It’s the beginning of my blog, so I’m starting with the basics. Ghee is clarified butter, and sits at the top of the pyramid of cow products, so you can imagine how holy it is in Indian culture. You have milk from which you make butter, then you melt and simmer the butter until all the water evaporates and milk solids separate and voila: ghee. It looks like liquid gold or bronze, depending on whether or not you let it cook a teensy bit too long to give it a nuttier flavor.
Ghee is an essential in Ayurvedic cooking and body care, and if you’re not familiar with it but have had Indian sweets, you may recognize the taste. It’s pretty easy once you’ve made it once or twice. It’s worth it to have a quality pot, something with a good heavy bottom that’s deep enough for the ghee to bubble in without splattering all over. Do not use pots with coatings such as teflon.
Ghee
2-4 sticks of hormone/antibiotic free, organic unsalted butter.
Place the butter in the bottom of the pot or pan and turn your cooker to medium. When the butter has melted, reduce heat to med-low and let simmer, uncovered. The butter will bubble noisily and a gentle, pale-yellow foam will form on top. If it starts to splatter, go ahead and lower the heat a bit, but keep it simmering. This is why it’s good to have a pot with some depth. You can take a clean spoon and gently brush the foam aside to see the golden liquid underneath, with milk solids collecting on the bottom. 
You’ll know your ghee is just about done when it quiets down, the bubbles are few or only coming from one spot, and the milk solids on the bottom are a rich brown color. Watch closely at this stage, because the water has almost completely evaporated out, and it can burn quickly. Take the ghee off and pour through a strainer into a glass (never plastic!) jar. Store covered and unrefrigerated. Ghee does not go bad if stored in an air-tight container and kept clean. According to Ayurveda, it improves with age – I once heard a story about an Ayurvedic doctor who has his 30-year-old jar of ghee that he takes with him wherever he goes. This oil is delicious in soups, or just about anywhere that you use butter. Because the milk solids have been taken out, baked goods with ghee will last longer than those with milk and butter.
You can use ghee for your skin! In Sanskrit, the work for oil massage is Abhyanga. Ayurveda recommends a daily abhyanga to maintain a flexible, young, healthy body. Before you shower, rub warm ghee or sunflower oil on your skin – all over your body (or just the dry bits if you’re short on time or oil). Use circular rubs on joints and long strokes over the long bones. You can rub oil into your scalp, too, starting at the crown of the head and working out in a spiral. One nice way to encourage circulation and elimination of toxins is to start with the extremities and work inwards, ending at the tummy. Don’t forget your back. NOTE: Although abhyanga is widely recommended, it is not advisable for everyone. Many other oils are used, depending on your body type, needs and current condition. It is advisable to speak with an Ayurvedic consultant or physician to find out if abhyanga is right for you, and which oils to use. Different oils can alleviate or aggravate certain conditions.
Enjoy!
