Make Homemade Ghee from Spoiled Cream

If you have been following my blog, you must have read the word ‘Ghee’ several times in the list of ingredients. I love adding a dollop of ghee in whatever I am cooking. I think it adds a beautiful fragrance and gourmet flavor in the dish. Ghee is not only used in our everyday dishes (like Dal, Parathas and Curries) but also for the connoisseur’s items (like Biryani and Kababs). Apart from this, Ghee is widely used in the preparation of Bhog (meals offered to Gods) and is also added in Charanamrit (a thin beverage offered to Gods prepared with Milk, Sugar, Honey, Ghee and Yogurt). Ghee is also used in rustic dishes (like Litti Chokha – a dough ball prepared with roasted chick pea flour, served with cooked mashed eggplant dish and topped with lots of Ghee to make it moist) and comfort foods (like Khichuri and Dal). Ghee also rules the dessert market (Payesh and Halwa). But enough about where it is used, let me tell you how it is made:

Ghee is made by boiling cream till the milk solids separate. Once you strain the milk solids you will be left with a beautiful golden colored clear liquid fat. This is Ghee! I did find several methods online to prepare Ghee at home but I am going to share with you the simplest method which I have seen my mom follow all these years.

Growing up I used to wait for days for mom to collect all the heavy cream. She used to boil the fresh milk everyday and once it would cool down she would scrape the top layer of the thick cream and keep it aside in a bowl. This cream was kept refrigerated and everyday a fresh layer of cream was added on top of it. Then after a week or so (or whenever enough cream had been accumulated) would be the day to make the Ghee. Mind you this is a smelly process. My mom used to warn everyone in advance to plan our day. Then she would start boiling the cream, stirring it often. I think this is the most difficult stage of the whole process. The initial smell of the boiling thick spoiled cream is not easy to bear. But if you can surpass it somehow you will be rewarded with a sweet buttery liquid or Ghee. 

For those of my friends who live in an apartment or who don’t have a window in their kitchen, please be advised to start the exhaust fan and Central Air system of your apartment/ home before starting the process. The smell of the the spoiled cream lingers on and although you will soon get used to it (because you will be cooking), any other person will find it unbearable. 

If you are thinking, this is too much hassle just to use the spoiled cream, then let me remind you that once you prepare the Ghee it can be kept at room temperature or in fridge for a really good amount of time. Also, you will get more than half of the cream back in the form of Ghee and the other half will be milk solids (also called Khakhri). Although this may be an acquired taste, let me tell you, khakhri tastes absolutely wonderful with some hot steamed rice and salt. So, you are in a win win situation here. You get to use the spoiled cream and taste a new thing! 

Make sure to always use a clean spoon for scooping out the ghee. Keep it in an airtight container on your kitchen counter or in the fridge. During summer, if you are not using it frequently, it is best to refrigerate it. It will get firm once it gets cold so bring it to room temperature before using it. 

Ghee can be used to sear or sauté foods on high heat. Since the milk solids have been removed, Ghee has a really high smoking point. You can use Ghee to prepare any dish but to help you start I have listed a couple of dishes (see Recommended Reading).

Ingredients:

• Spoiled Heavy Cream (quantity doesn’t matter)

Others:

• A good non-stick pan or a big heavy bottomed pot/ wok
• A rubber spatula
• An oven safe small dish (to transfer the hot Ghee)
• A metal strainer

Directions:

• Transfer all the spoiled cream into the pot and bring it to a boil. If it starts splattering too much then reduce the heat. Stir occasionally.

• You will soon see the cream changing color. Keep stirring occasionally and turn down the heat to medium low.

• Continue to cook the cream. Make sure to keep a close watch on it and stir it occasionally. Once you start seeing golden liquid floating with the cream, it means the Ghee has started to separate. Keep an oven safe dish and metal strainer handy.

• You may cook all the cream and then strain it in the bowl. I had a small strainer so I started transferring couple spoonfuls of ghee into the bowl at this stage.
• After a while, when you see only thick layers of cream remaining in the pot you may increase the heat a bit and allow it to boil quickly. It will turn foamy so be very careful. Keep stirring. 
• When you see amber brown solids sticking on the spatula, it means the Ghee is ready and there is no more cream left to be boiled. It will also smell sweet.
• Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove. 
• Let it cool down for a few minutes. 
• Transfer the hot Ghee very carefully into the metal strainer. The milk solids will collect on the strainer and the Ghee will drop into the bowl below.
• Let it sit for a while so that all the ghee can transfer from the milk solids into the bowl.

You can keep the Ghee at room temperature and use it everyday. Or you can transfer it to a clean dry container and store in the fridge.
The ghee will solidify at room temperature but you can easily scoop it out with a clean spoon.

Enjoy the Ghee in any dish and the Khakhri (milk solids) with some hot steamed rice and salt. Try it! it tastes amazing!

I will say this is the yummiest Ghee I have ever had. No store bought Ghee can stand before this. 

Recommended Reading (Some recipes where you can use Ghee):

• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Kadhi (Gram Flour Fritters in Yogurt Sauce)
• Doi Mach (Bengali Recipe: Succulent Fried Fish in Yogurt Gravy)
• Kasuri Methi Paratha (Fried Flatbread with dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• Moonger Daler Khichuri (One Pot dish with rice, lentils and vegetables)
• Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup)
• Awadhi Mutton Biryani
• Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding)
• Gobindobhog Chal diye Patali Gurer Payesh (Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Palm Jaggery)
• Paneer Alu Pulao (Rice with Fresh Cheese and Potato)
• Matar Pulao (Yellow Rice with Peas)
• Mutton Gravy
• Make Homemade Butter from Spoiled Cream
• Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas Soup)
• Moong Dal ka Halwa (Indian Yellow Lentils Dessert)
• Jeera Rice (Rice flavored with Cumin Seeds)
• Mughlai Mutton Stew
• Cholar Dal (Bengali recipe: Chana Dal/ Split Bengal gram)
• Shahi Pulao (Indian Jeweled Rice)
• Chingri Malai Curry (Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk)
• Goat Dhansak (Mutton with Red Lentils)
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Dry Fruit Laddu (Mamma’s homemade sweets with dry fruits)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)
• Debarshi’s Chicken Tikka Biryani
• Chicken and Barley Puree with Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
• Khichri (Lentils and Rice with Garden Veggies Puree)
• Red Lentils Puree with Turnip, Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes and aromatic Cloves
• Gujiya (Crispy Flaky Indian Sweet Dumpling stuffed with Milk Solids and Nuts)
• Cholar dal diye Kumror Torkari (Mamma’s Pumpkin Gravy with Split Bengal Gram)
• Papa’s Kosha Mangsho (Grandpa’s Special Goat Curry)
• Mangsho Bhat (Chicken Rice with Potato and Tomato)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Chole Chawal (Chickpea curry with Rice)
• Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)
• Cardamom Chicken with Vegetables for the Babies
• Biye Barir Alur Dom (Spiced Potato Gravy as served in Bengali Weddings)
• Shadi wala Masala Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower with Potatoes as served in North Indian Weddings)
• My Non-Traditional Sukhto (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)
• Baby Food: Chicken Broccoli Fried Rice/ Casserole
• Kalo Jeere Ghee diye Alur Torkari (Potatoes with Nigella Seeds and Ghee)
• Chana Masala/ Chole Masala
• Gajar ka Halwa (Indian Carrot Dessert)
• Mixed Dal with Cilantro (Arhar-Masoor Dal with Dhania garnish)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Hariyali Ghosht - Herbed Goat Curry
• Panch Mesali (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)
• Saag Chole (Curried Spinach and Chickpeas)
• Egg Curry (Bengali recipe: Fried Eggs curry)
• Kashmiri Rogan Josh (Slow cooked mutton in red curry)

Egg Salad (not to be afraid of when you are on Keto diet)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

This is a salad which I would never eat for my everyday meal for the simple reason that it is loaded with calories! However, when I am on the Keto diet (which is a low carb high fat based diet) this salad is a wonderful option amidst all the other regular types of green leafy salads. You can enjoy it in an Egg Salad Sandwich (using the Almond Flour Bread) or you can eat it as it is. I often serve it on a bed of butter lettuce (makes me feel good that I am eating at least some greens).

Can you believe that I used to be a mayo hater! However, this salad has totally converted me. It tastes delicious and creamy and of course I don’t have to worry about the extra calories which Mayo adds in any dish. However, I still have to say that if I am not on Keto diet, eating just one Egg Salad sandwich will pretty much cover my calorie intake of the entire day so please keep this in mind while consuming it regularly.

Now I know the recipe of Egg Salad is pretty basic but believe me sometimes we take these simple recipes for granted and after a while we just completely forget how to create that comforting flavor in them. The trick is to keep them as they should be (simple) and not to add a bunch of ingredients in them just because we have everything in the fridge. Too many cooks spoil the broth, remember that. 

Start by boiling the perfect eggs, you may be more comfortable with using a pan or a pressure cooker (in my case) but whatever you are using make sure to have tender whites and creamy yolks. Then comes the seasoning, use a good amount of Black Pepper and Red Chili Powder to make the flavors pop. You can use scallions instead of onions to add a lovely subtle onion flavor and color. I also like to add some hot peppers for the same reason. Result, a creamy, fresh and vibrant Egg Salad.

If your kids love this salad, you can easily turn this into a sandwich for their picnics. You can also serve this for your elegant tea parties (presentation is everything so make sure to serve it with a crusty baguette and butter or cut the sandwiches into triangles). You can always boil the eggs before hand and mix the salad at the last moment which makes this perfect as a last minute snacking option. Make sure to use a good mayo and cool the salad completely before serving. 

Enjoy the Egg Salad with a side of Grilled Garlic Asparagus and Pan Fried Salmon.

Ingredients:

• Eggs – 8, large, boiled and peeled 
• Mayonnaise – ½ cup 
• Mustard Sauce - 1 teaspoon 
• Onion – ¼ cup, chopped 
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon (or as per taste)
• Black Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
• Red Chili Powder – ¼ teaspoon 
• Hot Peppers – a few, chopped

Tips: 

• Use Scallions instead of Onion.
• You can also add ¼ cup of chopped Celery for more flavor.

Directions:

• Chop the boiled eggs.
• Place them in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients (Mayonnaise, Mustard Sauce, Onion and Hot Peppers) 
• Season with Salt, Black Pepper and Red Chili Powder. 
• Mix and serve on the homemade Almond Flour Bread or with an entrée.

Recommended Reading:

• Tandoori Chicken
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Egg Drop Soup
• Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert
• Tomato Basil Soup
• Romaine Salad with Basil and Nuts
• Salad - Roasted Asparagus with Feta Cheese
• Cream of Asparagus Soup
• Mushroom Salad with Fried Eggs
• Pan Fried Salmon

Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Bread and Diet!

I think there is no substitute for bread. This feeling that we have to eat bread at least once every day is so overpowering that without a proper recipe it is impossible to manage our day to day life. I have heard so many people complain about diets and why they have never been able to keep up. The reasons are innumerable but the most common of them is the craving to eat Bread.  Just imagine yourself on Keto diet and still being able to eat a delicious sandwich for lunch! Amazing right?  And this is from my own personal experience because I am a sandwich person. Give me a nice big sandwich with lots of deli, cheese and pickles and I wont ask for anything else and this bread works wonders for me. So if you are on diet and craving for some homemade low carb bread, try this recipe and I am sure you will fall in love with it. Prepared in just an hour (includes the preparation and bake time), this bread is packed with fat and flavor. 

Just 5 ingredients:

Thanks to the baker who initially came up with this amazing recipe (I got it from a website and improvised it), this bread is soft and yummy. Also it does not use any apple cider vinegar (I hate the smell!) or even Psyllium husk which many of you may not know is quite high on carbs. This is the perfect low carb bread we have all been waiting for all this time. It looks and tastes like a bakery bought bread while being low on carbs.

What does the Ghee and Spices do?

Ghee not only adds a ton of gourmet flavor in the bread, it also helps to load it up with fat. Since the original recipe asked for Ghee, I thought why not add some spices in it for an authentic Indian flavor? Now if you want, you are most welcome to skip them but I have to tell you that they not only add more flavor in the bread but also help to cut down the eggy taste (because hello! We have 7 eggs in it). Try it and feel satisfied!

I would recommend getting the Almond Flour and Eggs from Costco and the Ghee from an Indian store where you will also find all the Spices. 

Remember, Almond Flour though low on carbs should not be eaten in excess when you are on Keto diet. The bread slices are heavy and will make you feel full. Bake at home and enjoy.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

• Eggs - 7 large
• Ghee – ½ cup, melted 
• Almond Flour - 2 cups 
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon 
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon 

Spices (to help cut the eggy taste and pack flavor):

• Carom Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon, coarsely crushed
• Dry Fenugreek Leaves – 2-3 teaspoons 
• Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon 

Others:

• Loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Stand mixer or hand mixer and a big bowl
• Spatula

Directions:

• Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper overlapping the sides.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• In a large mixing bowl or your Stand Mixer’s bowl, beat the Eggs on high speed for 1 minute. 
• Add the melted Ghee and beat until just incorporated.
• Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the remaining ingredients (Almond Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Carom Seeds, Black Pepper, Dry Fenugreek Leaves and 
• Cumin Seeds) until completely mixed and the batter is thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula. Bake for 40 minutes or until it is light golden brown on top.
• Cool the bread in the loaf pan then carefully transfer to the cooling rack.
• Wait for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

• Make a sandwich or enjoy with your other favorite Keto recipes.

Recommended Reading:

• Tandoori Chicken
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Almond Flour Pancakes - Keto Brunch Recipes
• Avocado Smoothie
• Avocado Strawberry Smoothie
• Guacamole with Goat Cheese and Bacon
• Keto Pizza with grilled Chicken and Shrimp
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Egg Drop Soup
• Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert
• Keto Pizza with Pepperoni, Parmesan and Basil
• Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Cream of Asparagus Soup
• Egg Salad (not to be afraid of when you are on Keto diet)
• Mushroom Salad with Fried Eggs
• Make Homemade Ghee from Spoiled Cream

Almond Flour Pancakes - Keto Brunch Recipes

Keto diet is fun because you get to eat varieties of delicious dishes loaded with fat (the more the better!). However, it is hard to continue this diet because you have to stay low carb which means no Parathas or noodles for me and no rice for Debarshi. There are tons of amazing Indian dishes which can be enjoyed with roti, naan or Pulao but without the carb accompaniment suddenly the enthusiasm to eat that yummy curry falls apart. So this time I thought there has to be a hack to continue this diet without missing my favorite carbs and I must say till now it is working.

So today I bring to you - Almond Flour Pancakes. I found the recipe online and improvised it to suit my needs. I have to say since almond flour is made from a nut these pancakes are way more filling as compared to a regular pancake (prepared with all purpose flour). You can choose to add some Stevia if you want. I like them just the way they are given below. Believe me you have to give this a try and I am sure you will love it. This can be your perfect weekend brunch. Serve it with some scrambled eggs, bacon and coffee and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• Almond Flour - 1 cup (blanched & finely ground recommended)
• Coconut Flour – ¼ cup 
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon 
• Eggs – 5, large 
• Whole Milk – ½ + ¼ cups (or as required to make the batter)
• Butter – ¼ cup (to fry)
• Vanilla Extract - 1 ½ teaspoons 
• Salt – a pinch
• Nuts (Walnuts and Almonds) – 1 ½ tablespoons (chopped)
• Orange Extract – ½ teaspoon (optional)
• Heavy Cream – ½ cup (substitute ½ cup Whole Milk with this, optional)

Directions:

• Whisk all ingredients (Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Baking Powder, Eggs, Whole Milk, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Extract, Orange Extract and Salt) together in a bowl until smooth. 
• Check the consistency: The batter should be of the consistency of typical pancake batter. If it's too thick, add a little more milk but don't add too much, or the pancakes will be too wet and difficult to flip.
• Add the Nuts.
• Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Add a little Butter in it. Make sure the Butter is not turning brown, if it is that means the heat is too high. A low heat will result in more cooking time ensuring that the pancakes are cooked through. 
• Drop the batter onto the hot pan and form into circles (I usually use the ¼ cup size for this). Do not make a big circle because it may break. 
• Cook for about 1 ½ - 2 minutes, then using a spatula carefully try to flip. The cooked side will be golden brown in color. Do not flip if the batter is sticking on the spatula, let it cook for another 30 seconds.
• Flip and cook for another 1 ½ - 2 minutes, until browned on the other side. 

• Repeat with the rest of the batter.
• Enjoy with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Coffee.

Recommended Reading:

• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Avocado Strawberry Smoothie
• Guacamole with Goat Cheese and Bacon
• Keto Pizza with grilled Chicken and Shrimp
• Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert
• Keto Pizza with Pepperoni, Parmesan and Basil