--Makkhan (Butter)

Have a whole lot of cream (top layer of milk after boiling i.e. malai) piling up each day and no one to use it? Here's what you can do with it. Make butter from it, and flavour it with anything you like. The kids will love it, you will love it and they will love it. You might slowly see a fall in the bills for store butter, and this butter is cheaper!! Follow the basic recipe for making butter. You may store the cream in the fridge for upto 3 days so that you can have a reasonable quantity to use. Though fairly simple to make, flavoured butters add a lot of that something which we may call zing or zip to any dish. Even applied just on plain toast, will make the taste of the toast richer. These butters generally stay for a week in the fridge if made properly and no moisture has been left in while processing. You may flavour butter with either a tangy or sweet or savoury taste. One may use the readymade dairy butter as the basic butter, however the homemade butter will definitely be lighter and tastier, and not less importantly, cheaper. Since all of us are living in an age of weight consciousness and fitness, we can mould our diets in tune with healthy habits. Use fat, but sensibly and in moderation, don't just pile it on!!!! Always use the full milk (not the skim one) so that you get a fairly thick layer of cream or malai. Bring the milk to boil. Keep aside to cool to room temperature. Place the vessel in the fridge for 5-6 hours so that the top cream can set undisturbed. Carefully remove the layer with a perforated spoon and store in a glass or ceramic bowl with a lid. When the quantity is sufficient to run in your mixie, you may proceed. Note: This cream will stay good for at least 3 days. So you may collect each day. You may now proceed to make butter in any one of the following ways. Instant Method: Put the above cream in a mixie, add the juice of a whole lemon, whip. When a smooth lump is formed, add some chilled water. Whip sparingly. The butter will form a solid lump and water will separate. Drain water, take lump in a wide bowl. Turn with moist hands, washing with chilled water 2-3 times. Drain out all the excess water. The butter is ready to use. Either as is, or salted with a few pinches salt. Or use to flavour as in the recipes in the following days. By Making Cream Curd: Add a tsp. of curd to the collected cream (procured as in introduction). Set aside in a warm dark place of 5-6 hour, overnight or till set. Whip with an egg beater, hand whipper or electric whipper. When the water begins to separate, add 1/2 litre chilled water, whip again. The butter will form lumps. Collect by hand and form a ball. Drain the water and keep aside. This water will be like buttermilk. Now wash the butter as in method 1, and continue as above. Note: Butter got by this method may start souring after 4-5 days. So, make little at a time and use up within 3-4 days.