Indira of Mahanandi started a great revolving event that she aptly named "Jihva for Ingredients (JFI)". Indira has a wonderful post about what JFI actually means and what it is is for. Please go read about it right now!
Previous JFI events were hosted by Indira, Baking Fairy, Sailu, Santhi and Vineela!
This month it is my turn to host JFI. When I started thinking about the ingredient I wanted to choose, I had two criteria - an ingredient that is very Indian and also one that went with the "time" of the year. September and October this year are the festival months in India. Hence I am choosing "Ghee" as this month's JFI ingredient.
Now to the "rules specific to this edition of the game" -
- Even though people out in the Internet world seem to use the term "clarified butter" and "ghee" interchangably, clarified butter is definitely not ghee. When making ghee from butter, clarified butter is a stage that you have to cross to get to ghee. Clarified butter takes a lot less time to make than ghee. When making clarified butter, since the butter is not cooked for such long time, all of the water and milk solids are not removed from the butter, so clarified butter has a much shorter shelf life and hence a little less flavorful (in my opinion). Unlike butter or clarified butter, ghee can be heated to a much higher temperature and things can actually be deep fried in ghee unlike butter. On this topic Indira mentioned that the "Joy of Cooking" has a section on ghee and clarified butter in the "butter" section (thanks, Indira for pointing that out!).
Now to the "general rules that I copied from Indira's event":
1. Prepare a recipe featuring ghee - cook/bake/fry/saute/braise/ with it - do whatever you please but ghee has to be the "star of the show" :).
2. Post the recipe on your blog on October 1st, Sunday.
3. Send me via email (cookingmedley
4. Please include the title of post and your blog name.
5. I’ll post an entry along with you on October 1st and also will do the roundup of all the entries that I received by that week’s end.
6. Nostalgic tales, paintings, and drawings, anything related to ghee is welcome from interested general (non-food) bloggers.
So, put on your aprons, have fun and a very happy festive season to everyone!
16 comments:
"Ghee" wonderful choice..This is my first time in JFI(though i am following it for sometime now) and finally had the courage to participate..count me in..
Great theme, Sam....Iam already thinking of what to send in :-))
aww..I use clarified butter all the time..drats! lol
Thats a nice theme for JFI L2C. Let me see what to send for the event :).
Great choice ! Very indian !
L2C,
As Krithika says, "very Indian". Great choice. Really. Hope I can send a good entry.
I promise to use the real thing -- maybe will even try making it myself. But I'm going to gain 10 lbs just thinking about it! :)
Hi,'
First time here and loved the ingredient you have choosen for JFI. Will be looking forward to participate. Thanks.
hi
ghee is a good choice and i u'stand your point abt stressing the difference between 'ghee'and clarified butter. but by calling out for 'only ghee' recipes, i think many non indian bloggers who wish to participate might miss out. oct /nov also coincides with haloween,thanksgiving etc and ramzan and the run upto xmas of course,as well, they are festivals..if not celebrations of some kind. I think it would be more appreciative if you can change the theme to include ghee, clarified butter and maybe even some sort of flavoured butter (if u dont wish to have just butter). this i feel would attract a more diverse group of bloggers and subsequently a more variety of recipes as well as an opportunity to know more about other cultures and cuisines.
sorry for this longish post.:)
best wishes,
s
God,Gheeeeeeeeeeeee!! You guys r bent upon increasing our girth!! Milk and now ghee!! Wonderful ingredient indeed!!
Hi,
Great choice! I made ghee just before Ganesh Chaturthi!
http://acookatheart.blogspot.com/2006/08/getting-ready-for-ganesh-chathurti.html
Now looking forward to making something with it!!Hope I can come up with something good. :)
L2C, this is the first time here, lovely choice for the JFI, will surly participate..thank you..
Gheee !!! thats very indian...!
Hi L2C,
It really is a great choice there. However, as S said, it might narrow the entries down drastically and maybe the non-indians might not be able to take part as they would have liked to. Indira's event (and blog) is internationally read and this might just intimidate them from taking part. Just a thought.
I would have loved to take part too as it would have given me the chance to try out something new. Unfortunately I'll be on vacation. Anyway, when I get back I can drool all over the entries.
Look forward to it!!
S & Meeta:
I did consult with Indira before I chose this month's ingredient. When I told her that I was going to choose Ghee she specifically suggested that I say "ghee" and not clarified butter. I felt the same way too in that I did not want people mis-interpreting clarified butter to be ghee and vice versa. That was my whole reasoning behind the restriction....
hum, I have been reading about how healthy ghee really is. I found it interesting that in areas of India where ghee is used that there is vry little heart disease. So I am about to try making my first batch of ghee! Thanks for thi information :)
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