Centuries ago, the Ayurveda already mentioned that Ghee is “out of all oils fit for human consumption, the best to eat”.
Ghee has a cleansing effect, lowers cholesterol, boosts the immune system and promotes general vitality.
So what it this Ghee then?
Ghee is purified butter, coming from separating milk solids from the oil, leaving a golden substance, which can be stored in a jar for a long time.
I like ghee for the somewhat nutty caramel flavor, especially when using it to fry potatoes. You have probably heard that coconut oil is great for cooking because the fatty acids remain stable at high temperatures. Well, the same holds for ghee (not for butter, which will turn black at high temperatures!). So when you want another taste than the one that comes from coconut oil, try ghee, which is also the ingredient that gives Indian curries their rich flavor.
Though you can buy ghee in (organic) supermarkets, I make mine myself. It’s a nice activity on a Sunday afternoon, is cheap and smells great.
What you need:
- 2 sticks of unsalted organic butter (grass fed)
- 1 pan
- 1 glass container
- 1 spoon
- a dish cloth, sieve or handkerchief
What you do:
- Place the butter in the pan over a medium heat — stay close at all times! The butter will start melting and a white foam will appear on top of the ghee.
- Remove the white foam with a spoon and continue doing that until no new foam appears.
- After around 10 minutes, the bubbling sound will stop, a nutty popcorn smell will appear and the ghee will be golden, caramel colored. At the bottom of the pan, you will see brown caramelized solids form.
- That’s when you remove the pan and poor it through the sieve or cloth into the glass jar. Allow it to cool and store it at room temperature.
Use it as a cooking oil, or add some to your cooked vegetables for more taste + as an extra healthy fat component in your meal.
Ghee as detox?
Yes! Recent studies have shown that the best way to remove fat soluble toxins from your body (such as heavy metals, parasites, pesticides, preservatives, food additives, pollutants, plastics and other environmental chemicals) is with fat itself. So don’t limit your intake of healthy fats, your body and brain will thank you for it!
