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One of the best parts of visiting India is getting fresh makhan in the morning to have with your bhakri (whole wheat flatbread). Makhan is a cultured butter made with buffalo milk. Buffalo milk is fatty and creamy so the butter has tons of flavor! Unfortunately, buffalo milk is hard to come by here in the US so I opted for good quality Jersey cow heavy cream!
This recipe is actually a two for one! Not only do you get super flavorful butter, but you also get fresh buttermilk! Cold buttermilk is a drink that is loved in India, but if that now for you, you can totally make pancakes, biscuits, or cakes with it!
Fresh makhan or cultured butter is great with a slice of good crusty sourdough bread or on top of any Indian flatbread like thepla, paratha or bhakri! It’s super flavorful and has a natural sweetness and tang to it that’s hard to replicate with regular butter. If you decide to make this recipe, be sure to tag me on social media!
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Homemade Makhan (Cultured Butter)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Easy desi style butter! This recipe for makhan only requires 2 ingredients and time! Makes 14 oz of butter and 2 cups of buttermilk.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (946 mL) good quality heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
Instructions
- Add heavy cream and yogurt into a large jar or pitcher. Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth and there are no chunks of yogurt.
- Cover the jar with cheesecloth and set aside for 3 to 7 days. The longer you let the cream ferment the tangy-er and more flavorful the butter will be.
- When you’re ready to churn the butter, chill the cream in the fridge for 1 hour. Then pour the fermented cream into a large mixing bowl, making sure to scrape all the cream into the bowl. Whisk the cream until the butter separates from the buttermilk.
- Place a strainer over a clean bowl and line it with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Strain the butter and buttermilk into the cheesecloth. Twist the corners of the cheesecloth around the butter and squeeze the buttermilk out the butter. Pour the buttermilk into a clean jar and refrigerate for use in other recipes.
- Add 1 cup of ice water to a mixing bowl. Knead the butter in the ice water until the water turns cloudy. Dispose of the cloudy ice water and add a cup of clean ice water into the bowl. Knead the butter in the ice water and repeat this step until the water runs clear. If you plan on adding salt, you can now knead the salt into the butter at this point. Otherwise, just squeeze out as much water from the butter as possible and store in a clean container in the fridge!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: Indian
