Vedic Bilona Desi Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is made using a traditional method called "bilona" in Sanskrit. This method involves churning curd or yogurt to obtain butter, which is then used to make ghee. Here's a step-by-step guide to how vedic bilona desi ghee is made:
Preparation of Curd: Fresh cow's milk is boiled and allowed to cool to a warm temperature. It is then inoculated with a small amount of curd or yogurt containing active cultures. This starter culture helps ferment the milk and turn it into curd or dahi over several hours.
Churning: Once the curd has set, it is churned using a traditional method. This can involve using a hand-held wooden churn or a mechanical churn. The churning process separates the butterfat from the buttermilk. The butterfat collects into clumps, while the buttermilk remains as a liquid.
Collecting Butter: The clumps of butterfat, known as "makkhan" or "malai," are carefully collected and washed with cold water to remove any remaining buttermilk. This washing process helps improve the flavor and shelf life of the butter.
Preparation of Ghee: The collected butterfat is then transferred to a heavy-bottomed pan or pot and gently heated over low to medium heat. As it heats, the butterfat melts, and the water content evaporates, leaving behind pure butterfat.
Skimming and Straining: During the heating process, foam may form on the surface of the melting butterfat. This foam, along with any impurities, is skimmed off using a spoon or ladle. Once the ghee has clarified and any remaining solids have settled to the bottom, it is carefully strained through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove any remaining impurities.
Cooling and Storage: The strained ghee is allowed to cool to room temperature before being transferred to clean, dry containers for storage. Vedic bilona desi ghee is often prized for its rich aroma, flavor, and nutritional properties, believed to be enhanced through the traditional bilona method.
This traditional method of making Ghee is labor-intensive and time-consuming but is believed to yield a superior quality product with unique taste and health benefits.
Talégaon Farms is a social enterprise that works with marginal farmers across India, helps them own the supply chain and thereby bring themselves out of poverty. The ghee we sell is made directly by marginal farmers in factories that they own and each purchase helps them bring themselves out of poverty with dignity. Talégaon Farms helps farmers with market intelligence, product quality and other aspects that help them create a suitable product for urban markets.