Homemade White Butter

I used to love white butter back home , we had one special dairy shop who used to sold this butter and my parents always get that one and me and my sister finished that in no time. After coming to here in US, I saw Amul butter in shelf and was very happy to see that here, you know when you put dollop of that yellow goodness of hot steamy spicy pav bhaji, it changes the whole taste of pav bhaji, Oh you didn't try it yet, do it and you will love it. But because of some FDA regulations, Amul stop exporting butter and its other products for some time but thank goodness they are back again. so last week when I got Amul butter my son loved it and it was done in two days just like his mom used to finish white butter. He know how to make white butter because he made it in his summer camp, so to give him surprise I made it at home and he loved that too. I saw this last year on Cooksjoy blog and since then I was very tempted to try it. but didn't wanted to rush and ruin so check few more sites and video and then get comfortable how to make it and then I brought heavy cream and made it , believe me its worth it, you will love it. The whole process took me 30 minutes but it was all worth it.

Ingredients :

1 pint Heavy cream which is almost 500 ml.
4 tbsp. ice chilled water

For flavoring you can use salt or garlic or parsley , its endless possibilities the way you want to use it

Method:

You can use hand mixture or stand mixture what ever you have. I used hand mixture.

Take a big bowl if using hand mixture otherwise pour heavy cream in stand mixture jar.
First start with slow setting and mix it.

Heavy cream will become whipped cream.
Now go ahead and make one more step ahead and fast the process ,
Add 4 tbsp. of ice cold water. and beat the cream till it changes the color and leave buttermilk.
Beat till buttermilk and butter separated.

After mixing I got this much buttermilk from my cream. It will take good 20 minutes to beat it.
Once it all done, take a big sieve and strain the butter.

Leave this way till all water is out otherwise butter will go bad.
Once its all dry, use your hands and make sure no single drop of water is there.
Store it in container and put it in fridge and use it as required. Will last this  much as per your use. Mine will probably will finish in 4 days.

Just love this butter, brings back so many good memories. 

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Ricotta Rasmalai (Ricotta in creamy milk) - 300th post

I had one cup of ricotta in my fridge which I can not use it in any dish, so was confused where to use this? then had half can of evaporated milk and half pint of heavy cream there too. First I don't like leftover containers in my fridge , I like to use it all quickly otherwise I go crazy over all those containers so I took out all three containers and think , how "Chopped" chef would react? And then light bulb , tada, Rasmalai. I really love milk based dessert and this all ingredients screaming nothing else but yummy delicious ras malai. So here it is , beware its not that spongy as paneer one but to create best of the leftover , its all worth it. When I gave my husband after diner, he cleaned his bowl with water, I asked him want more? he said no will have it tomorrow, don't want to finish today. I made only six so we savor it slowly and happily.

Oh By the way, this is my 300th post so enjoy this sweet dish and thank you all for your continuous support.

Ingredients:

1 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sugar or as per taste
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy milk
1 cup whole milk
few almonds chopped
few saffron strings
sugar as per taste
cardamom powder as per taste

Method:

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Mix ricotta with sugar and cardamom powder and mix it nicely.
Put it in baking dish , preferably muffin tin.
Spread it in each muffin holes evenly the ricotta mixture.
Bake it for 25-30 minutes or edges become little pale or yellowish in color.

Mean while , in a big pan, add all the milk and sugar, cardamom powder and saffron, nuts  and cook till its thickens.
With Evaporated milk and cream, it will take only 10 minutes or less.
When ricotta is done, take it out and let it cool completely.
Let the milk also cool completely.
When both are cold, take the  bowl and first put circles of ricotta in bowl and then pour creamy milk on top of it.
Put it in fridge to chilled.

At the time of serving, take out one or two rasmalai and top it with milk and some chopped almond and cherry on top and serve it.

Enjoy this delicious Ras Malai with your Family.

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Extra Veg, an event jointly hosted by Utterly Scrummy and Fuss Free Flavours.
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Steamed Vegetable Potstickers and Bok Choy Salad

I wanted to make this dish on Chinese new year and mother nature ruined my plan with snow. So next time when I was able to out and shop, first thing I went is my favorite Chinese store to buy ingredients for my pot stickers. I choose a cut short with ready made broccoli slaw for stuffing, well it was on sale and who don't love short cuts? But if you want you can take cabbage, carrot, broccoli or your choice of ingredients, even shredded chicken, tofu , paneer also works. I saved rest of the wrappers for other dish I wanted to make. You can make this wonton style, dumpling style  or even make Italian tortellini with same wrapper. To make Italian tortellini, just mix cheese and cooked spinach with spices and fold it.

Ingredients :

15 wrappers for pot sticker I use Circle wonton wrappers
1/2 packet of broccoli slaw mix

I was making this for appetizer that's why didn't use whole package.
as per taste soya sauce
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar or plain vinegar
dash of sriracha sauce
2 tsp. oil
1 thai chili
2 garlic
2 inch ginger

For dipping sauce

2 tbsp. Rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. Spicy sesame oil
2 tbsp. soya sauce lite
1 finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. finely chopped ginger
Mix all this and keep it aside.

Method:

To make stuffing, take broccoli slaw and ginger, garlic and chili and in chopper , just chopped it finely.
Heat a wok, add oil in it and all slaw mix. Add soya sauce , vinegar, and sambal sauce and cook for 1 minute it.
Let it cool completely.

Take one wrapper, add one tbsp. of stuffing in the middle,

Apply water on the edges, and fold it in half moon.
then close it tightly with pinching it and tight it.

finish all the stuffing and make all pot stickers.

Heat up your steamer, apply oil where you are going to put this.

I used my dhokla steamer for this.

Put pot sticker in it , making sure it does not touch each other, otherwise it will stick to it and you can not pull them apart.
Steam it for 10 minutes , take it out and put the rest.
When all is done, serve hot  with dipping sauce.

You can shallow fry, deep fry this pot stickers too. 

I served this with Bok Choy salad which I get recipe from Minnie's blog

Bok Choy salad:

2 big bok Choy cut it and steamed it for 3 minutes. Make dressing with 2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce, soya sauce, rice vinegar and sambal sauce, spread over it and enjoy immediately. Added few strings of vegetables from broccoli slaw on top for the crunch. Peanut or any other nuts will go nice too for little extra crunch.

Gayathri's WTML event and prachis veg kitchen
Swathi's hearth and soul blog hop
Four Seasons Food Challenge, which is currently “Celebrating Vegetables.  event is jointly hosted by Eat Your Veg and Delicieux.
Extra Veg, an event jointly hosted by Utterly Scrummy and Fuss Free Flavours.
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caroleschatter

Bailey Panna cotta with Chocolate Sauce

My love for this alcoholic drink way goes back. When I came to this country, my first office Christmas party, I had this drink and since then I hooked on this. I love the flavor basically, it has coffee and with a just a touch of alcohol in it, oh its heaven. So I was thinking about making panna cotta so why not with my favorite drink? I made it and loved it and it was my first try to make panna cotta so I was excited too. This is just for adults not for kids, so make strawberry or any other fruit panna cotta for them and you can enjoy this with your partner.

Ingredients :

2 cups  cream
3 tbsp. agar-agar powder
1 shot Bailey or Irish cream liqueur

For Chocolate Sauce :

4 oz. Milk chocolate broken into pieces
1/2 cup cream

Method:

To make the panna cotta, Bring cream to the boil in a saucepan.
Immediately remove from the heat and add agar powder, stirring briskly until the powder has completely dissolved.
Allow the cream to cool slightly, then add the Baileys in it.

Baileys shot

Lightly grease 4 glasses and carefully pour in the mixture.
Transfer the panna cotta to the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
You can just have it as it is after its set.
Or make a chocolate sauce for it.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add cream in it and then cool it and when panna cotta mixture is set, pour this on it and let them cool again for 1 more hour.
Serve it as it is or put fresh food on top and have it.

Note :The brand of agar agar I use calls for it to be added to hot liquid. If your  needs to be added to cold liquid, just chill the Irish cream beforehand and follow the instructions for how to use the agar agar on the packet.

Turmeric n spice: Holiday Linkz Party

Eggplant Rollatini

My dear husband don't eat eggplant like stuffed or simple Indian curry style, only he prefers as baigan bhartha or in Italian dishes like Parmesan Sandwich or this way or on top of pizza. He wants everything perfect  and he is so good in tasting the food, if he says just put a dash of lime juice or salt and then dish become perfect. So he was telling me to make this dish for so long, so one week I planned ahead and brought everything to make this dish over weekend. Well as a perfectionist he has to cut those eggplant in same size so only for that purpose we have food slicer , so he cut it and we both made this dish together.  This is a very easy and filling dish, first I was thinking to make pasta on side but when we sliced it ,  I saw enough to feed us so didn't bother to make it and just enjoy as it is with a glass of wine.

Ingredients :

1 big purple eggplant, thinly sliced.

Eggplant Slicer

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 grated carrot
2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or any other dried Italian herbs
1 cup or as needed Marinara sauce
few red pepper flakes

Method:

Sliced the eggplant in similar size.
put it in salted water till you grill them.
Grill all the slices so it gets tender, you don't have to grill it too much.
In a bowl , add ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, carrot, pine nuts, salt and pepper, seasoning, red pepper flakes and mix it.

Preheat the oven at 375 F.
In a baking dish spread marinara sauce in one single layer.
Now take one grilled slice and put a big tablespoon of stuffing in one side of the eggplant.

Roll it till end and arrange it in baking dish.

Finish all and put them in baking dish.

If you have leftover stuffing putting on top of it , don't waste it.
Spread sauce all over eggplant and then spread cheese on it.

Bake it in the oven till cheese melted from inside and outside for around 15-20 minutes, and check in between too.

Take it out from the oven, leave it outside for 5 minutes because inside stuffing is very hot.

Serve it in a plate and enjoy with a glass of wine or side of salad or Garlic Bread Sticks.

Enjoy.



Nandoo's page and Vardhini's bake fest Event
Gayathri's WTML event and prachis veg kitchen
Swathi's hearth and soul blog hop
Four Seasons Food Challenge, which is currently “Celebrating Vegetables.  event is jointly hosted by Eat Your Veg and Delicieux.
Extra Veg, an event jointly hosted by Utterly Scrummy and Fuss Free Flavours.
recipeoftheweek-12-18-april
Kids Delight hosted by PVR Blog