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{{Short description|Type of clarified butter from India}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{nutritionalvalue
| name = Ghee
| image = Home_made_Ghee.jpg
| kJ = 3660
| fat = 99.5 g
| satfat = 61.9 g
| potassium_mg = 5
| protein = 0.3 g
| carbs = 0 g
| calcium_mg = 4
| monofat = 28.7 g
| polyfat = 3.69 g
| cholesterol = 256 mg
| water = 0.24 g
| phosphorus_mg = 3
| sodium_mg = 2
| iron_mg = 0
}}
'''Ghee''' is a type of [[clarified butter]], originating from [[India]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-01-29 |title=Ghee {{!}} Definition, Production, & Religious Significance |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/gheee-world-is-catching-on/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |work=Britannica |language=en-US |issn=1085-9721 |quote=ghee, clarified butter, a staple food on the Indian subcontinent. As a cooking oil, ghee is the most widely used food in India, apart from wheat and rice.}}</ref> It is commonly used for cooking, as a [[Traditional medicine of India|traditional medicine]], and for [[Hinduism|Hindu]] religious rituals.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-10-28 |title=Perspective {{!}} Ghee has been an Indian staple for millennia. Now the rest of the world is catching on. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/02/06/ghee-has-been-an-indian-staple-for-millennia-now-the-rest-of-the-world-is-catching-on/ |access-date=2024-03-22 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |quote=ghee is poured into sacred fires to this day, a practice thought to be auspicious for marriages, funerals and other ceremonies. |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

== Description ==
Ghee is typically prepared by [[simmering]] [[butter]], skimming any impurities from the surface, then pouring and retaining the clear liquid fat while discarding the solid residue that settles at the bottom. [[Spice]]s can be added for flavour. The texture, colour, and taste of ghee depend on the quality of the butter, the milk used in the process, and the duration of boiling.

== Etymology ==
The word ''ghee'' is borrowed from the [[Hindi]] word {{lang|hi|घी}} (''ghī''), which comes from {{langx|sa|घृत}} (''{{IAST|ghṛta-}}'', {{IPA|sa|ɡʱr̩tɐ|IPA}}) 'clarified butter'; traditionally derived from the root {{lang|sa|घृ}}, {{lang|sa-Latn|ghṛ-}}, 'to sprinkle',<ref>as contrasted with {{lang|sa|नवनीत}}, {{lang|sa-Latn|navanīta}} 'fresh butter': Carl Darling Buck, ''A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages'', 1949, reprinted 1992 {{isbn|0226079376}}, p. 399, §5.89 'Butter'</ref> and so [[cognate]] with the [[Ancient Greek]] word {{lang|grc|χριστός}} ({{lang|grc-Latn|khristós}}, 'rubbed, anointed'), from which the English word ''[[Christ]]'' is derived.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://tarek.kakhia.org/books_eng/ENCYCOPEDIA_OF_OILS_and_FATS.Tarek_Kakhia.pdf |title=Encyclopedia of Oils and Fats |author=Tarek I Kakhia |pages=194–195 |access-date=28 October 2023 |archive-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111121829/https://tarek.kakhia.org/books_eng/ENCYCOPEDIA_OF_OILS_and_FATS.Tarek_Kakhia.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

== In Hinduism ==
Traditionally, ghee is made from [[bovine]] milk, either [[Cattle|cow]] or [[water buffalo]], and has been used in rituals since the [[Vedic period]]. It is a sacred requirement in [[Vedic]] ''[[Yagna|yajña]]'' and ''[[homa (ritual)|homa]]'' (fire rituals), through the medium of [[Agni]] (fire) to offer oblations to various deities (See: [[Yajurveda]]).

Fire rituals are utilised for ceremonies such as marriage and funerals. Ghee is required in Vedic worship of ''[[murti|mūrtis]]'' (divine deities), with ''[[aarti]]'' (offering of ghee lamp) called'' [[Diya (light)|diyā]]'' or ''dīpa'' and for ''Pañcāmṛta'' ([[Panchamruta]]) where ghee along with [[Rock candy#Misri|mishri]], [[honey]], [[milk]], and ''[[dahi (curd)|dahi]]'' (curd) is used for bathing the deities on the appearance day of [[Krishna]] on [[Janmashtami]], ''Śiva'' ([[Shiva]]) on ''Mahā-śivarātrī'' ([[Maha Shivaratri]]). There is a [[hymn]] to ghee.<ref>''Language and Style of the Vedic Rsis'', Tatyana Jakovlevna Elizarenkova (C) 1995, p. 18.</ref> In the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', the ''[[Kaurava]]'' were born from pots of ghee.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p9SzCuLIlQ0C&pg=PA613 |title= The Mahabharata, Volume 7: Book 11: The Book of the Women Book 12 ..., Part 1| first1=James L.|last1=Fitzgerald|first2=Johannes|last2=Adrianus|first3=Bernardus|last3=Buitenen|page=613|isbn= 9780226252506|date= 2003-02-15|publisher= University of Chicago Press}}</ref>

Ghee is also used in ''[[bhang]]'' in order to heat the [[Cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] to cause [[decarboxylation]], making the drink [[psychoactive]].<ref name=Gottlieb07>{{cite book | title = Cooking with Cannabis: The Most Effective Methods of Preparing Food and Drink with Marijuana, Hashish, and Hash Oil | first = Adam | last = Gottlieb | publisher = Ronin Publishing | year = 1993 | isbn = 978-0-914171-55-3 | page = [https://archive.org/details/artscienceofcook00gott/page/7 7] | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/artscienceofcook00gott/page/7 }}</ref><ref name=Drake018>{{cite book | title = The Marijuana Food Handbook | first = Bill | last = Drake | page = [https://archive.org/details/marijuanafood0000drak/page/18 18] | publisher = Ronin Publishing | year = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-914171-99-7 | url = https://archive.org/details/marijuanafood0000drak/page/18 }}</ref>

In [[Buddhism|Buddhist scripture]], stages of dairy production are used as metaphors for stages of enlightenment. The highest-stage product, [[sarpir-maṇḍa]], is theorised to be ghee or clarified butter.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iZH29oiIuIkC&q=sarpir-ma%E1%B9%87%E1%B8%8Da+ghee&pg=PA217|title = The Classification of Buddhism|isbn = 9783447033732|last1 = Petzold|first1 = Bruno|year = 1995| publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag }}</ref>

== Culinary uses ==
Ghee is common in [[South Asian cuisine|cuisines]] from the [[Indian subcontinent]], including traditional rice preparations (such as ''[[biryani]]''). In [[Maharashtra]], polis or [[Indian bread|Indian flatbreads]] are accompanied with ghee. In [[Rajasthan]], ghee often accompanies ''[[baati]]''. All over [[North India]], ''[[roti]]'' is served with ghee. In [[Karnataka]] and [[Tamil Nadu]], ghee is provided alongside [[Dosa (food)|dosa]] and [[kesari bhath]]. In [[Bengal]] (both [[West Bengal]] and [[Bangladesh]]) and [[Gujarat]], ''[[khichdi]]'' is a traditional evening meal of rice with [[lentil]]s, cooked in a [[curry]] made from [[dahi (curd)|dahi]] (curd), [[cumin]] seeds, [[Curry tree|curry leaves]], [[corn starch|cornflour]], [[turmeric]], [[garlic]], salt and ghee. It is also an ingredient in ''[[kadhi]]'' and [[Indian sweets]], such as ''[[Mysore pak]],'' and varieties of ''[[halva]]'' and ''[[laddu]]''. [[Indian cuisine|Indian]] restaurants typically incorporate large amounts of ghee, sometimes brushing ''[[naan]]'' and ''roti'' with it, either during preparation or just before serving. In the state of [[Odisha]] ghee is widely used in [[Cuisine of Odisha|Odia dishes]] such as ''khechedi'' and ''dalma''. The [[Sattvic diet|sattvic]] food prepared in most temples in Odisha has ghee as a major ingredient in its culinary tradition. Ghee is used in [[South Indian cuisine]] for tempering curries and in the preparation of rice dishes and sweets. North Indians also add ghee to rice before eating it with pickles, dal and curries. North Indians are among the biggest consumers of ghee. Vegetarian dishes of [[Andhra Pradesh]] especially use ghee for the preparation of savoury and sweet dishes alike. Ghee is important to traditional [[North Indian cuisine]], with ''[[paratha]]s'', ''[[Dal|daals]]'' and curries often using ghee instead of oil for a richer taste. The type of ghee, in terms of animal source, tends to vary with the dish; for example, ghee prepared from cow's milk ({{langx|bn|গাওয়া ঘী, gaoa ghi}}) is traditional with [[rice]] or ''[[roti]]'' or as a finishing drizzle atop a curry or ''dal'', whereas buffalo milk ghee is more typical for general cooking purposes.

Ghee is a useful [[Cooking oil|fat]] for [[deep fry]]ing because its [[smoke point]] (where its molecules begin to break down) is {{convert|250|C}}, which is well above typical cooking temperatures of around {{convert|200|C}} and above that of most vegetable oils.<ref>{{cite web |title=What are the advantages and disadvantages of butter and ghee when it comes to cooking? |url=http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=newtip&dbid=9 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404094854/http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=newtip&dbid=9 |archive-date=4 April 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |website=whfoods.com}}</ref>

== Flavour ==
The main flavour components of ghee are [[carbonyls]], [[free fatty acids]], [[lactone]]s, and [[Alcohol (chemistry)|alcohol]]s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Rama Murthy|first=M.K.|date=1980|title=Factors Affecting the Composition, Flavour and Textural Properties of Ghee|url=http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/57811/1/dt84.pdf|journal=Indian Dairyman|volume=32|pages=765–768|access-date=11 August 2018|archive-date=20 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920165932/http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/57811/1/dt84.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>  Along with the flavour of milk fat, the ripening of the [[butter]] and the temperature at which it is [[Clarified butter|clarified]] also affect the flavour. For example, ghee produced at {{convert|100|C}} or lower has a milder flavour, whereas {{convert|120|C}} results in a strong flavour.<ref name=":0" />

== Differences from clarified butter==
The production of ghee differs slightly from that of [[clarified butter]]. The process of creating clarified butter is complete once the water is evaporated and the fat (clarified butter) is separated from the [[milk solids]]. However, the production of ghee includes simmering the butter, which makes it nutty-tasting and aromatic.<ref name="Landis">Landis, Denise (2003). [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/17/dining/food-chain.html All About Ghee] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120161059/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/17/dining/food-chain.html |date=20 January 2018 }} ''New York Times - Food Chain''</ref><ref>Iyer, Raghavan (2008). 660 Curries, p. 21. New York: Workman Publishing {{ISBN|978-0-7611-3787-0}}</ref><ref name=":1">Jaffrey, Madhur (1982). Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, p. 211. London: BBC Books. {{ISBN|0-8120-6548-4}}</ref><ref>Sahni, Julie (1998). Julie Sahni's Introduction to Indian Cooking, p. 217 under "usli ghee." Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. {{ISBN|0-89815-976-8}}</ref>

A traditional [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] recipe for ghee is to boil raw milk and let it cool to {{convert|43|C}}. After leaving it covered at room temperature for around 12 hours, add a bit of [[dahi (curd)|dahi]] (yogurt) to it and leave it overnight. This makes more yogurt. This is churned with water, to obtain cultured butter, which is used to simmer into ghee.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Docosahexaenoic acid content is significantly higher in ghrita prepared by traditional Ayurvedic method |date=2014 |pmc=4061595 |pmid=24948858 |doi=10.4103/0975-9476.131730 |volume=5 |issue=2 |journal=J Ayurveda Integr Med |pages=85–88 | last1 = Joshi | first1 = KS |doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Nutrition and health ==

Like any clarified butter, ghee is composed almost entirely of [[fat]].<ref name="usda">{{cite web|url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173412/nutrients|title=Nutrition data for Butter oil, anhydrous (ghee) per 100 gram reference amount|publisher=US Department of Agriculture, National Nutrient Database|date=May 2016|access-date=12 March 2018|archive-date=23 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523232832/https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173412/nutrients|url-status=live}}</ref> One commercial preparation in India was found to contain significant amounts of [[trans fat]]s, while others contained significantly less.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mahapatra |first=Deepti |date=18 October 2010 |title=Evaluation of trans fatty acids contents in commercial brands of ghee available at Indian markets |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228668815 |journal=Scientific Research and Essays |volume=5 |issue=20 |pages=3193–3200}}</ref> It has negligible amounts of [[lactose]] and [[casein]] and is, therefore, acceptable to most people who have a [[lactose intolerance]] or milk allergy.<ref name="Time-20190422">{{cite magazine |last1=Heid |first1=Markham |title=Is Ghee Healthy? Here's What the Science Says |url=https://time.com/5571810/is-ghee-healthy/ |access-date=10 April 2021 |magazine=Time |date=22 April 2019 |archive-date=15 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415092024/https://time.com/5571810/is-ghee-healthy/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BA-20180405">{{cite journal |last1=Abarbanel |first1=Aliza |title=What Is Ghee, the Clarified Butter We Could Eat by the Spoon? |journal=Bon Appétit |date=5 April 2018 |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-ghee |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410034724/https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-ghee |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ghee consumption has been associated with an increased risk of [[cardiovascular disease]].<ref>[https://quackwatch.org/related/phonyads/adindex/ghee/ "Ghee from Maharishi Ayur-Ved"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002054715/https://quackwatch.org/related/phonyads/adindex/ghee/ |date=2 October 2023 }}. quackwatch.org. Retrieved 25 September 2023.</ref>{{Better source needed|date=October 2023}} The [[British Dietetic Association]], [[British Nutrition Foundation]], [[National Health Service]], [[Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada]] and [[World Health Organization]] advise people to limit ghee consumption due to its high saturated fat content.<ref>[https://www.nutrition.org.uk/health-conditions/heart-disease-and-stroke/ "Top tips for good heart health"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016042629/https://www.nutrition.org.uk/health-conditions/heart-disease-and-stroke/ |date=16 October 2023 }}. nutrition.org.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/prevention/ "Prevention"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926021538/https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/prevention/ |date=26 September 2018 }}. nhs.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/heart-health.html "Heart Health"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031180353/https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/heart-health.html |date=31 October 2023 }}. bda.uk.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.heartandstroke.ca/healthy-living/healthy-eating/fats-and-oils "Dietary fats, oils and cholesterol"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025095408/http://www.heartandstroke.ca/get-healthy/healthy-eating/fats-and-oils |date=25 October 2018 }}. heartandstroke.ca. Retrieved 22 October 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/reduce-fat-salt-and-sugar-intake/index.html "Limit fat, salt and sugar intake"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031180353/https://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/reduce-fat-salt-and-sugar-intake/index.html |date=31 October 2023 }}. emro.who.int. Retrieved 22 October 2023.</ref>

== Preparation methods ==
{{more citations needed section|date=August 2024}}
There are five common methods through which ghee is prepared. Industrial preparation on the other hand is done by using "white butter", usually sourced from other dairies and contractors.<ref name="Priyanka">{{cite book |last1=Narain |first1=Priyanka Pathak |title=Godman To Tycoon: The untold story of Baba Ramdev |year=2017 |publisher=Juggernaut Publications |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-9386228383 |edition=2}}</ref>

[[File:Cream to get clarified butter home made.Ghee.jpg|alt=In the cream butter method, cream separated from milk must be churned to produced butter. The butter then undergoes heat clarification.|thumb|In the cream butter method, cream is separated from milk and churned to produce butter. The butter then undergoes heat clarification.]]

=== Milk butter ===
Sour [[raw milk]] is churned into [[butter]]. The butter is boiled in an open pan to allow the water to evaporate. The hot ghee is transferred and stored.

=== Direct cream ===
Fresh cream, [[Sour cream|cultured]] or washed [[cream]] is directly converted to ghee. This method requires a long heating time and produces a caramelised flavour.

=== Cream butter ===
Milk is separated into cream which is then [[Churning (butter)|churned]] into butter. The butter undergoes heat clarification to produce ghee.

=== Pre-stratification ===
This method is suitable for large quantities of butter. Butter is melted at {{convert|80|-|85|C}} for 30 minutes. Layers of protein particles, fat and [[buttermilk]] are induced. The buttermilk is drained out. The remaining layers of fat are heated to a temperature of {{convert|110|C}} to remove moisture and develop flavour.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=L. Sserunjogi|first1=Mohammed|last2=Abrahamsen|first2=Roger|last3=Narvhus|first3=Judith|date=1998-08-01|title=A Review Paper: Current Knowledge of Ghee and Related Products|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222287157|journal=International Dairy Journal|volume=8|issue=8|pages=677–688|doi=10.1016/S0958-6946(98)00106-X}}</ref>

== Packaging ==
[[File:Food Fair (2025) 11.jpg|thumb|right|Ghee bottles in Food Fair (2025), Palace Grounds, Bangalore]]
[[File:Desi ghee.JPG|thumb|right|Ghee may be packaged in airtight glass jars and stored without refrigeration]]
Ghee is generally found to be packaged in airtight glass jars. They should be kept away from direct sunlight as sunlight can cause moisture to build inside the jar. Moisture can cause deterioration to the ghee's quality as well as reduce its [[shelf life]]. To prevent the acceleration of the [[Redox|oxidation process]], they should be protected from anything that causes it, such as [[Ultraviolet|UV rays]] from sunlight and fluorescent lights. If the jar is unopened, it does not need to be refrigerated as long as the previously mentioned conditions are met. Once opened, they can be stored in a kitchen cabinet for up to three months. Afterwards, it may be left in the refrigerator for up to a year. The refrigerator causes ghee to harden but if it is left at room temperature for a while, it will soften up again.

== Composition ==
Ghee may be made of milk from various [[Domestication of animals|domesticated]] [[ungulate]]s, such as cows, buffaloes and sheep.<ref name="fc">{{Cite journal|date=1993-01-01|title=Composition of ghee (Samn Barri's) from cow's and sheep's milk|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=46|issue=4|pages=373–375|doi=10.1016/0308-8146(93)90007-3|issn=0308-8146|vauthors=AbdulrhmanAl-Khalifah, HassanAl-Kahtani}}</ref> The composition of ghee varies depending on the animal whose milk has been used. The [[vitamin A]] content ranged from 315 to 375 μg per 100 grams.<ref name=fc/> [[Palmitic acid]] and [[oleic acid]] were two of the main fatty acids found in both cow and sheep ghee. The saturated fatty acid profile was 53.9 to 66.8%, the unsaturated fatty acid profile was 22.8 to 38.0% and the other fatty acids was 3.5 to 10.4%.<ref name=fc/> [[Cholesterol]] amounts ranged from 252 to 284&nbsp;mg/100 grams.<ref name=fc/>

== Market ==
The market size of ghee in [[India]] is 10,000 [[crore]] rupees or US$1.5 billion as of 2016. India is the world's largest producer of buffalo and cow milk and consequently also the largest producer and consumer of ghee.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/milk-in-india-a-popular-refreshment-a-huge-business-and-a-gift-from-the-gods | title=Milk in India: a popular refreshment, a huge business and a gift from the gods | date=27 October 2015 | agency=Associated Press | via=Fox News | access-date=16 August 2020 | archive-date=20 September 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920145805/https://www.foxnews.com/world/milk-in-india-a-popular-refreshment-a-huge-business-and-a-gift-from-the-gods | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-03-20/news/37872288_1_desi-ghee-vat-cent |title=Delhi's tax free budget: Desi ghee to cost less in Delhi |work=timesofindia-economictimes |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305092258/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-03-20/news/37872288_1_desi-ghee-vat-cent |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Food}}
* ''[[Beurre noisette]]''
* [[Chrism]]
* ''[[Manteiga-da-terra]]''
* ''[[Niter kibbeh]]''
* ''[[Smen]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Clear}}
{{fatsandoils}}
{{Butter}}
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