Cardamom ghee

Making ghee at home is not quite as complicated as it is made out to be. All it needs is access to good quality milk and a little understanding of technique. Given the growing incidences of adulteration in ghee, it is best to learn how to make one’s own. This simple, step-by-step recipe will help you to make a jar of your own ghee at regular intervals. Look at the bottom for more ideas on flavored ghee!

Ingredients:

·         3 cups Cream, collected from Europaea Free Range Farms grass-fed cow’s milk

·         3 tablespoons natural yogurt starter

·         6 pods of good quality green cardamom, bruised

Method:

        i.            To collect the cream from the milk, simply heat the milk and allow it to cool. The skin that floats on top of the milk when completely cooled is the cream. Carefully skim this off the milk and collect in a separate bowl. Do this over a few days.

      ii.            In order to make ghee that has a longer shelf life and a better flavor profile, it is important to add a natural yogurt culture to it. Simply add the natural yogurt starter to the cream you have collected and mix well. Cover with a loose fitting lid and set aside in a warm spot for 6-8 hours. Once set, chill in the refrigerator.

    iii.            Add the cold set cream to a blender jar along with 1 cup of chilled water. Blend for 3-4 minutes until the butter floats to the top. Carefully strain out the cold butter and place into a bowl. Reserve the buttermilk for drinking as is or use in cooking or baking. You can refrigerate this butter under a thin film of water for 8-10 days.

     iv.            To make the ghee, strain off any water or buttermilk left in the bowl and place the butter in a thick-bottomed pan over low to medium heat. Once all the butter has melted and started clarifying, add the green cardamom to the pan. Continue to reduce on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn a rich golden brown, turn off the heat and strain the liquid into a jar. Set aside until completely cool. If small granules of fat begin forming on the top of the ghee as it cools, it is a good thing, so don’t worry!

       v.            Store at room temperature for 2 weeks or refrigerate and thaw small quantities as required.

     vi.            This flavored ghee is great to use in cooking fragrant dishes such as biryani or as a finishing fat on desserts or in bakes.

Tip: Experiment with other spices such as cloves or herbs such as rosemary.