Being from the state of Minas Gerais, famous for its dairy products, I love butter. It could be with bread, cookies, hmmm, for me the taste of butter is special. It is the taste of childhood, family, and happiness. Today, of course, in my house, butter is always present. But then a good thing that I found about it: there is a kind of butter that is tasty and healthier. I had no doubt in adopting it.
I think many people have heard of clarified butter (aka drawn butter): it is whole, unsalted butter that is melted down and allowed to separate, so that the milk solids can be removed.
It comes from India and it is used in Indian cooking and medicine. It can be used for frying, in place of regular or olive oil. In India, it is a sacred product of everyday use. An important remedy in Ayurvedic Medicine and also for yoga practitioners.
According to nutritionist Dr. Claudia Lima, a partner of our Blog Sport & Health, Ghee (or Clarified Butter ) is an “oil” made from unsalted butter, but with different properties to regular butter. In the manufacturing process, which is artisanal, all solid elements and toxins from fat, as well as lactose, are removed, making it a good choice for food consumption instead of margarine (widely used) and conventional butter.
When prepared correctly, it has no salt (so use unsalted butter to prepare), it does not produce smoke at high temperatures, and it can be used on vegetables, pastries or other preparations that need fat, once it withstands high temperatures without “burning” (which causes darkening and changes in taste), and it also does not require refrigeration.
Easy to make at home, it should be adopted by those who are concerned about consuming good quality fat.
In Ayurvedic medicine it is considered a rejuvenating food (source of vitamin A), with benefits for the liver, gastrointestinal inflammation and it is useful to fight ulcers, and also improve memory.
Because of this, it should be used on a daily basis as a substitute for conventional butter, especially by those who are lactose intolerant.
Despite the positive properties, it is a source of saturated fat and should be consumed with moderation for those with restrictions on this type of fat.
For those who want to lose weight, be sure to use it carefully because it has the same level of calories of any fat – 9 calories per gram.
It took me a long time to discover this “sacred liquid,” but it is never too late to improve your diet and still enjoy having a little butter in it.
Ghee Clarified Butter
How to prepare it:
Place the butter in a pan, on medium heat to high.
The butter will start to boil. When foam stars to appear, start taking it out slowly with a spoon. Remove the most of this foam you can.
Wait a few minutes and remove from heat (some crystals will appear in the bottom of the pot, which is lactose). After cooling, strain and place it in a glass recipient. Leave it in the freezer until it gets hard, and then take it out. Is ready to use! Store it out of the fridge.
Then tell me if it has worked and if you liked it?
See more about the clarified butter at these sites:
http://www.maisequilibrio.com.br/nutricao/os-beneficios-da-ghee-a-manteiga-
clarificada-2-1-1-832.html
http://gnt.globo.com/programas/que-marravilha/materias/claude-troisgros-ensina-a-
fazer-manteiga-clarificada.htm
It is a delicious recipe for Paratha bread (Indian flat bread recipe) with clarified butter,
from Carol Jardim.
