Ethiopian Purified/Clarified Butter

Butter is one of the most important components of Ethiopian cooking. It can be prepared well in advance and be kept in refrigerator or freezer. Although there are many spices that could be added, here is what I follow:

Ingredients:

10 lbs butter
2 tablespoon Coseret (Lippia adoensis) **
1 teaspoon diced fresh ginger
8 clove garlic diced
1/2 teaspoon white cumin *
1 teaspoon scared basil (besobila) *
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander *
1/2 teaspoon false cardamom *
1/2 teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon turmeric *

Preparation:

1st Step: The previous day, melt the butter, add six glasses of water and the koseret (if you don't have koseret you can do it without it). Mix it well and keep overnight in the fridge. This is called filtering "Mangor".

2nd Step: The next day, you make a hole in the middle of the butter; pour the water which comes as milk residue. This helps the butter to purify fast and also avoids the foam.

3rd Step: Melt the butter in a low heat, stir continuously; add all spices except the false cardamom which will be added 10 minutes before it is done. When it simmers, the residue of spices will be at the bottom and the purified butter at the top.

Strain the purified butter into containers; keep it outside, when it reaches room temperature put in the fridge.

Note:

If you are in hurry you may avoid the first step which is filltering but you have to remove the foam using spoon.

* You will find these spices in Ethiopian or Indian shops.

** Lippia adoensis (koseret) is similar to oregano.