GETTING STARTED WITH AYURVEDA

I realised that I have been using many Ayurvedic terms in my posts without really explaining what they mean. So, in this post, I will try and give some basic and practical information about Ayurveda, in a logical manner which would enable you to read my recipes and posts in a more meaningful way. In fact, I know only a few more things than what I have written below and yet I have been able to comfortably incorporate Ayurveda in my life to a reasonable extent.

Ayurveda: Ayurveda (Ayur=Life; Veda=Wisdom/Knowledge) is an ancient, natural and holistic healing science from India rooted in the ancient scripture of the Atharva Veda and was developed by the rishis (seers) through a deep understanding of the Universe and nature. Other very important Ayurvedic texts are the Chraka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita. Ayurveda emphasizes on the connectedness of the Universe and its elements and provides guidance on achieving balance of body, mind and spirit through diet and lifestyle. One very unique aspect of Ayurveda is that its recommendations for diet and lifestyle are unique for every person depending upon what their Ayurvedic constitution (explained later in this post) is. 

The Pancha Maha Bhutas: The Five Great Elements: The physical Universe is the manifested form of consciousness and is made up of the Pancha Maha Bhutas – The Five Great Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Human being is a microcosm of the Universe with the five elements residing in the human body – Earth in form of all solid structures like bones, muscles, nails, Water in liquid forms like mucus membranes, plasma, Fire in form of transformation through metabolism, Air in form of movements within the body like beating of the heart, expansion and contraction of lungs and Ether, the space within which it all resides.

Tridosha: The three doshas: The above five elements are represented in the human body in form of three humors or principles or doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Every humor has one primary element and a secondary element.
Table 1:

Dosha	Primary Element	Secondary Element
Vata	Air	Ether
Pitta	Fire	Water
Kapha	Water	Earth

Prakruti: Prakruti or what is commonly referred to as the 'basic Ayurvedic constitution' is determined at the time of your conception depending on the combination of the doshas in the bodies of the parents. People will rarely have a constitution of a single dosha or a completely balanced constitution of all three doshas. Usually, people will have all three doshas in varying amounts. However, usually two will be more predominant and the third will be insignificant. Among the two predominant ones, one will be primary and the other with be secondary and therefore, such dual constitutions are described in terms of two most prevalent doshas example: Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha etc. The inherent physical, physiological and psychological characteristics of these dual doshas will get reflected in your personality. Dual dosha constitution is the most common. Below are the characteristics associated with different doshas and it is worth noting how these resemble the primary element of their respective dosha.

Characteristics associated with Vata: Dry, small, dull, brown or black eyes; dry frizzy, thin brown or black hair; minimal body hair; frame is usually thin, very tall or very short; flat chested; protruding joints; dry, rough, cold, darkish skin wrinkling early in life; brittle and dry nails; dry and hard faeces; do not sweat much; don't sleep well; speak fast; learn quickly and forget quickly; physically very active; usually have cold hands and feet; uncomfortable in cold weather; cannot hold on to money; impulsive; irregular daily routines; unstable; prone to disease; high energy in short bursts; tire easily; When in balance, natural state is creative, lively, joyful enthusiastic, perceptive and spiritual; When out of balance: mood swings, restless, nervous, scattered thoughts; When under stress Vatas fear, worry, and become anxious. 

Characteristics associated with Pitta: Sharp, piercing, hazel or green eyes; auburn or red, soft hair; bald early in life; moderate body hair; medium, athletic and toned frame; oily, warm, fair, soft, reddish skin with freckles or moles; pink, clear and flexible nails; oily, soft and loose faeces; sweat a lot; sleep okay and moderately; digestion is very strong; great appetite and cannot handle hunger for too long; need to frequently drink water; uncomfortable in hot weather; focused; sharp mind and good concentration powers; assertive, self-confident; competitive and enjoy challenges; sharp speech; When in balance, natural state is bright, intelligent, passionate, successful with good management and leadership abilities; When out of balance: aggressive, demanding, short tempered, irritable, judgemental, impatient and pushy; When under stress, Pittas become irritated and angry.

Characteristics associated with Kapha: Large, clear, wet, attractive blue or black eyes with thick eye lashes; thick, oily, wavy dark or light hair; hairy body; large, voluptuous, heavy and strong frame; thick, oily, smooth, soft and pale skin; strong clear nails; heavy, oily and thick faeces; sleep deep and heavy and have tendency to oversleep; steady appetite; drink very little water; not comfortable in cold, damp weather; easygoing; relaxed; stable, reliable and loyal; slow learners with excellent memory; save money very well and self sufficient; slow but steady and enduring; slow and soft speech; sluggish digestion; excellent health, good immune system; When in balance, natural state is gentle, calm, peace loving, nurturing, forgiving, maternal, compassionate, non judgemental and loving; When out of balance: Prone to depression, lazy, greedy, attached, lethargic; When under stress Kaphas are jealous and possessive.

The basic Ayurvedic constitution or the prakruti remains the same throughout your life and depending on what your prakruti is, you will have certain inherent inclinations. Though these inherent inclinations remain the same throughout the life, the external environment around you like food, weather, lifestyle etc. will keep changing and this external environment will have different effects on individuals with different doshas. For example, summer season will affect a Pitta adversely but not a Kapha. A crazy busy lifestyle will affect Vata adversely but not a Kapha. Heavy foods will affect Kapha adversely but not a Vata. The knowledge of your internal constitution will help you balance the changes in the external environment by designing a diet and lifestyle which suits your internal constitution and external environment. When there is imbalance of doshas in your body, it is called as vikruti. As a general rule, you should reduce those foods and activities which aggravate your inherently high doshas and increase foods and activities which are opposite to your inherently high doshas. With reference to the various tables used in this post, the up arrow indicates aggravation and the down arrow indicates pacification.  

You can determine your constitution accurately by consulting an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner. However, if you do not want to spend money, then there are many 'tests' or 'check lists' or 'questionnaires' on the internet which help you determine your constitution fairly accurately. A fail safe way is to take this test on five different websites and see if it gives the same results. Usually it does. But if you get mixed results or if you want to be completely sure, then it is better to see an Ayurvedic practitioner.

Taste: The concept of taste in Ayurveda is threefold – Rasa, Virya and Vipak. Rasa is what we call taste in common parlance and which we feel on the tongue. There are six tastes according to Ayurveda and each taste aggravates or pacifies specific doshas. Vata is aggravated the most by the bitter taste, Pitta is aggravated the most by the sour taste and Kapha is aggravated the most by the sweet taste. Virya is the hot or cold sensation which you feel inside your stomach when the food enters the stomach. And finally, Vipak is the post digestive effect with three tastes – Sweet, Sour and Pungent. Sweet vipak increases Kapha and helps in nourishing the body (anabolism). Sour vipak increases Pitta and helps improve digestion (metabolism). Pungent viapaka increases Vata and helps the deterioration processes in the body (catabolism). Following tables shows the effects of different tastes on different doshas:
Table 2:

Rasa	Virya	Vipak	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Sweet	Cold	Sweet	↓	↓	↑
Sour	Hot	Sour	↓	↑	↑
Salty	Hot	Sweet	↓	↑	↑
Pungent	Hot	Pungent	↑	↑	↓
Bitter	Cold	Pungent	↑	↓	↓
Astringent	Cold	Pungent	↑	↓	↓

When a food does not follow the above rules, it is called prabhav, an exception to the rules. For example, honey, even though sweet in rasa, has a hot virya instead of cold. Lime, even though sour in rasa, has a cold virya instead of hot. Even though foods with different tastes aggravate or pacify different doshas, you must include all tastes and foods with all doshas in your daily diet. Only its proportions will vary according to your prakruti and the external environment. Because of the intense assault of extreme tastes which we have faced in the past decades through processed and commercially grown foods, our tongues have been desensitized to a great extent and this makes it difficult for us to precisely determine the taste of a certain food item. In this spreadsheet, I have collected information from various different sources about the different foods and its effects on doshas which is based on the above rules of taste and the below rules of the 20 gunas. Use this spreadsheet as guidance but in your everyday life, try and find out this same information through your own experience.

20 gunas: 20 attributes: The entire physical Universe is duality of opposites – Shiva and Shakti, Yin and Yang. As per Ayurveda, all things, subtle and gross, tangible and intangible are made up of 20 attributes or 10 opposites. Following is the table showing how each attribute affects the doshas:
Table 3:

Sr. No.	Attribute (Guna)	Vata	Pitta	Kapha	Agni
1	Heavy (guru)	↓	↓	↑	↓
2	Light (laghu)	↑	↑	↓	↑
3	Hot (ushna)	↓	↑	↓	↑
4	Cold (sita)	↑	↓	↑	↓
5	Hard (kathina)	↑	↓	↑	↓
6	Soft (mrudu)	↓	↑	↑	↓
7	Slow (manda)	↓	↓	↑	↓
8	Sharp (tikshna)	↑	↑	↓	↑
9	Clear (vishada)	↑	↑	↓	↑
10	Cloudy (avila)	↓	↓	↑	↓
11	Static (sthira)	↓	↓	↑	↓
12	Mobile (chala)	↑	↑	↓	↑
13	Slimy (slakshna)	↓	↑	↑	↓
14	Rough (khara)	↑	↓	↓	↑
15	Subtle (sukshma)	↑	↑	↓	↑
16	Gross (sthula)	↓	↓	↑	↓
17	Oily (snigda)	↓	↑	↑	↓
18	Dry (ruksha)	↑	↓	↓	↑
19	Dense (sandra)	↓	↓	↑	↓
20	Liquid (drava)	↓	↑	↑	↓

Agni: Another very central concept to Ayurveda is that of Agni. In Ayurveda, agni (fire) is likened to digestion because just like fire, digestion transforms as well, using the different digestive juices, acids and enzymes. What happens when the fire/heat is not enough? You do not get the desired output and the fuel stays unburnt. What happens if the fire/heat is too strong? It burns and destroys. Similarly, what happens when digestive agni is not enough? Food remains undigested and therefore, unabsorbed turning into toxins called ama over a period of time and eventually leading to disease. What happens if the digestive agni is too strong? Same thing as when you overcook food. The essential nutrients are destroyed, leading to deficiencies, weakening of immune system, emaciation and consequently, disease. Therefore, the Pitta dosha should be in balance for healthy digestive agni. What helps control fire? Air (Vata) because it kindles fire and Water (Kapha) because it limits fire. So, it follows that besides balanced Pitta, proper balance of Vata and Kapha is also required for healthy digestive agni. Agni is strongest when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, which is usually between 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Agni is also strongest during the summer season.

Three Malas: The three waste products: The three primary waste products or malas as per Ayurveda are faeces, urine and sweat. The texture of your faeces, how much you sweat, the color of your urine will all depend on your constitution (prakruti) and imbalance (vikruti). The optimum production and appropriate elimination of these malas is very important for good health.

Sapta dhatus: The seven bodily tissues: The seven dhatus or tissues support the structure of the body. In the order of formation, these are the Rasa (Plasma), Rakta (Blood), Mamsa (Muscle), Meda (Fat), Asthi (Bone), Majja (Nerves and Marrow) and Shukra (reproductive tissue). The first dhatu, Rasa, receives nourishment from the digested food. Thereafter, every subsequent dhatu receives nourishment from the previous dhatu, the quality of every subsequent dhatu depending on the quality of the previous dhatu and every subsequent dhatu getting more refined than the previous dhatu. Hence when one dhatu is defective, it will affect all the subsequent dhatus. The last dhatu which is shukra – the ovum/sperm dhatu – is the most refined of all the dhatus. The quality of the progeny created from this dhatu will depend upon the quality of the ovum or sperm. The health of the dhatus depends on how balanced the doshas are.

For daily practical implementation of Ayurveda, a very important practice is to be constantly aware of how the five elements (Table 1), three doshas, six tastes (Table 2 and the spreadsheet), 20 attributes (Table 3) and agni are affecting the body and the mind. It is very important to make it a habit to continuously observe the body for sensations (like vipassana) and the movements of the mind and see if you can identify patterns with reference to food, surroundings, company you keep or activities you do.

Examples:

1. If your prakruti has Pitta as the primary dosha, then eating extra spicy food at noon (the time when agni is the strongest during the day) on a hot summer day will aggravate Pitta excessively. The strong agni will burn the foods destroying the nutrition and the excess heat in the body may result into excessive sweating, irritability and impatience. So, for Pittas, it is advisable to have salads in summer which usually pacify Pitta. If you use lime as seasoning in the salad, it will be even better. Pittas have naturally strong agni and it is even stronger in summers. Hence, it is the best time to eat raw vegetables as they would get digested easily and at the same time, you will be able to enjoy the full nutritional benefits of the vegetables.
2. If your prakruti has Vata as the primary dosha, then having a very busy and high pressure lifestyle which involves multitasking (a fake, made up concept) will aggravate Vata excessively resulting into exertion, tiredness, restlessness and possibly, lack of sleep. In such a scenario, it is best for Vata individuals to plan the day properly to reduce anxiety, not do any mind stimulating activities like work or television after 06:00 p.m., drink calming teas like lavender or chamomile during the day and before sleep or take a dip in the pool or bathtub.
3. If your prakruti has Kapha as the primary dosha, then eating a heavy breakfast with cold milk or yoghurt or banana (all Kapha forming foods) on a cold winter morning or a humid spring/monsoon morning (the time of the day when agni is just waking up) will douse the agni resulting into undigested food, poor absorption and dullness. For a Kapha individual, it would be better to have a light breakfast. If you eat muesli with milk, it would be better to have less dense milks like oat or rice and have the muesli in hot milk. Also, you can add spices which go well with muesli like fresh ground cardamom or cinnamon and ginger which will help in kindling of agni.

All the above information is good for guidance but nothing is more authoritative than the knowing which you gain from within by honestly observing the body and the mind. Please don't follow Ayurveda like the modern obsessive military diet/health regimes. Please don't enforce it upon yourself or worse even, force someone else to follow it. You are only going to do damage and violence to yourself or that other person respectively. Don't base your decisions relating to diet and lifestyle purely on the basis of what Ayurveda suggests while totally ignoring the body's intelligence. Don't let the overpowering mind prevent you from truly listening to your body's intelligence. I feel a balanced approach is to use Ayurveda's wisdom as guidance and at the same time learn from your own experience. Ayurveda is a subtle science. Although the information exists outside, let the knowing come from within.

Some people use Ayurveda as an excuse to avoid or take on foods or activities which in reality are the reflections of their prejudices. Such mind induced, convenient interpretation of Ayurveda to me is similar to fanatics manipulating religious teachings to suit their own needs. Be honest. Be conscious. Be aware. Since I am writing this, I might give you an impression that I follow Ayurvedic principles perfectly. I do not believe I do. I stray sometimes too. Everybody does. But the realisation that you have strayed is a good start! You laugh at yourself, you learn your lessons and move on. I will end this post with a very beautiful description of a healthy person given in the Sushruta Samhita:

Sama dosha samagnis ca sama dhatu mala kriya prasannatmendriya manah svastha ityabhidiyate

"One who is established in Self, who has balanced doshas, balanced agni, properly formed dhatus, proper elimination of malas, well functioning bodily processes and whose mind, soul and senses are full of bliss, is called a healthy person."

FOOD WISDOM #3

The art of cooking begins with sea salt and crackling fire. When food is prepared by someone sensitive to the fundamentals of cookery, it maintains its natural flavour. If, by being cooked, food takes on some strange and exotic flavour, and if the purpose of this change is merely to delight the palate, this is false cooking.

                                                                                                                         -Masanobu Fukuoka

LIQUID GOLD

Liquid gold, Ayurveda's elixir of life, Food of the Gods – adjectives run out when you want to describe this most sacred and hallowed food often associated with healing, nourishment, longevity and well being. Ghee or Ghrta as they call it in Sanskrit has been mentioned in the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, thus making it one of the most ancient super foods. The Vedas refer to ghee as the first and the most essential among all edible foods. According to the Veda's, ghee is (flawless) Nirdosh food, increases body vigour and vitality, strengthens the body and helps enhance the life span. In my opinion, making ghee is one of the most beautiful and therapeutic of all the food sadhanas. It is a wonderful way to lose yourself in the process and should be performed with lots of love and awareness.

In this post, I will share how to make ghee from butter. Although, not a very ideal process, it is much better than buying ghee. At least it gives you a chance to develop a relationship with the ghee. I believe that commercially produced ghee, (and butter) which is made using many harsh processes and machinery, leads to lessening of its sattvic, nourishing and healing properties and therefore all the more reason to make it at home as much as is possible. When it comes to ghee, the process is as important as the final output.

Most people of my generation usually buy ready-made ghee. Whereas many people from my parents' generation make ghee from milk which is a more authentic process. This involves keeping aside the thick layer of cream from the milk everyday and storing it in a jar in fridge. When the jar is full, curd (NOT yoghurt) is introduced in it. Many commercial enterprises selling ghee skip this very important step. The amount of curd to be introduced in it depends on the season and the temperature outside. The cultures from the curd are left to grow in the cream for a day or two. The cultured cream is then separated from the water and churned into butter. This butter is washed with water for eight times. By the time it is washed for the eighth time, all the white residue has been cleaned and when water is added to the butter to wash it for the eighth time, it remains crystal clear. The butter is now ready for ghee. To imagine that we have gone from this soulful process to “buying ghee” in a gap of just one generation and that the joy which comes from this process has been lost to so many in India is really sad.

No one can talk about Ayurveda without talking about ghee. If had in moderate proportions, the benefits of ghee are tremendous. And so, one thing which surprises me is when many Indians migrate to the West, all of a sudden their perception about ghee changes and most of them stop eating ghee completely. But they continue to happily eat huge amounts of processed cheese in their pizzas and pastas and cheese cakes and sandwiches. I hope that this post will change their views about ghee.

Ghee in scriptures:

Forth from the ocean sprang the wave of sweetness: 

together with the stalk it turned to Amrta, 

That which is holy oil's mysterious title: 

but the Gods' tongue is truly Amrta's centre.

Let us declare aloud the name of Ghrta, 

and at this sacrifice hold it up with homage. 

So let the Brahman hear the praise we utter.

That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered 

laid down within the Cow, concealed by Panis.

As rushing down the rapids of a river, 

flow swifter than the wind the vigorous currents, 

The streams of oil in swelling fluctuation 

like a red courser bursting through the fences.

Like women at a gathering fair to look on 

and gently smiling, they incline to Agni. 

The streams of holy oil attain the fuel, 

and Jatavedas joyfully receives them.

Bear to the Gods the sacrifice we offer 

the streams of oil flow pure and full of sweetness.

                                                                          -descriptions of ghee from the hymn named Ghrta in Rigveda

Let the waters, the mothers, purify us,

With ghee let those that purify our ghee purify us
                                                                                  -Yajurveda

It is promotive of memory, intelligence, vital fire, semen, vital essence (ojas), kapha and fat.
It is curative of Vata, Pitta, fever and toxins.
It is the best of all the unctuous substances.
                                                                                 -Charaka

Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the ghee;
by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman.

                                                                       -Bhagavad Gita

From ghee flows the sustenance of all the worlds

                                                                        -Mahabharata

If you have no money, then beg, borrow or steal, but in some way secure ghee and enjoy life.
                                                                       -Carvaka Muni

General health information:

Ghee is one of the best oils to use for cooking because it has a very high smoke point between 400˚-500˚F (204˚-260˚C). In all my recipes, I include a note saying that one should be careful while heating oil so that it doesn't burn. Overheating oils causes it to burn which damages some of the components in the fat/oil. However, in case of ghee, because of its high smoke point and stable saturated bonds, it does not get burnt and damaged easily.

Lab studies have shown that ghee, if consumed in appropriate amounts, reduces cholesterol both in the serum and intestine. However, people who already have problems of high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease or are obese should be careful when it comes to consuming ghee. Ghee is also rich in antioxidants, helps in absorption of vitamins and minerals and thereby strengthens the immune system. The butter is clarified when you prepare ghee which removes most of the lactose contained in butter. Hence, those who are lactose intolerant can still enjoy ghee without much trouble. However, it may contain some lactose and hence those who are very sensitive to lactose should keep away from ghee. Ghee also lubricates the digestive tract, alleviates hardness in bowels and aids in the elimination of waste products because of its laxative and diuretic effect on the body. It is therefore, an excellent cure for constipation.

Ayurvedic information:

Dosha information: V↓P↓K↓

(Kaphas must have ghee in moderation)

Rasa (primary tastes): Sweet

Virya: Cooling

Vipaka (post digestive effect): Sweet

The texture of ghee is heavy, slow, oily, liquid, dense, soft. According to Ayurveda it has many benefits, common of which are:

1. It is tridoshic and therefore nourishes ojas, tejas and prana especially ojas. Ghee pacifies Pitta and Vata which are primarily responsible for causing most diseases. According to the Susruta Samhita, ghee is the ultimate remedy for all Pitta related disorders. Kapha predominant individuals should have it in moderation. Also, ghee should be avoided if you have high ama (toxins)
2. The quality of any fire depends on the fuel. If you use sub standard fuel, there will be fire but there may be other side effects like smoke, odour etc. Similarly, the quality of the digestive fire also depends on the fuel. Ghee is the best fuel as it kindles the agni without aggravating Pitta. In fact, it cools the body. The peculiar feature of Ghee is that it stimulates the digestive secretions while other fats usually slow down the digestive process.
3. Ghee contains sattvic properties. If it is fed to your digestive fire, it will help increase sattvic qualities in you. If poured into a yagya or havan, it will help increase sattvic qualities in the environment.
4. Ghee is also a yogavahi— an agent that transports the medicinal properties of herbs into the tissues of the body. In this way, ghee helps to increase the effectiveness of some herbs. It can also be used for massage and serves as a base for herbal ointments. In cooking, when you use ghee for the chaunk, the properties of the spices get diffused and imbibed in the ghee.
5. Ayurveda considers ghee as a rasayana, food that increases longevity.
6. Ghee is butter separated from milk solids and water. The components which make the butter go bad are removed and hence ghee has much better shelf life. Ghee must be stored in a cool place (not fridge) and care must be taken that when you use a spoon to scoop the ghee, it is completely dry. Aged ghee is considered to have healing properties and some families have ghee that is over 100-years old which is used purely for healing purposes.
7. According to Ayurveda, having honey and ghee together in equal proportions is an incompatible food combination.
8. The ayurvedic properties of ghee are used by many as a justification to consume high amounts of ghee. However, if not had in moderation, it will have adverse effects like obesity and high cholesterol.

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Vegan: No

Ingredients: 500 grams organic butter, silent mind and lots of love.

In terms of equipment, make sure you have a cheese cloth or a stainless steel strainer as shown in the picture at the beginning of the post.

Preparation:

1. The waxing phase of the moon, also called shukla paksha is considered to have auspicious and nurturing energies. Moon controls Soma – the essence of all life. Ayurveda believes that milk has the essence of grass and ghee has the essence of milk. During the waxing moon phase, Soma is on the rise and hence it is recommended to make ghee during this time or on full moon. So, choose the appropriate day for making ghee.
2. Maha mrityunjaya mantra or the Triyambakam mantra from the Rigveda and Yajurveda is one of the most potent, balancing and healing of all mantras. It is great to chant this mantra during the entire process of ghee preparation so that the healing vibrations from the mantra get imbibed in the ghee.
3. Switch off all your phones and make sure you are not in a state of urgency/hurry with anything scheduled after this sadhana. Arrive with your whole being into your kitchen and be present.
4. Start chanting. Cut the butter into reasonable size cubes. Put these butter cubes in a heavy bottom pan and start heating on a medium flame. The butter will start melting fast. Once all the butter has melted, reduce heat to low or between low and medium.
   
5. Now, the fun begins. The ghee will start bubbling in a strange way which very much resembles the boiling mud pools in New Zealand. The surface will be calm for a few seconds, then all of a sudden a big burst. Then again calm for a few seconds, then another big burst so on and so forth (Image 1). This will go on for a while.
6. Now, the intensity of the bursts will reduce but the frequency will increase. And then gradually the bursting will turn into even and predictable bubbling. Foam will start forming gradually on the surface of the hazy liquid. (Image 2 and 3). Lose yourselves in the wonderful fragrance and focus with one pointedness on the beautiful transformation that is taking place in front of your eyes.
7. Slowly, most of the surface will be covered by white foam from the continuous even bubbling. The milk solids are rising up. Every once in a while I give it a gentle stir (though in my opinion not necessary) and direct the foam on one side so that I can see what is going on beneath. The liquid beneath the foam will still be hazy. This will go on for a while (Image 4).
   
8. The next stage is exactly the same as the previous one except that the liquid beneath the foam will now start turning golden and transparent (Image 5).
9. Now the foam will start disappearing revealing the transparent liquid gold. It will continue to bubble but there will hardly be any foam (Image 6). Use the spoon again to gently direct any foam that is left to one side and see if you can see the milk solids forming at the bottom. When the ghee is transparent and when you can clearly see the milk solids settled at the bottom, the ghee is ready. Turn the heat off (Image 7). Stop chanting.
10. Let the ghee stand for 10-15 minutes till it is warm. In image 8, you can clearly see the milk solids at the bottom. If you look carefully, you can even see me holding the camera. Now pour this warm ghee in a glass jar using a stainless steel strainer. The stainless steel strainer is a really great kitchen accessory which I got from India and saves a lot of trouble. If you don't have a stainless steel strainer, you can use cheese cloth to strain the ghee into the glass jar. Close the glass jar. A valuable tip I got from my mother is that if you pour warm ghee into the glass jar and close the glass jar, it gives the ghee a wonderful texture when it solidifies.
11. Store in a cool dry place. Do not store in a fridge.

Pitfalls:

It is very important to use a heavy bottom pan. If not, the supply of heat will be very high and the butter will burn and turn into dark brown colour. It will have a sharp burnt taste.

Notes:

1. Preferably use unsalted organic butter for making ghee. However, sometimes it is hard to find unsalted organic butter. In that case, salted organic butter can be used. The ghee from salted butter tastes exactly the same as the ghee made from unsalted butter. Only the salted butter bubbles more vigorously when you are preparing ghee and so make sure that you do not place your face above the pan.
2. If you are making ghee for the first time, start with a little quantity, like 500 grams of butter. The most important skill one needs to learn with the preparation of ghee is proper supply of heat. And this cannot be explained in black and white in a written recipe because it depends on various factors like the thickness and the shape of the pan, the quality of the butter, the hot plate or gas etc. Once you have practiced preparing ghee in small quantities, you will get a feel for it and then you can make it in larger quantities. If you are using two kilograms or more butter, it would help if you keep stirring the butter more frequently otherwise the butter at the bottom which receives constant heat will burn while the butter at the top will not receive any heat. You will also have to make some changes in the supply of heat as compared to when you prepare ghee in small amounts. 
3. If you want to try a different flavour, keep heating the ghee till the milk solids turn brown. This gives the ghee a subtle caramelly and nutty flavour. If you want ghee to have the flavour of a specific spice or herb, add the required spice or herb (quantity as per taste) in the beginning once the butter is completely melted and leave it in till the end.
4. Quite a few people in Australia are selling organic ghee at ridiculously high prices. I checked their websites and some of them are making ghee the same way I described above. The high prices would have been justified if they were following the authentic ayurvedic process but that is not the case. And hence it is better to make your own ghee at home starting with butter as it is much more economical and satisfying.
5. Please refer my post Getting Started With Ayurveda for understanding of Ayurvedic terms and concepts.