I can still remember my childhood days when my Mom used to make ghee religiously every Saturday with the malai (milk cream) collected during the week. The fragrance of fresh ghee with roasted drumsticks leaves used to float around our house till evening - the thought of it makes me hungry!
After I got married, I never made ghee by myself. I collect the malai, and whenever my Mom or Mother-in-law visit, they make ghee for me! They are so fast at it that before I can stop and take pictures, the ghee is ready! This time, I told my Mom-in-law in advance that I wanted to document the process, and she obliged.
Can I give Ghee to my Baby?
Ghee can be given to babies over the age of 6 months. In many parts of India, there is a custom requiring every spoon of baby food to be enriched with ghee. While homemade ghee has its benefits, it needs to be used in moderation as large quantities can have adverse health effects.
You can start with half a teaspoon of ghee for a 6 month old baby and by the end of one year it can be increased to 1 -2 teaspoons.
Ingredients
- Butter - Homemade or Store bought ( I used Aavin Butter)
- Drumstick leaves or Curry leaves
- A pinch of rock salt
Method
1. Take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature - about 15-20 minutes. Cut it into small cubes.
2. Heat a kadai. Melt the butter cubes completely on a low-medium flame.
3. Soon, the butter will start boiling with bubbles and will begin to froth and rise. At this point, turn the heat to low and let the butter continue to simmer. The color will change to a dull brown.
4. Add the salt along with the curry leaves or drumstick leaves now. Turn off the gas. To check if the ghee is ready, add a few drops of water - it should splutter in the ghee.
5. Pour the ghee into a jar, avoiding the residue at the bottom. You can also use a muslin cloth to strain the ghee as you pour it into jars.
You can see that the ghee is dark brown. As it sets, it will turn yellow by the next day.
Making your own ghee is surprisingly easy, and is so much safer to feed babies and young children, who can get its benefits without all the preservatives. Once you enjoy the taste of homemade ghee, you'll never go back to the store bought version!
Lots of Love,