Ghee, the Indian version of clarified butter, is a rich, golden oil with a nutty flavor. Like clarified butter, ghee has a higher smoking point than whole butter, which makes it great for sautéing. But unlike clarified butter, which has a neutral flavor, ghee (pronounced with a hard “g”) adds its own delicious, slightly caramelized flavor to foods. (The flavor comes from toasting the milk solids before they’re removed from the butter.)
I use ghee when sautéing vegetables and making omelets -- I especially like using it to cook mushrooms, which want a high heat that whole butter can’t cope with. I also love to mix ghee into steamed basmati rice. It makes a tender flaky dough for samosas and I imagine it would work well in other baked goods.
You can order ready-made ghee from The Baker’s Catalogue at www.kingarthurflour.com (a 13-oz. jar costs $13.95), but it’s also easy to make yourself, using these instructions from cookbook author Julie Sahni: Melt unsalted butter in a large, heavy pot over low heat. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the foaming tapers off. At this point, stir constantly and watch the ghee carefully. When the milk solids turn brown (you’ll need to push the foam aside to check), remove the pot from the heat and let the brown residue settle to the bottom of the pan. When the ghee is cool enough to handle, strain it carefully through cheesecloth and discard the residue. Ghee will keep in the refrigerator for four months.
