Glorious Ghee!
Maybe you’ve heard all the rage lately? All the rage about ghee? Well, ghee has been around for quite some time and the resurgence in popularity is great! So, what is ghee?
Ghee, ghrta (in Sanskrit) or clarified butter is essentially cooked butter. It offers energetics of sweetness and coolness. It is also rejuvenating and nutritive. Ghee is the best form of fat for the body. Fat is often portrayed as this negative thing… but especially in cases of depletion, dryness and weakness (vata imbalances) fat is very useful and helpful! This is also considered the best oil for pitta, it helps to balance our digestion (agni). And honestly, ya girl here is a Vata Pitta with some Vata Pitta imbalance so you know I’m going to be using the ghee!
So, ghee is great, yes! Yes! However, there are contraindications to be noted. In cases of high ama (toxins) or when there may be too much kapha in the body, ghee should be limited or avoided. Okay, now what?!
Are you sold on trying ghee?! I thought you would be, here is how to make it!
Once you’ve found organic and unsalted butter, cut the butter into pieces. Using a heavy bottomed pan (I use a stainless steel one), place the cut up butter into the pan on medium heat until it is fully melted. This process takes about 10-15 minutes and you’ll want to keep an eye on it, so you don’t burn it. I’m told the smell of burnt butter is not delightful… so best to avoid! The butter will go through some different transformations as it cooks. You’ll notice some bubbling/sputtering and when this stops, that is the sign it is done! The butter will foam up a bit and you’ll also notice the color shifts. The ghee will present as a beautiful golden color.
Once the noise has stopped, turn the heat off, remove the pan from the heat, and allow the ghee to cool a bit. You’ll see the milk solids settle toward the bottom of the pan. Once it is warm and still in a liquid form, pour the ghee through cheesecloth into an airtight container (I use glass) and store outside of the fridge. Last step? Enjoy! Oh and for added benefit, I kept the milk parts and added a tiny bit to my dog's kibble! It’s good for humans and dogs!
