On 8/31/2012 9:11 AM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> dsi1 wrote:
>> notbob wrote:
>>> dsi1 > wrote:
>>
>>>> In this country, people routinely used pork fat because that's what
>>>> they could render. These days, we mostly use vegetable oil. My
>>>> guess is that's what the Indians use too.
>>
>>> Perhaps rich Indians. Poor indians still rely on the cow.
>>
>> Why would that be? Do most Indians, even the poor ones, own cows? My
>> guess is that even if you did own a cow, vegetable oil would be cheaper
>> and easier to get.
>
> I thought cows wander around mostly free. As such any poor person can
> milk a cow that's nearby and make products from the milk. The milk
> becomes a resource that is free but only available in limited quantities.
>

I like that idea. If it ain't true, it outta be. I have a hard time
seeing a poor guy making butter out of milk and then making ghee out of
the butter. My guess is that they drink the milk or cook with it, not
try to refine it into cooking oil.