I grew up with lumpy milk that my mom tried to pass as real cow milk. It was powdered milk poorly mixed with water and poured into a milk carton. I wasn’t really supposed to have it anyway being allergic as a wee one. Nor was I fooled. Butter was really neon margarine and sugar was cancer in a bottle called Sucarol. For breakfast before school we often would hear her voice sing out, “Raw eggs and chocolate milk” and we would eagerly come running.
Oddly, most of her other kitchen concoctions were fairly healthy and innovative. She very rarely let us have fast food. She was careful with fried foods and preferred to bake when possible. She subscribed to Bon Appetit magazine and often tried new recipes with exotic names and flavors. She was not afraid of spice.
At 13 I became a vegetarian. I was ‘invited’ to dinner about once a week when she would prepare a fully meatless meal.
In college I would learn the joys of milk, butter and how to make a grilled cheese sandwich. I could make flaming desserts, but we only melted our cheese on bread at home so I lacked this precious skill.
Having lived most of my early life without much animal fats, I also had a very difficult time digesting it. When ghee was first introduced to me I was not fond of the flavor or taste and could easily feel queasy if I had too much.
So, yes, I admit it was an acquired taste.
Ghee can be used just as one uses butter. It can be wonderful to cook with as it does not burn like butter does.
Ghee is traditionally used in Ayurveda for not only diet but also medicine. It is nourishing and builds Ojas or the inherent juiciness and vitality that supports the immune system. It is also beneficial as an anupan ; that which will carry medicinal herbs to deeper tissues.
Many of us love to prepare our ghee on the full moon listening to the phases of the transformation from butter to ghee as a meditation practice. This is a beautiful practice to also bring us connection with our own cycles of light and dark.
I always recommend finding a pure source for your milk or butter for these sacred preparations. Are there small dairies that treat their cows humanely? Chemical free, organic, loved cows? Some of us are blessed to have these in our community and others may not. In essence, the milk from these gentle creatures is a gift of love.
Namooste.
I am delighted to be sharing the love of my Maha Ghee friends. I hope you will enjoy this as an alternative or supplement to your personal preparation. They are consciously raising these native cows in India at their Holistic cow sanctuary…
