🧈 Ghee

Ghee is a kind of clarified butter traditional to the Indian subcontinent. Butter (from cow’s or buffalo milk, and traditionally often butter made from soured cream or dahi) is heated slowly until the water evaporates and the milk proteins settle and turn lightly brown. The fat is then strained. The browned proteins give ghee its nutty aroma and golden colour.

Ghee is used in Indian cooking for frying and as a seasoning, as well as in Hindu rituals and Ayurveda. Because it contains almost no water, it keeps for a very long time — up to two years, according to the FAO. India produces most of the world’s butter and ghee: almost 40% in 2021, by FAO estimates.

Ghee differs from butter in being almost pure fat: it contains hardly any water, lactose or casein, so it withstands high heat without burning. What sets it apart from European clarified butter is longer heating, which browns the residue. Ghee is high in calories and saturated fat, so it is recommended in moderation.