritisrelief #osteoarthritispainrelief #osteoarthritissupport #degenerativeosteoarthritis #osteoarthritisoftheknee #fightingosteoarthritis #osteoarthritiships #osteoarthritismanagement #osteoarthritisofthehip #damnosteoarthritis #ayurveda #foodasmedicine