Homemade Ghee! (Lactose-free/clarified butter)

I just recently discovered how incredibly easy it is to make something that is quite expensive.  Earlier today I compared prices on whether or not it was even worth doing.  I shop at Trader Joe's (which is budget-friendly) and snapped some pictures of the price of their butter versus the price of their ghee.  Between 16 ounces of real butter and 8 ounces of ghee (that's right folks, half the amount of the butter sticks), there was nearly a $2 difference -- $2 more for the ghee.  Yes, it would be worth my time to make the ghee.

So why ghee and not butter?  Well, if you happen to have a lactose issue, but love butter, then this is for you.  Ghee also has a higher smoke point, because it doesn't have the sugar in it -- the sugar being what contributes to burning.  Ghee will burn, but at a higher and longer amount of heat.  Many people are lactose-intolerant.  Many of those that actually are lactose-intolerant don't even realize it.  What is so wrong with lactose?  Simple research shows us that enzymes are needed to digest them easily and safely.  This is why the pills a lactose-intolerant person can take in order to consume lactose contains enzymes.  This is not a fault with the milk.  The milk does have enzymes, but pastuerizing removes them.  Hence, many people that are lactose-intolerant can actually consume raw milk.  So if you remove the enzymes it is probably better to remove the lactose.  This is where ghee comes in.

What you will need:
Unsalted butter
Mason jar
Tea strainer or equivalent, or cheese cloth

Step 1.  Melt the butter fully on medium heat to a boil.  I was careful not to put it on a high heat because I intend on using the solids that will float to the bottom.  Many depend on the solids turning brown to tell them the ghee is done.  I will share with you later how to tell otherwise, without burning the solids so that you may later use them.  I purchased unsalted butter because you will need to add salt to help out the separation after it cooks. If you already start with salted butter you may end up with too much salt in your ghee.  Also, I utilize the unused part of the butter, which is predominately sugar.  I will explain later why I mentioned this.

Step 2.  Turn the heat to simmer.  Once the butter is fully melted, it will start to look frothy.  You will hear snap, crackle, and pops as the water boils out of the fat.  This boil is untexturized.  It is very different from fat boiling (which you will soon see).  At this water boiling stage, when the butter is fully metled, turn the medium heat down to a simmer to finish ridding the water.  The solids will start to separate.  You don't need to skim, so resist the urge!

Step 3.  Allow ghee to simmer 10-15 minutes.  This was the time frame for my stove.  The time to simmer will depend on how much butter you started with and your stove.  I used 16 ounces of butter and have a hotter stove.  You will allow the ghee to simmer until 1) the boiling has turned into smaller, textured/thick bubbles, 2) you can see the bottom of the pot when you try to separate the curds on the surface, and 3) when you see that most of the curds have actually dropped to the bottom of the pot.  Basically, when the ghee is transparent, it is done.  You don't have to watch the solids (until they turn brown), instead watch the ghee.

Step 4.  Take off the heat and add a pinch of salt.  This helps the curds to fall to the bottom.  If you started with a medium heat and went to a simmer, then your curd solids will have preserved themselves enough to be used again.  The solids are mostly sugar.  They burn easily.  So in order to use the solids you will have to remove from the heat as soon as the ghee is transparent.

Step 5.  Strain ghee into a mason jar.  I didn't have a cheese cloth nor did I have a tea strainer, so I used a frying lid.  Hey, it works.  I did a triple strain, from one glass jar into another.  I had read somewhere that if you do more than one strain, be careful not to rinse out your strainer.  Allowing water into the ghee will diminsh its shelf stability.

The milk solids won't amount to much, but since it has a high sugar concentration, why not make it a coffee creamer?  Or you can add it to pancakes as a mock buttermilk.  Allow the ghee to cool.  It doesn't need to be refrigerated.  I have taken a picture of the ghee I bought from Trader Joe's for $4.79 versus the one I made for a total of $2.99.  Excuse my jar, it used to be a peanut butter one.  You know I'm all about repurposing if it saves me a dollar.

Ghee is shelf-stable.  Foods with lactose require refrigeration, but your new and better "butter" doesn't have that issue anymore!

Punjabi Eggplant Masala

This is one of my Indian favorites.  It's so good to me that even the box dinner satisfies.  There's still something about buying a box dinner though that seems so wrong.  I got better though and moved up to making my own, albeit using jarred tomato sauce as my base for the masala.  Now I've moved up even more and made the whole thing.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

2 large tomatoes

1 red onion

3 cloves garlic

olive oil (for rub and saute)

1 t tumeric

1 t cumin

1 T coconut sugar

dash of ginger

salt to taste

To get started, you will have to roast the eggplant to the best of your ability.  I think traditionally it would be in a tandoori oven.  I don't happen to have one of those, so I just rubbed mine over with olive oil and put it on broil in the oven, door ajar.  This helps give it that smoky taste, which is a part of what makes the dish what it is.

Since it is the broiler, you will have to keep an eye out.  I only had mine in for maybe 5-10 minutes each side (again, door ajar).  You will know it is done when the eggplant shrivels and the skin looks roasted.

While it cools, chop and saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until slightly softened.  You can either finely chop the tomaotes, or put them in your blender.  I opt to chop them and let the cooking pull the fluid out.  It makes it more savory.  Add the tomatoes.  This is your masala.  Depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes, I may or may not add the coconut sugar.  This is slightly sweeter than things like curry dishes.  Sometimes the tomatoes are so ripe they don't need it, but sometimes they do.  You will have to be the judge on yours.  Add the cumin, tumeric, and ginger.  Mind you, I don't use exact measurement -- especially in spices.  I typed up an approximate, but it's your tongue, roll with the measurement to your liking.  This is also where you would want to add your hot-factor with fresh peppers.  Since my 6 year old thinks that black pepper is hot, I didn't add any to mine.

You notice in time as the tomatoes cook they soften and the masala becomes more liquidy.

As you have that mixture on low, start peeling the skin off of your eggplant and move to a dish that can collect the liquids that release as you mash.  I mash with a fork, since I don't mind chunks in my food.  You may prefer to actually blend your cooked eggplant.

Add the eggplant to the masala and let saute on low for at least another 5 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Homemade Samosas

If you're like me, when you eat Indian, it's such a tough decision on what to order.  The stomach is only so big!  Their entrees are yum, but so are their appetizers, like the samosas.  It's just that even their appetizers are so big that there's isn't room for the yummy masala that's coming next.  The struggle is real.

Indian is one type of food I don't mind not cooking and ordering instead.  Their foods are full of fresh spices, and since many in their culture are Hindu, they understand how to prepare meat-free deliciousness, for those of a vegan lifestyle.  I really only came up with this recipe because of cost-effeciency.  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dough:

4.5 C all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

9 T coconut oil (for vegan option, or soften butter for non)

6-7 T water to start, adding a T at a time to form

Filling:

Vegan-

3 potatoes, cubed small

1/2 onion

1 C frozen peas

1 T each:  curry, cumin, tumeric

salt to taste

Meat-

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 onion

1 C frozen peas

1 T each:  curry, cumin, tumeric

salt to taste

Canola oil for frying

Mix ingredients for dough, and set aside.  Warning:  my water amount is an estimation, as with my doughs I add little at time until I receive desired texture.  You should do the same.  Texture should be dry enough to not stick to your fingers, but wet enough to have some elasticity and not crack when formed.  

Pre-cut and boil potatoes to cook, or pan-fry ground beef until brown.  Drain.  Add frozen peas, onions, and spices.  Mix fully.  I made both vegan and meat fillings, so I had leftovers of the fillings for the next day's lunch.  I just had to make more dough for it. 

In a large deep frying pan, add canola oil (or other high smoke point vegetable oil), heating on medium high.  Divide dough into 2-3 inch balls (enough to roll out into a 5 inch circle).  After you roll the balls of dough, heap tablespoons of filling upon middle of dough.  Fold the edges of the circle over the filling, in order to form a triangle, gently pinching the ends together as you fold.  Pan fry on each side until golden brown, with enough oil to cover half of the samosa.  Serve immediately.  Dough and 1 filling recipe yield approximately 20 samosas.

This dough is crispy and soft, and does well as leftovers (unlike most fried foods).  It was not soggy when I ate the leftovers the next day.  It is best to reheat, or keep warm, in your oven.