tablespoon ghee

Ghee, also known as clarified butter or ghrita in Sanskrit, is a type of rendered cooking fat produced by simmering butter until the water content evaporates and milk solids separate and settle to the bottom, leaving behind pure butterfat. The milk solids are then filtered out, resulting in a golden, shelf-stable liquid fat. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, ghee has been used in cooking, religious ceremonies, and traditional medicine for millennia. High-quality ghee contains approximately 62% saturated fat, 29% monounsaturated fat, and 5% polyunsaturated fat, with a smoke point of approximately 190°C (375°F).

Ghee is fundamental to South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, serving as the primary cooking fat in Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi kitchen traditions. It is used for tempering spices, sautéing vegetables, frying breads such as puri and paratha, and enriching curries, rice dishes, and dal preparations. The rich, nutty flavor it imparts makes it particularly valuable in both savory and sweet applications. Ghee is also used in North African and Persian cuisines, and increasingly appears in contemporary Western cooking for its high smoke point and perceived digestibility compared to regular butter.