The straight answer is the clarified butter is the milk fat that gets converted from butter when water and milk solids are separated from milk fat by shimmering milk butter in a slow cooking process.
It is a traditional dairy product, which is believed originated from India and predominantly was popular in cooking Asian cuisine as ghee. However, recently clarified butter ghee has gained wide popularity for its list of health benefits if added to diet.
When butter is cooked further and the shimmering butter gets free from lactose and casein, the milk protein, it becomes more clarified that its milk butter stage and it is called clarified butter. With further cook, clarified butter gets its caramelized color and becomes dense in its consistency. However if you compare clarified butter vs. ghee, you will find plenty of similarities like higher smoking point, loads of milk fat in the product, lactose and casein eliminated dairy, and longer shelf life.
What makes ghee a popular cooking ingredient is a matter of extensive explanation. how to make ghee
Apparently, it is seen that the versatile use and homemade preparation formula was one of the reasons for using this dairy product in kitchen. But recent research on this product has revealed some more benefits of using ghee clarified butter ghee in cooking.
What makes pure ghee cooking friendly?
There three apparent reasons for cooking with ghee. Rather there are three reasons that has made this milk day a kitchen friendly product. These three reasons are:
Ghee has higher smoke point:
Unlike other cooking oils, ghee enjoys higher smoke point and that makes this anhydrous fats safe for cooking in higher temperature. Oils with low smoke point offers low burning point, which means these low smoke point oils burns faster and tend to produce more free radicals. Cooking with ghee is safer for its higher smoke point.
Ghee can be used for all types of cooking:
Ghee can be used for high temperature cooking like baking, deep frying, sautéing, etc. Furthermore, you can cook veg, non-veg, as well as dessert dishes with ghee. Versatility is one of the advantages of cooking with ghee.
Ghee can be stored for long in kitchen:
Ghee is a shelf stable dairy product, which you can store in kitchen in an airtight container in a dry place. Good quality grass fed cow ghee offers 12-18 month shelf life if stored properly. Hence buying ghee in larger quantity is a wise decision.