Bechamel Sauce

Other name - White Sauce

Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 6 to 8 min

Ingredients

1. Cooking butter (unsalted) - 3 tbsp
2. Refined flour / Maida - 3 tbsp
3. Whole milk - 4 cups
4. Black pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp (or) as reqd
5. Nutmeg powder (optional) - 1/4 tsp
6. One half of medium sized onion (peeled, washed & cut in to two) - studded with 6 to 7 cloves & 2 bay leaves
7. Salt - to taste

Method

1. Heat four cups of milk; cool to become luke warm; set aside.
2. Heat a non stick pan in low flame.
3. Add three tablespoons of butter; stir until it melts.
4. Add refined flour & stir continuously until all the dry flour gets folded in the butter completely; do not brown the butter-flour mixture.
   
5. Cook stirring continuously in low flame for about 3 to 4 min until raw smell of the flour disappears.
6. Stir in the luke warm milk little by little at a time; keep on stirring continuously ensuring no lumps are formed.
7. Add salt, black pepper powder, nutmeg powder (optional) & mix well.
8. Adjust ingredients as per taste.
9. Repeat the same process until whole of the luke warm milk is added to the butter-flour mixture.
10. Cook the milk-butter-flour mixture stirring continuously for about 3 to 4 min until it becomes fairly thick.
11. Switch off gas; empty contents to a serving bowl; add in one half of the onion studded with cloves & bay leaves.
12. Let the onion get dunked in the sauce; close with lid & set aside for the flavors to blend in completely.
13. Discard onion just before serving.