How to Make Healthier Clarified Butter (Ghee)



In my search for some of the best recipes possible using black seeds, I came upon this herbalist who was teaching people to make butter his way.  He suggested using lemon oil, rosemary oil, sea salt, turmeric and marigold flowers.  I have taken his original recipes and revamped it totally and I have come up with some of the most flavorful ghee you can imagine that is very healthy.

As you may know eating too much butter is not good for your arteries, but by making ghee and then adding the herbs to stop any blockage you will now have a product that is safe to use in limited amounts.  As with anything, excess is not good.  I made this today and it is so yummy, you will be thanking me a million times over.

What is Ghee?

Ghee or clarified butter is used in many Middle Eastern Dishes, such as kabsa When making ghee the milk solids and water are removed from the butter and all is left is the butterfat on top.  It is a more delicious butter and is used to cook foods at a higher cooking point without becoming toxic as in extra virgin olive oil. 

Although ghee is cooked slightly longer than clarified butter to give it the browning effect on the bottom, you can use ghee or clarified butter in these recipes.  Ghee does have a nuttier taste than clarified butter. Ghee has a longer shelf life also and can be stored on the shelf if you like.  For me I keep mine in the refrigeration.  I have had my ghee in the refrigerator for over one year with no loss of texture or sign ever of mold or waste.

Benefits of Lemon Oil

You will only use a few drops of the lemon oil, but it will add flavor and health benefits to your ghee.  Lemon oil has limonene which has been shown to knock out pancreatic tumors and cancer.  It is also used in many of the liver detox drinks and with the oh so famous Master Cleanse Diet which many famous celebrities went on.

Turmeric and Marigold Mixture

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory food and is used to protect your liver, arteries and give you overall protection.  Turmeric is also used to prevent Alzheimer's disease and breast cancer.  Other benefits of curcumin or turmeric are:
  • Prevention for cancer
  • Anti inflammatory properties
  • Cardiovascular benefits
  • Aides in the prevention of high cholesterol
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis benefits

Marigold has so many benefits, that you will run to the herbalist and buy all he has.  The marigold has now been placed in the books of cancer and anti-cancer cures, because it has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The marigold is also able to help in the treatment of wounds. Some of the remedies for the marigold flowers are:
  • Inflammation of the intestines
  • Diarrhea
  • Liver problems
  • Expel worms
  • Herpes and glandular swellings
  • Hepatitis


Rosemary Oil Benefits

Rosemary oil is an anti-oxidant which has many benefits and is good for the brain.  Rosemary has long been touted as a treatment for the entire body, not just the brain.  It will improve the immune system, heal digestion problems and heal delicate organ problems, such as the liver.

Rosemary is also a great essential oil for your hair. You can use this essential oil to slow down hair loss and use as an ointment if you are bald.  Not only is it good for the hair, but for your skin too.  You will find rosemary oil in many delicate skin lotions.

Nigella Sativa or Black Seeds

Yes, we are coming to the main ingredient that we will add to make this ghee healthier with the use of black seeds.  You can add the oil, but I added whole seeds right at the end of the process.  It gave the ghee a wonderful flavor and will be something you cannot do without.  I had to immediately run to try out my new ghee and indeed the flavor was just as expected, WONDERFUL.

Black seeds do not lose their value by cooking, but you want to make sure not to burn them.  So I suggest putting them in the end for just a minute or so.  Black seeds are so full of nutrition that they contain more than 100 different types of nutrients and vitamins.  It is part of the "Prophetic Medicine" that claims it cures all disease but death.

Now on to the actual recipe:

In many Arab dishes, the first ingredient is "Ghee." Learning how to make ghee or purified butter is not difficult and this article will show you how it is done.

Ghee is clarified butter or butter that is cooked to separate the fat, which is then removed. It is a simple and easy process. Once you have a container or jar of ghee, you will never want to go back to regular butter again. The best ghee is made from raw butter. Raw butter can be obtained from a local farmer or holistic store specializing in fresh dairy products.

There is nothing like making some delicious Saudi Kabsa with the base of ghee. The flavor is so much more intense and wonderful when you start with ghee. Most Arab or Middle Eastern cooking has a lot of fried food. The base of most meals starts with some sautéed onions. To have a higher cooking point in virgin olive oil, add in some ghee with the oil and the oil will be better tasting also.


Instructions 
  • Place one pound of butter in a heavy based metal pan.
  • Turn the heat on low to simmer the butter. Add in 6 drops of each of the essential oils of lemon, rosemary and 1 teaspoon of the turmeric and marigold mixture.  You can add in one teaspoon of sea salt for more flavor and benefit if you like. 
  • Keep the pan partially covered. This process will take around 12-16 minutes. Do not stir the pan; just tilt the pan slightly to see how the bottom of the pan is doing.
  • Around one minute before the ghee is done, add in 1 tablespoon of whole black seeds.
  • When most of the froth is gone and the bubbling has subsided, it is time to turn off the ghee and remove it off the stove. Let the ghee or purified butter cool at this point.
  • After the ghee is completely cooled, strain the ghee and place it in a glass jar. It is important at this point to use a glass jar.
  • The ghee will keep for months in the refrigerator. The ghee will harden in the refrigerator, so when it is needed, just use a knife or spoon to take out what is needed or defrost it for a little while.
  • This recipe can be safely doubled.

As there are many recipes and some claiming to be the best, always try and be careful not to let the ghee burn. Some recipes will say to cook the ghee for up to 45 minutes. Do not follow these recipes as the ghee will be ruined.

Here is a video that will show you step by step how to make ghee. The video is called "How to make Ghee