WHITE SAUSE

INEGRENTS:

MILK-2 CUP
BUTTER-1/2tsp
GRAM FLOUR -1/2tsp

HOW TO DO :
TAKE A PAN AND PUT BUTTER IN SMALL STREAMAND POUR MILK IN PAN AFTER PUT GRAMFLOUR WELL .THEN READY TO SERVE . WHITE SAUSE IS READY.

Apple Pie Recipe

1 Package Pilsbury Pie Crusts
9-10 apples, two different kinds, one Granny Smith
1/4 C Apple Juice
2 T Lemon Juice
3/4 C Sugar
1/4 C Corn Starch
dash of salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 425. Roll one pie crust out into pie plate. Peel and chip apples into large mixing bowl. In separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir to blend. Combine all liquid ingredients in another bowl and stir to blend. Pour dry and liquid over apples and stir well.

Place in oven and bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover entire pie with foil. Cut slits in center of foil and peel back so mainly the outer edge is covered (to prevent it from burning). Reduce heat to 375 and continue baking for 45-55 minutes or until golden.

WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed and de-seeded chilled watermelon

1/2 cup chilled water

1 1/2 tbsp sugar (adjust according to the sweetness of watermelon)

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

mint leaves for garnish (optional)

1 Blend the above ingredients

DAHI BHENDI

Ingredients:

250 gms tender lady’s fingers (I used baby okra, wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel, trim the top and ends)

½ inch ginger piece

¼ tsp pepper corns

1 tbsp oil

1 dry red chilli (tear into two pieces)

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chillis slit lengthwise

1 tsp coriander pwd

pinch of turmeric pwd or haldi

1 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour) dry roast the flour stirring constantly till it gives a roasted aroma

1 cup curds (made from skimmed milk)

salt to taste

1 Peel the ginger and make a paste of pepper corns and ginger. Keep aside. Whisk the curds and keep aside.
2 Heat oil in a cooking vessel and add the dry red chilli and cumin seeds and stir fry till the aromas come out.
3 Add the green chillis, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd, besan and stir well for a few seconds. Don’t burn it.
4 Add the trimmed and cut lady’s fingers (which have been stir fried in a tbsp of oil for 3-4 mts) and salt and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for 4-5 mts.
5 Stir in the ginger-pepper corn paste.
6 Reduce flame and add the whisked curds and mix well and cook covered for 12-15 mts stirring occasionally or till the okra is cooked and you get the desired curry consistency.
6 Serve hot with white steamed rice or chapatis.


Note:

Cut each okra into two pieces if they are long. I usually heat a tsp of oil in a pan and fry the trimmed okras for 3-4 mts stirring continuously, before adding to the spices.

RAVA LADDU

Ingredients:

1 cup sooji/upma rava/semolina

3/4 cup sugar (increase according to your choice)

1 tsp cardamom pwd

few cashewnuts

few raisins

3 tbsps ghee

few tbsps milk

1 Heat a pan, add a tbsp of ghee and toast the cashewnuts and raisins till golden brown. Remove from pan, keep aside.
2 In the same pan, add the sooji and roast it for approx 7-8 mts till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen and it turns a light brown shade. Remove from pan and keep aside.
3 Take a vessel, add sugar, cardamom pwd, roasted sooji and remaining ghee and combine well. Sprinkle few tbsps of milk and mix till it forms a crumbly mixture.
4 Using both your hands, form small ladoos and top with a roasted cashewnut and raisin. While shaping the laddos be careful such that the mixture stays together. Initially the laddu might tend to break hence be gentle and place the laddu carefully on a plate and it will harden in a few minutes.

Kitchen Notes - For variation, add a few tbsps of grated coconut (roasted in ghee). If you add coconut the shelf life is shorter. For a longer shelf life, its better to make thin sugar syrup and combine the roasted sooji in it and then prepare balls.


Ravva Ladoo ~ Semiya Payasam
Both Rava Laddu and Semiya Payasam are my entries for Sugar High Friday food event hosted by Anita of Dessert First. She chose ‘Spices’ as the theme and with aromatic cardamom being the flavor enhancer in both the recipes, they make apt entries. Srivalli is hosting JFI - Festival Treats this month and both these treats are my entries for this event too.

SEIMYA PAYASAM

Ingredients:

1/2 lt whole milk (I used skimmed)

1 cup roasted semiya/vermicelli

2-3 tbsps sago/sabhudana/saggu biyyam (optional)

1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (adjust)

1 tsp cardamom pwd

10-12 cashewnuts

1 tbsp raisin

1 tbsp ghee

1 Heat a pan, add a tbsp of ghee and toast the cashewnuts and raisins till golden brown. Remove from pan, keep aside.
2 In the same pan, add the vermicelli (if its not roasted vermicelli) and roast it for approx 4 mts till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen and it turns a light brown shade. Remove from pan and keep aside.
3 Take a cooking vessel, add the sago and three cups of water and cook for 5 mts, then add the roasted vermicelli and let it cook completely. Add sugar and milk and let it slowly simmer for another 7-8 mts, stirring it once in a while.
5 Add the cardamom pwd and toasted cashews and raisins. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled. It tastes good both warm and chilled.

Kitchen Notes - You will find that once you turn off the flame and the payasam sits, the semiya will absorb the milk and the payasam will thicken. The payasam thickens even when refrigerated. So at the time of serving, add some warm milk (a few tbsps) and combine well and serve. For a rich taste, use whole milk.

GHEE WITH CREAM OF YOGURT

>
HOW TO MAKE GHEE WITH CREAM OF YOGURT
Sailaja shares her method of preparing ghee from homemade butter (called makhan in Hindi and vennapusa in Telugu).

Boil one liter of milk and turn off stove. Once it reaches room temperature, add a tsp of yogurt to the milk, place lid and ferment overnight. Next day, curd forms with a thick layer of cream.

Cream of yogurt or dahi (skin above yogurt) is removed each day and stored in a container and refrigerated (sometimes a little bit of yogurt also comes along with cream while removing the cream off the top of yogurt). At the end of the week, the collected cream of dahi (from cow’s milk) is brought to room temperature and churned using a wooden churner (kavvam) or ladle till the butter separates (churning could take 12-15 mts). Add 3-4 cups of water to this and continue to churn for a minute or two and the residue is a thick buttermilk. Strain the butter milk. Wash the butter (called vennapusa in Telugu) in water at least 4-5 times. This thoroughly washed butter can now be used to prepare ghee.

To prepare ghee, melt the butter in a stainless steel vessel over medium high heat. The butter will begin to melt forming a white froth on top. Now on simmer, stir occasionally and you will find that the froth will begin to thin slowly and the color of butter changing to a pale yellow shade. Continue to cook on low heat until it turns a golden color. The residue solids will settle at the bottom and the ghee which is clear, golden and translucent with a fragrant smell is ready. Filter the ghee which will solidify when completely cool. It can be stored at room temperature for 3 months or even more. Its best to prepare less quantity of ghee and finish it within a few days before preparing the next batch. That would be the best way to experience the real taste of ghee.

Step by step photos of ghee making with cream of yogurt (curd, dahi, perugu):