The Indian Pantry: Ghee from Scratch

A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 14 students. Review our registration and cancellation policies here. 
 

Golden in color, rich in texture, and nutty in flavor, ghee is a staple of the Indian pantry. It is a clarified butter, and while you are accustomed to buying it at the store, you may be surprised to know it’s easy to make at home! No special equipment nor hours over the stove required, and as a result, you’ll have a high smoke point, lactose-free, shelf-stable fat that will enrich your cooking.

Meghna will guide you through the process of making ghee from scratch, and once our classroom is filled with ghee’s irresistible aroma, we’ll learn four classic Indian dishes that feature ghee. Matar paneer is a curry of peas and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked in a spiced tomato-based gravy. Ghee gives this dish a richness and toastiness. Next on the menu is latpata chicken, where thighs are cooked in a rich and spicy gravy. Ghee adds a delightful aroma and richness to this dish. Not to be left out of ghee’s golden touch are our rice and lentils! Pulao is a fragrant rice dish cooked with aromatic spices and vegetables. Dal is a staple in Indian cuisine, made with lentils, onions, and garlic. Ghee is key to tempering the dal, a cooking technique that adds a velvety richness to the dish.

Transforming butter into ghee is not only easy, but it will also give you an understanding of how to build flavor in classic Indian recipes. Join us for a luscious, flavorful meal!

MENU

Ghee from scratch

Matar Paneer

Dal Fry—Yellow Lentils with a Ghee Tadka

Latpata Chicken

Pulao—Spiced Rice with Ghee and Spices

Mixed Vegetable Raita

This menu contains the following major allergens: Dairy. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Let’s Cook Together! 

Through her company, Crimson Kitchen, Meghna Agarwal teaches Indian cooking classes, caters parties, runs her private chef business, and occasionally feeds the hungry souls of San Francisco’s numerous startups. When asked about her culinary background, Meghna notes with a smile that she comes from a culture that has been focused on food for the past five thousand years! With a heritage of food as the epicenter of most occasions, she is driven to find and replicate the countless traditional tastes of India – from Mumbai’s modern restaurants to the street food of tiny villages.

Meghna regularly visits India, where she works with Indian restaurateurs and chefs to keep abreast of their evolving cuisine. Upon return to her San Francisco kitchen, she infuses the latest trends with ancient traditions and techniques to pass along to her students. Meghna can now be found  teaching cooking classes in collaboration with 18 Reasons, San Francisco Cooking School, The Civic Kitchen and her own company Crimson Kitchen. You can find more information on her at www.crimsonkitchen.com or follow her food journey on instagram @crimsonkitchen.