Lots of curry recipes call for ghee as an ingredient.
Ghee is clarified butter that is used instead of oil for frying. It is popular for frying because it has a very high “smoke point”, which means that it is safe for cooking at very high temperatures without discolouring or burning and it is these properties that makes it good for deep frying.
People are moving away from using ghee nowadays because it is high in cholesterol. Groundnut, sesame, corn or sunflower oil is being used more and more.
It’s very easy to make ghee. All you do is melt unsalted butter over a low heat. Then you simmer for at least 20 minutes. Any solids that rise to the top of the liquid are skimmed off and discarded. After simmering, the liquid should be clear and light yellow. You strain the liquid through a fine cloth into a clean jar, discarding anything that is trapped by the cloth. The liquid will solidify into ghee as it cools. You can store the ghee at room temperature for a few weeks or in a fridge for about 6 months.
If you want ghee and don’t want to make it yourself, you can buy it from most Indian food stores or some of the larger supermarkets.Â
