Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 2) (London, 1832)

66 BUTTER.

at seasons when milk from the cow would be
sour in a few hours, and am told that the
milk when brought in fresh from the dairy is
placed over the fire in large iron skillets; the
skin (as we call it on boiled milk) is taken off
with a skimmer, and placed in a basket, which
allows all the milk to be drained from it; the
skin again engendered on the surface is taken
off in the same way, and so they continue,
watching and skimming until the milk has
nearly boiled away. This collection of skin is
the clotted cream of Hindoostaun.

" Mukhun" (Butter).—Butter is very par-
tially used by the Natives; they use ghee,
which is a sort of clarified butter, chiefly pro-
duced from the buffalo's milk. The method of
obtaining butter in India is singular to a Eu-
ropean. The milk is made warm over the fire,
then poured into a large earthen jar, and allowed
to stand for a few hours. A piece of bamboo is
split at the bottom, and four small pieces of wood
inserted as stretchers to these splits. A leather
strap is twisted over the middle of the bamboo,
and the butter-maker with this keeps the bam-