Ghee and clarified butter are so similar in many ways. Often the two are used interchangeably in recipes and many people don’t know that there are actually a few key differences between the two.

Technically, ghee is a type of clarified butter but the way it is prepared is slightly different, therefore making it a different product. This means ghee has a slightly different flavour and texture to clarified butter.

Ghee is prepared the same way as clarified butter… heating butter over a pan allows the water to evaporate and the milk solids to clump together, which are then removed. 

Clarified butter is then strained and left to cool, however ghee is left to simmer for a while longer and develop a golden brown colour and a more intense flavour.

Ghee is very similar to brown butter in terms of flavour, but the latter is not strained and the browned solids are left to cool and form with the butter after cooking.

The key difference between the two is that ghee develops a rich, nutty flavour as it is allowed to caramelise slightly during the cooling process. This adds an extra layer of depth and flavour when it is used to cook certain dishes.

For this reason, it may be preferable to use ghee when specifically instructed to as often it can make a subtle but important difference in the way a dish tastes.

Ghee is a favourable alternative to many cooking fats not only for its delicious flavour, but due to the fact it can be used when cooking at a high temperature without burning as well as having an extremely long shelf life.

If you prefer to cook with this fat but don’t enjoy the nutty flavour, then clarified butter would be a suitable option too.