Bilona ghee versus commercial ghee

The wiser choice
Ghee has been an integral part of Indian cuisine for centuries and continues to be widely used even today. Traditionally, every home used to make their own ghee using the Bilona (wooden churner), a practice that is more than 3000 years old. However, with the onset of modernisation, most households have replaced home-made ghee with store-bought mass-produced ghee simply because it was more convenient. With so many brands of ghee in the market today, one is bound to wonder whether Bilona ghee is really worth the premium. 

It’s all in the process
Commercial processes of making ghee involve the use of automated machines that are able to churn out hundreds of kilograms of ghee in just a few minutes. Companies make ghee this way because it is quicker, more efficient, and profitable, as it is possible to manufacture large batches in a relatively short time span and extract larger quantities of ghee per liter of milk. 

In contrast, the Bilona method is slow, labour intensive and usually made only in small batches. The process involves adding culture to milk or cream and leaving it overnight to set into curd. A Bilona is then used to hand-churn the curd to extract butter which is cooked on a slow flame to make ghee. It is a tedious process that takes several hours before the golden elixir is finally ready. 

Which one’s better?
As with most things mass-produced, commercial Ghee lacks flavor and aroma and also has a diminished nutritional value. It is made in large volumes by mixing milk from numerous sources together, making it hard to trace the source or assure the quality of the milk. Some brands make ghee directly from cream (malai) instead of curd, making the ghee harder to digest. Bilona Ghee is easily distinguishable by its rich aroma and flavor. Having all of its nutrients intact, it keeps its promise of being India’s superfood, offering a wide variety of health and medicinal benefits. 

Katori’s Bilona ghee is traditionally made by women artisans from pure A2 milk of native breeds of cattle that are allowed to graze freely in chemical-free open spaces. What makes it even more special is that every batch of ghee can be traced right back to Katori’s very own network of women dairy farmers from whom the milk is directly sourced. Our ghee is available in four delicious variants – Vedic Ghee, Cow Ghee, Desi (Buffalo) Ghee, and Probiotic Ghee. Click here to shop now.