Ghee?

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Zwiefel said:
I've used it a few times...homemade, though you can get jars of it in Indian grocers.

It's really just clarified butter. Much like other forms of butter, it's quite rich, but Ghee seems a bit more neutral to me.

Overall, I think it's too much trouble to keep around...I just use EVOO for everything :)

Also, all those saturated fats aren't the best thing for heart health.
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Depends on the kind of saturated fat, not all should be demonized in that way :)
 
Talal said:
Depends on the kind of saturated fat, not all should be demonized in that way :)
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I'm not familiar with any evidence that any saturated fat is better for heart health than any unsaturated fat. :)

But, point taken...they aren't all the same either.
 
Zwiefel said:
I'm not familiar with any evidence that any saturated fat is better for heart health than any unsaturated fat. :)

But, point taken...they aren't all the same either.
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Tala may be right. The evidence is actually not clear. I first stumbled on this perspective on saturated fat when I was on the Eades Protein Power diet which doesn't promote fatty foods, it just says don't worry about them.

Here is an article I present not as an endorsement but as a data point. One should draw their own conclusions:
http://www.menshealth.com/health/saturated-fat?fullpage=true

-AJ
 
Extremely interesting read AJ....Seems like, again, the common wisdom--even among the supposed experts--might be overhyped or even completely wrong.

Thanks for the new perspective AJ/Talal!
 
Zwiefel said:
Extremely interesting read AJ....Seems like, again, the common wisdom--even among the supposed experts--might be overhyped or even completely wrong.

Thanks for the new perspective AJ/Talal!
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thank you for the link indeed..

Yea Zwiefel, a little of topic but I have been cooking with coconut oil (which is VERY high in saturated fat, but medium chain ) for over 4 years. i go through about 2 liters a month, not including at least a liter of grass fed butter, coupled with enormous amounts of meat, and ive since lost weight.. and havent been over 60kg ! lol
 
Talal said:
thank you for the link indeed..

Yea Zwiefel, a little of topic but I have been cooking with coconut oil (which is VERY high in saturated fat, but medium chain ) for over 4 years. i go through about 2 liters a month, not including at least a liter of grass fed butter, coupled with enormous amounts of meat, and ive since lost weight.. and havent been over 60kg ! lol
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Sorry Dave....:threadjacked:

Actually, I'd read about both Coconut and Palm oils as having been incorrectly demonized...but had never heard such a thing about animal fats...until this article.

Sounds like you are following an Atkins-like diet...which have received pretty mixed reviews from studies + experts in various studies. Honestly, I don't follow this stuff very much...I eat whatever pleases me but have a lot of variety and keep an eye on portions...and try to ride my bike 3X/week. Numbers are always in tolerable ranges with the docs :)
 
Ghee is more commonly used in northern India, coconut oil more in the south. I think ghee is more popular than butter in India because it keeps rather well without refrigeration for quite a while. I have a tub in my fridge most of the time and use it when I cook northern Indian or moghul type curries like a korma or when I'm making Indian roti on the griddle. I love its nutty creaminess. Butter is a good substitute if you don't use it enough to warrant buying a tub or tin of it. In terms of brands I've found that those made in India from Indian milk and butter fats are superior. 'Amul' is great; 'QBB' which I think is made in India but from Australian milk and butter fats is not as aromatic or nutty in flavour. Dave, if you have a tin of it already try using it for omelettes, rich stews, etc. A good dollop of ghee in a hot pan with some mustard seeds or cumin seeds thrown in and quickly taken out (just as they pop!) to add on top of stews or soups can be surprisingly good!
 
Sambal, I do love a black mustard seed & curry leaf tadka! I even use it with raita sometimes to make it a little special.

I understand that coconut oil is used predominantly in Kerala...but mustard oil would be more likely than coconut in Andhra. Not sure about Tamil though.
 
Zwiefel said:
Sambal, I do love a black mustard seed & curry leaf tadka! I even use it with raita sometimes to make it a little special.

A bit of trivia: When you pop mustard seeds in hot ghee and immediately add this to a bowl of dhal (split pea) curry just before serving, it's called "chaunk", just like the sound it makes. The flavour and aroma is amazing! Do try a chaunk sometime.
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Sambal said:
Zwiefel said:
Sambal, I do love a black mustard seed & curry leaf tadka! I even use it with raita sometimes to make it a little special.

A bit of trivia: When you pop mustard seeds in hot ghee and immediately add this to a bowl of dhal (split pea) curry just before serving, it's called "chaunk", just like the sound it makes. The flavour and aroma is amazing! Do try a chaunk sometime.
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chaunk is a staple in my household! especially when making a nice moong dal curry.. mm
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Sambal said:
A bit of trivia: When you pop mustard seeds in hot ghee and immediately add this to a bowl of dhal (split pea) curry just before serving, it's called "chaunk", just like the sound it makes. The flavour and aroma is amazing! Do try a chaunk sometime.
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Interesting...I've never heard this word before...always heard this called a Tadka or Tarka, which is probably Hindi. What language is Chaunk?

The only other word like this I know is Chatak...which is like the sounds you make when you eat something very tasty...I think that's a Hindi word.

Talal, yup, I use this everytime when I make Moong Daal. One of my favorites.

Here's some photos from a batch of Moong Daal a while back:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150274025394415.349422.144012669414&type=3
 
Fantastic looking .. ive never made dosas myself to be honest.. always enjoyed moong dal on a mountain of rice! but you have certainly inspired me to try it out! :)
 
Sambal said:
Ghee is more commonly used in northern India, coconut oil more in the south. I think ghee is more popular than butter in India because it keeps rather well without refrigeration for quite a while. I have a tub in my fridge most of the time and use it when I cook northern Indian or moghul type curries like a korma or when I'm making Indian roti on the griddle. I love its nutty creaminess. Butter is a good substitute if you don't use it enough to warrant buying a tub or tin of it. In terms of brands I've found that those made in India from Indian milk and butter fats are superior. 'Amul' is great; 'QBB' which I think is made in India but from Australian milk and butter fats is not as aromatic or nutty in flavour. Dave, if you have a tin of it already try using it for omelettes, rich stews, etc. A good dollop of ghee in a hot pan with some mustard seeds or cumin seeds thrown in and quickly taken out (just as they pop!) to add on top of stews or soups can be surprisingly good!
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:thumbsup: Thanks
 
Dave I use Ghee when doing steaks in a pan. I make my own from 1 pound of unsalted butter. It isn't hard to do as I've listed the steps below, though it doesn't take a bit of time but makes the kitchen smell like buttered popcorn. The dog and cats love the foam by the way.

How to Make Ghee


use 4 sticks (or 1 lb.) of regular, unsalted butter.

Melt the Butter
Put all the butter into a pot, and cook it on a low heat. In a few minutes, the butter will melt, the foam will rise to the top, and bubbles will be bursting.

Scoop the Foam From the Butter

Once the foam appears, lower the heat to an even lower degree and scoop off the foam with a spoon.

Continue to cook the butter on a low heat for about 5-20 minutes, or until the butter becomes very clear and the milk solids on the bottom become a light brown.

Pour the Butter Through a Filter (coffee filters work good or fine cheese cloth)

Now turn the heat off and let the pot stand for 2 minutes, allowing everything to settle before straining everything into a jar through a coffee filter or a cheese cloth.

Once everything is in the jar, let it cool and solidify.

Store the Ghee
Your clarified butter is now ready and can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. You can now use it a as a dip for lobster sauce, an Indian food, or as a substitute for any recipe at all that calls for butter.
 
I use it all the time, always made it myself. Sometimes I'll flaver it, like this time of year a vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, star Anees, sauté butternut squash, or butternut squash ravioli.
 
You can also do "brown ghee" and "black ghee" by cooking the milk solids for differing periods of times...gives a significantly different flavor profile to the finished product.
 
The range of flavor profiles I've got from different brands purchased is crazy. What drives me nuts is when I get one I like and then return for more the flavor is always different. I need to start making this stuff myself.
 
Dave Martell said:
The range of flavor profiles I've got from different brands purchased is crazy. What drives me nuts is when I get one I like and then return for more the flavor is always different. I need to start making this stuff myself.
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Well, I assume you're getting Indian ghee and in my experience with India having spent quite a bit of time there on several extended trips from the 70s till recently, consistency is generally a bit of a challenge with most things Indian. I'm not being disparaging in a prejudiced manner I assure you. It's just how it is. Also, levels of freshness has a lot to do with it I suspect. 'Amul' is the brand I like most.

On a tangent, there's a growing interest here in Melbourne with people churning their own butter. Any of you doing this? Seems like something I can get into and enjoy doing.
 
This will be a little on, and a little off topic.

Not all fats are created equally. When talking about the health effects of saturated fats, especially animal fats, where they come from is vital. Not only does pastured butter taste better, but it is genuinely healthy for you (provided you stay within appropriate calorie ranges).

http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

This has a slew of credible research that differentiates between corn-fed and grass-fed/pastured animal products, and illuminates the vast structural differences that result from the two separate food chains.

This might also have a great deal to do with the taste differences that people are finding.
 
I also use the purity farms ghee. Not cheap, but good and a little goes a long way.

In approximate order from low to high heat I mostly use:

EVOO
Butter
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Sunflower oil
Lard
Ghee
COO (cheap olive oil)
Grape seed oil

I like Ghee on veggies when I want to sear them at higher heat than butter or coconut will tolerate.
I've also been meaning to try clarified chicken fat. I think there was a book written recently about that.

EDIT.
This one: http://ruhlman.com/2013/08/the-book-of-schmaltz-available-today/
 
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