Recipe White Sauce or Sauce Bechamel

Quantity :- 1 liter

sno                     Ingredients                 Quantity

1                         Milk                            1 liter
2                         Butter                          60-70 gms
3                         Refined Flour               60-70 gms
4                         Small Onion                 50 gms max
5                         Bayleaf                        2-3
6                         Pepper Corns              20-25
7                         Cloves                         5
8                         Salt                               to taste
9                         White Pepper                to taste

Methods

1) In a thick bottomed pan melt butter, ( do not let it brown) add refined flour and cook for 5 minutes at a low flame ( should remain white). ( the mixture of butter and flour cooked together is called roux)
2) In a pot, heat milk along with peeled onion, bay leaf, cloves and pepper corns.
3) in the sauce pan in which the white roux is being made, add small amount of milk and stir over a low flame, continue the process till all the milk is being consumed. ( please ensure if the milk is hot the roux should be cold or vice versa.)
4) cook over a low flame till a smooth sauce with a desired consistency is achieved.
5) strain and season, use as desired

( in olden days the sauce is being made with veal or ham, along with ingredients like carrots, cloves, parsley and shallots. liquids include consomme or other stocks, but modern day white sauce is made with white roux and milk or cream. some chefs also replace onions with garlic)