The South Asian form of clarified butter made by simmering butter to remove water and milk solids is ghee.
To make ghee, butter is heated until its water evaporates and the milk solids separate. The clear golden fat is then strained away from the solids. Compared with ordinary clarified butter, ghee is usually simmered longer, allowing the remaining milk solids to brown slightly and give the fat a nutty, aromatic flavour.
Ghee originated in India and has long been important in South Asian cooking, where it is used for frying, tempering spices, enriching rice and lentil dishes, brushing breads, and making sweets. It also has roles in traditional medicine and Hindu religious rituals. Traditional methods may begin with cultured butter made from churned yogurt rather than directly from commercial cream butter.
Ghee is often confused with lard or suet, but those are animal fats from pork and beef, not dairy products. It is also distinct from margarine, which is manufactured primarily from vegetable or blended oils. Removing most water and milk solids gives ghee a higher cooking tolerance and a longer shelf life than ordinary butter.