Why Ghee is so important for cooking & a healthy life: Excerpts from Franks book Heavenly cooking with Ayurveda Ghee (Healthy ayurvedic food and food supplements) Those used to Ayurveda think that ghee already has the status of a wonder drug. The old Vedic texts say that ghee is that product which comes nearest to the quality of mothers milk and has a molecular structure similar to the cerebral cortex. From experience it is known that, during the time when babies are nourished exclusively with mothers milk, the digestive system functions very well and their stools have a pleasant smell. Also the babies themselves have an exceedingly pleasant smell and their fine immune system is stronger during this time than at any other time in life. This comes about because the milk contains the love of the mother, which gives it all the materials which are needed for a baby to grow well. In particular Ojas protects the body against illnesses. This material is found in high quantities in a healthy baby and is also the reason for the strong attraction that babies have for people. The milk of a “happy” and healthy cow contains almost the same valuable structuring substances. To concentrate these qualities of milk proceed as follows:- Remove the cream from the milk. Butter is made from the cream. The next step of refinement is to cook and purify the butter. The end product is pure clarified butter (ghee). Ghee is free of protein and waste products and has a higher portion of Ojas than all other food. But be careful. Using too much ghee may weaken the liver. Every food that is cooked with ghee has its own qualities strengthened, is absorbed better by the human body and is easier to digest. Ghee is the best catalyst to unlock food and to transfer its energy. Ghee is so refined by the digestive process that it is able to penetrate even the finest cellular levels, nourishing and cleansing them. In addition, ghee has a rejuvenating effect. The ayurvedic purification treatment, Panchakarma, also uses ghee. In comparison to other purification methods, Panchakarma can not only remove water soluble impurities but also fat soluble toxins and heavy metal deposits from the body. For these reasons ghee is preferred to vegetable oils in the ayurvedic kitchen. Oils are only used sparingly. Cold pressed oils from olives and sunflowers are considered the best oils from an ayurvedic viewpoint because they are easy to digest and are nutritious. However, I do not recommend these oils for frying. For this, it is better to use coconut oil. Ghee can also be used for frying. Nevertheless, do not let it get too hot because it burns very quickly. If the ghee starts to smoke, it is already too hot. Please, only use high quality oils. Cheap oils are mostly made from peanuts and are difficult to digest. Bad oils also cause flatulence. Avoid soya bean oils, which are also hard to digest and are often produced from genetically modified plants. Preparing Ghee Time needed approx. 25 mins. Ingredients: 1kg of butter I recommend you buy good, unsalted butter from organic sources or health food shops. Ghee lasts almost indefinitely. Ghee is best stored in a covered clay pot in a cold, dry pantry. Ghee stored in the fridge can quickly spoil because of the formation of condensed water. The only important rule is to remove the ghee with a clean, dry spoon. Preparation: The times are for approx. 1kg of butter. With other amounts alter the times accordingly. - Melt good, unsalted butter in a deep, wide pot without a lid. Let it simmer on a medium heat. (Do not allow it to burn!) Tip: Control the temperature with a food thermometer. - During the next 10 to 15 mins. the protein separates from the fat, curdled milk protein gathers on the surface and moisture in the butter evaporates. Butter is about 1/8 water. - If, after about another 5 minutes, the protein has separated from the butter, then scoop it out carefully from the surface with fine sieved spoon. This process is continued until the the ghee is golden brown and crystal clear. During the whole process you should not touch or stir the ghee and the temperature should not rise above 108°C. (Thermometer) - After some time the liquid becomes completely transparent and there are only some particles on the bottom of the saucepan. Do not stir the ghee. - Switch off the cooker and let the ghee stand for 20 mins. Afterwards use a sieve with crepe cloth inside to filter it into a clay pot or, alternatively, a stainless steel jar. When the ghee has cooled, you can close the pot with a lid. For your own security, never leave the saucepan unattended and be careful when filtering the ghee because hot fat can cause dangerous burns. Ghee is very pure and completely free from animal protein. Important:- Only use unsalted, organic butter to make ghee. (c.) Copyrights -All reserved by Franks Veda Shop & Verlag
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:05:29 +0000
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