What is white butter, safed makhan?

As the name suggests, homemade butter refers to butter that is prepared at home by shaking, curdling and then washing the cream of the milk. Making butter at home is really quite simple and it tastes absolutely delicious on hot toast or in just about anything you choose to have it with. The other nice part is that since youre in control of the entire process, you can be sure that there is no adulteration. You can also create a variety of flavoured butters like parsley, pepper, jalapeno and coriander.

Follow this process to prepare homemade butter:

• Heat the milk to bring to a boil

• Cool it and then refrigerate undisturbed for 5-6 hours

• A thick layer of cream (malai) will form.

• Remove carefully with a perforated spoon.

• Take in a lidded container. Refrigerate.

• Add more to it as and when you boil milk. Collect daily till you have 2 cups at least.

• Now add curds, mix lightly, and cover.

• Keep in a dark, warm place for 6-7 hours.

• Beat the set cream till the butter separates from liquid.

• Add 3 cups chilled water and collect butter into a lump.

• Hold lump against vessel wall, and pour out the buttermilk formed.

• If using to make flavoured or salted butter, then wash 2-3 times more with chilled water.

• Drain out all the water, and use the homemade butter as desired.

This homemade butter tastes unlike anything we can buy in a grocery store. It has a fuller flavour of creamy butter that is much more aromatic than store bought butters. One pint of cream yields 1 cup of butter and one cup of buttermilk.

How to select white butter, safed makhan

• While preparing homemade butter, note that the milk should be full-cream milk for getting a thick layer of cream (malai).

• Boil and cool the milk and place it in a refrigerator for better results.

• Do not throw away the buttermilk as it can be used for making kadhi or kneading chapati or paratha dough.

Culinary Uses of white butter, safed makhan

• This homemade butter will be the perfect match for warm cornbread, steaming buckwheat pancakes, homemade bran muffins and cinnamon-laced French toast.

• It can be enjoyed over hot wheat chapattis or between slices of wheat bread.

• The butter can be used to make ghee or clarified butter, which is in turn used in several recipes.

• The buttermilk left over from the preparation of homemade butter may be used as a refreshing drink with spices or in preparations like kadi.

How to store white butter, safed makhan

• To retain the fresh taste of butter, it should be stored in an oxygen-free environment.

• So, store the butter in a wide-mouthed glass mason jar.

• Press in the butter pieces so that there is no air trapped in the bottom of the jar, or around the butter. If you choose to salt the butter, this would be a good time to massage your chosen salt into each butter piece, or butter layer.

• When all the butter is smoothed into your jar, top it off with cold water and screw on the lid. This water layer will aid in keeping your butter air free, thus preserving its fresh taste longer.

• Pour off the water each time you use your butter and top it off with a new cool layer when done.

• The bottle should be refrigerated and fresh butter can be used for 2-3 days.

Health benefits of white butter, safed makhan

• Homemade butter is preferred over packaged butter as it is devoid of any artificial colours, preservatives and flavourings.

• Homemade butter is much lesser in sodium content than the processed ones.