How to check if desi ghee is pure: 5 simple home tests

Real desi ghee takes litres of milk to make, so cheap ghee is often stretched with vanaspati, palm oil or animal fat. You can't always tell by the label.

1. 1Melt test: heat a spoon of ghee. Pure ghee melts quickly into clear golden-brown liquid with a nutty smell. Adulterated ghee melts slowly or turns yellowish and waxy.
2. 2Palm test: rub a little on your palm. Pure ghee melts with body heat.
3. 3Grain test: pure ghee sets with a grainy (danedar) texture in cooler weather.
4. 4Fridge test: melt ghee in a jar and chill. Pure ghee sets evenly; layers can mean mixed oils.
5. 5Smell: pure desi ghee smells rich and nutty, never like plain oil.

Home tests give clues, not proof. The safest way is to buy from someone who can tell you exactly where and how the ghee is made.

We slow-cook butter until the milk solids turn golden and the ghee is fragrant, then strain it. Nothing else goes in: no vanaspati, no palm oil, no colour, no flavouring. Every batch is checked before it's packed.