Having recently started working as a Manager in an Italian delicatessen, I am really surprised by how often I get asked for this product! It’s Moroccan in origin, but it can be used in hundreds of different ways. Let your imagination run riot. Use these lemons in salads, in mayonnaise, with fish, in stews and tagines – or if you’re really brave, just as a nibble with a drink!
Federica shares her recipe.
Apologies to any hard-line traditionalists, but Yak butter is unfortunately impossible to find in Europe and most other places, I presume, so I’m afraid this is a poor substitute. I am unfortunately unable to vouch for how authentic the flavour is, but I’m informed by a good friend who has visited Nepal that it’s actually not too bad!
Federica tells us how to make Tsampa, a staple of Tibetan diet.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Place pearl barley in a bowl. Cover with cold water (at least a good inch over the barley) and leave overnight to absorb as much water as possible. In the morning, it will have swelled to twice its original size, and be quite white and opaque. Drain the barley thoroughly, and spread out onto a clean teacloth. Roll the cloth up to soak up as much water as possible, squeezing the “sausage” lightly to assist the process. Unroll, and ‘brush’ the barley into the middle of the cloth, with your fingers.
In the meantime, heat the pan or skillet over a medium heat. When it’s good and hot, scoop a handful or two of the barley, into the pan. Stir with a wooden fork, to prevent the grains from sticking together. They’ll become translucent, then opaque again, as they begin to dry roast. Keep stirring, until the grains turn a pleasing nut-brown. They’ll be quite dry and “gravelly” in the pan.
Transfer to a large tray, and spread out to allow to cool. Repeat the process until all the barley is roasted. It will be cooked and ready to use.
You can either keep it whole, and add it to stews and casseroles ten minutes before cooking time is up, or grind a quantity in a coffee, or spice grinder, until it is the consistency of flour.
I use a little in the bottom of my teacup to soak up the remaining butter from my Tibetan butter tea!
(Note: the recipe in the Wikipedia tsampa article is the one I added. The article also tells you how to use tsampa in other ways.)
Federica shares her process:
This ghee is great whenever you need butter in cooking, for anything, but particularly for Indian dishes.
First, find the best quality unsalted butter you can. I use goat’s butter, but ordinary dairy butter will do.
Use a large pan, (make sure it will fit in your fridge) and put your butter in (I use three 250g or 8oz packs). Add about 2 inches of water, and put on very low heat. Keep an eye on it; when the butter is all melted, turn off the heat, and allow the melted butter to cool completely. This separates the pure butter oil from any impurities and additives in the butter.
When cold, carefully put it into the fridge, and allow it to go good and hard, and solid. Leave it overnight.
The next day, poke a hole in the very edge, between the ghee and the pan. Then poke another hole somewhere in the middle. This releases the vacuum. Shake the pan a little bit to stir up the water, then pour the water off, and discard. You’ll find it’s milky, with impurities.
Repeat the process. Add some more water, and again, place on a very low flame. Melt the butter, and then allow to cool again. Put into the fridge for 4 hours or so, depending on when you do it, or overnight. Drain off the water as before. If it’s not quite clear, do it once more.
When the water is as clear as when you first put it in, then the ghee is ready. Drain thoroughly, but leave the ghee in the pan. You now need to eliminate any traces of water.
Reheat the ghee through until it’s melted, then let it become quite hot, and permit any remaining traces of water to boil through the ghee and evaporate away. Once this is done, let the ghee cool, and while still liquid, pour into clean sterilized glass jars. Put on the lids whilst the ghee is still warm. This will create a vacuum as it cools. Store in the fridge. It lasts for absolute ages!