Vegans, look away now… Ayurveda says ghee is the queen bee of all oils. And I LOVE it. Travelling in India, I’ve become very used to the sweet, comforting taste of it, as in most the ashrams we stayed in, they’d add a generous spoonful of it to our rice.
- It’s used to strengthen our nerves and soothe inflammation.
- It’s said to promote brain function, heightening our memory and intelligence.
- It aids digestion, enhances ojas (life juice) and heals our liver.
- It assists in replenishing bone marrow.
- It can improve the quantity and quality of semen and regenerates our reproductive tissues.
- Plus, it’s ripe with antioxidants so it helps with vitality levels and slowing the ageing process.
And, for the yogis, ghee lubricates connective tissues and helps with flexibility. As well as cooking with it, it can be massaged into skin and, mixed with raw honey, is a soothing application for swellings and wounds.
Making ghee is super-easy
Just chop up and melt a block of organic butter in a pan, simmer on a very low heat for about 30 minutes, taking care that it doesn’t brown. Then with a ladle, carefully spoon off the white foam, leaving the clear yellow liquid. Strain it through cheese cloth as you pour it into a jar.
The white foam is the saturated fat and milk solids. These are what differentiates ghee from butter. Without these, ghee is lighter and much easier to digest. It keeps without refrigeration for 3-4 months, or up to a year in the fridge.
As well as cooking with it or using it instead of butter on your rice cakes or bread, I heard that ghee and black tea is a winner.
Sat nam x