Bilona ghee vs regular ghee: what's the difference?
Bilona ghee is churned from curd, regular ghee from cream. Here is how the two differ in taste, aroma, texture and price.
How bilona ghee is made
Milk is boiled, set into curd, hand-churned (bilona) into makkhan, then slowly heated into ghee. It takes far more milk per kilo, which is why it costs more.
How regular ghee is made
Most commercial ghee is made directly from cream or butter separated by machine, heated at higher temperatures for speed.
Taste and aroma
Bilona ghee is usually more aromatic with a deeper, slightly tangy note from the curd. Regular ghee is milder.
Which should you buy?
For daily cooking and sweets, good regular desi ghee is excellent. For medicine-like daily spoonfuls, rotis and dal tadka where the aroma matters, many families prefer bilona.