Fats and Oils Used in Indian Cuisine
Ghee - Indian Clarified Butter
Ghee is a Indian clarified butter, containing no solid milk particles or water. Ghee is used in India and throughout the South Asia in daily cooking. Good quality ghee adds a great aroma, flavor and taste to food.
Ghee can be helpful for people on low fat diet, since even a low quantity of ghee typically adds more flavor to food than any other oil or fat product. According to the ancient Ayurveda, a moderate amount of ghee is the best cooking oil.
Ghee is traditionally made from from butter churned out of Indian yogurt (curd). It is boiled and constantly stirred until the all the water is evaporated. It is then heated further to get a pleasant flavor, and slightly cooled and filtered through muslin to remove any sediment. Cow ghee is yellow in color, while buffalo ghee has an off-white cream color.
Ghee made from other animal milks, such as sheep milk or mare milk, are valued for their unique health benefits. Aged ghee, Kumbhiighrta, aged between 10 to 100 years, and Mahaghrta, aged over 100 years, are believed to be a powerful tonics.
Sarson Ka Tel - Mustard Oil
Sarson ka tel, or mustard oil, is extracted from mustard seeds. Mustard oil is golden to dark golden-brown in color. It has has a unique, strong flavor and smell considered pungent by some. The first use of mustard seed as source of oil in India is mentioned in ancient Sutra literature around 800 B.C. However, many scholars believe it was used long before that. Mustard oil is frequently used in Bengali food and other eastern India cuisines. To reduce the intense mustard oil flavor, it is often it is heated until to smoking point before being added to a dish. Sometimes, it is cooled down and reheated to create a more mellow flavor.