Clarified butter is used for dishes where you need to cook at high temperatures without the risk of butter burning. It's not difficult to learn how to clarify butter. The only ingredient needed is unsalted butter, and the only equipment needed is a saucepan, a ladle or serving spoon and a piece of cheesecloth.
Many Indian dishes call for the use of clarified butter simply because Indian chefs had discovered that clarified butter stayed fresh longer. Since many people did not have adequate refrigeration facilities available, they clarified the butter and were able to store it for long periods of time without refrigeration. You'll find that clarified butter tastes different than whole butter-it has less flavor-but that it lasts a long time without going rancid.
Clarifying Butter
Melt the unsalted butter in the saucepan over low heat. It will have to simmer for a while for the butter to melt to the point where it begins to separate into layers, but eventually you will see three distinct layers: milk solids on the bottom, clarified butter in the middle and foamy impurities in the top layer.
You'll want to remove the pan from the source of heat slowly and carefully, trying not to disturb the layers. Let the melted butter sit for a moment. Carefully scoop the foamy top layer off the middle layer of clarified butter, discarding this top layer. Rinse the spoon after you are done removing this top layer.
Now scoop the middle layer of melted, clarified butter (this should be golden brown in color and be clear) and place in a storage container of some sort. You can use a bottle, jar, Tupperware container or butter molds to hold your clarified butter. Be careful not to dip into the heavy bottom layer of milk solids. If you think you've accidently scooped up some of the milk solids, strain the clarified butter through the piece of cheesecloth to remove any remaining impurities.
You can usually count on yielding about six tablespoons of clarified butter from every stick (eight tablespoons) of regular butter. Clarified homemade butter will keep for two months either in or out of the refrigerator.
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