I donāt know about the US, but in the UK, some brands use ethyl butyrate as a flavouring, which gives it an artificial buttery taste. I try and look for brands without, which often means forking out for ghee imported from India.
But, like homemade yogurt, more flavourful when made at home with good quality ingredients.
I canāt imagine Iād be able to tell the difference. Itās not like Iām spreading ghee on my toast. Itās a cooking fat.
Itās not always a cooking fat. It is used as a condiment in its own right in Indian cuisine. Having some ghee to add to hot rice elevates a home cooked Indian meal.
I donāt think Iāve ever come across that. But Iāve only had one home-cooked meal in India, and it was a really long time ago.
It may not be a familiar use outside of Indian homes. You mentioned toast. Iāve never had it on toast but a bit of homemade ghee spread on a warm fresh chapati is heavenly. Indian home meals can be quite simple - a tiny bit of ghee drizzled on top of a plain rice or dal just adds a touch of luxury and fragrance.
I will keep that in mind, thank you!
uh oh, I better stop doing that then - ghee on toast that is.
one of the things i found interesting in the article linked to in the OP is that even in India the north & the south think the otherās ghee doesnāt taste right due to ingredients & preparation.
One of my regrets in life is I never asked my maternal grandmother to teach me how to make ghee - her rendition was a family favourite and nobody elseās version was the same. I donāt know what she did differently. She also made a separate version for religious purposes, using utensils that had never touched meat and had only been washed by her. The lampblack from burning that ghee in her prayer lamps was used as a sterile safe kohl for babies or to mark their faces with a big black spot to ward off the evil eye. Sheās long gone now and all that stuff has gone with her. All her grandkids are using store-bought ghee for convenience.
Also on puraN poLi ā where it is almost essential.
I agree with the teaspoon on rice&dal, as well. It elevates an otherwise humble meal.
