Ghee vs. butter in Indian curries
It seems that butter is not good for frying things over high heat
because it can burn
However it IS widely used for sauteeing in many cuisines, and works well.
I looked at the cost of butter, which e.g. in the UK is around £6/kg, and ghee is £8/kg.
Although butter is around 18% water, this still makes butter cheaper, and life is easier if you buy one thing rather than two.
The question then is whereas both ghee and butter will impart flavours to a curry, is there a good reason not to use butter? I think ghee is misssing around the 1-2% of milk solids, as well as the water, and obviously if you wanted to deep fry then butter would be unsuitable (you can, I think, deep fry in lard, at around 160C, but butter won't get hot enough without burning). Or is this possibly a cultural issue, in that butter doesn't keep well in hot countries such as India without refrigeration, whereas I guess ghee is probably shelf stable?
Best Answer
Ghee is butter minus the milk solids and water, but it's not the same as clarified butter because it goes through a second phase of the process which browns the solids and imparts flavour to the remaining oil.
Clarified butter, heat until solids separate and settle, strain.
Ghee, heat until solids separate and settle, the increase heat until solids brown, strain. This adds a 'nutty' flavour.
The smoke point for the two is the same, but the flavour is different.
Ghee is not fully shelf-stable. It has a life-span of weeks to months in the fridge. Commercial ghee of course will have a best before date it would be wise to adhere to.
It will not last indefinitely & will (I think) go rancid after long storage… whatever it does chemically, it will certainly ruin a meal if you use it after it's turned. You can't see it, but you can smell it's changed.
BTW, you can get vegetable 'ghee', which is considerably cheaper. Many BIR kitchens use it. It's basically vegetable oil (often palm oil) with 'butter flavour'.
Pictures about "Ghee vs. butter in Indian curries"
Quick Answer about "Ghee vs. butter in Indian curries"
I find that Indian food cooked with butter instead of ghee misses the unique flavor that comes from the browned milk solids. Ghee has a lower water content than butter, which affects not only how food tastes but also how it cooks.Does ghee make a difference in Curry?
Ghee (basically butter with the milk solids removed) is where it's at: it has a nuttier flavour than butter and a higher smoking point. It's used in north Indian curries such as rogan josh and will give your home cooking a more authentic flavour.Can you use butter instead of ghee in curry?
1. Butter. Plain, unsalted butter is a great alternative to ghee, especially for recipes that normally call for lower cooking temperatures. In its natural state, butter has all the fatty compounds as well as milk solids, making for a creamier and more flavorful outcome.Is ghee better than butter for cooking?
Ghee has a higher smoke point when compared to butter, so it doesn't burn as quickly. This is perfect for saut\xe9ing or frying foods. Butter can smoke and burn at 350\xb0F (177\xb0C), but ghee can withstand heat up to 485\xb0F (252\xb0C). Ghee also produces less of the toxin acrylamide when heated compared to other oils.Is ghee necessary for Indian cooking?
The Role of Ghee in Ayurveda In traditional Indian medicine, Ghee occupies an important position. It is used not only for cooking but is considered to have different positive effects. It is also considered the elixir of life.Health Benefits of Ghee - Dr. Berg
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Michael Burrows, Asit Naskar, Cats Coming, Pure Punjabi