Tarbuj ka Sharbat (Watermelon Juice with Mint)

Watermelon is an ubiquitous summer fruit, and this simple Indian recipe takes advantage of the fruit.

Tarbuj ka Sharbat (Watermelon juice flavored with mint)
Ingredients
4 kg/8.8 lb watermelon
1 tsp mint leaves, chopped
Black salt to taste--can substitute table salt

Procedure
1. Cut the flesh of the watermelon into small chunks; discard the rind. Remove all the seeds.
2. In a blender, puree the watermelon chunks with mint leaves.
3. Strain through a muslin cloth and discard the pulp.
4. Serve chilled in individual glasses with a dash of black salt.

Homemade Sasaparilla

Sarsaparilla is an old-fashioned root beer-type soda (it is made from roots, but different roots than root beer) that is a nice change of pace from regular old root beer.

Sasparilla

Ingredients
1 gallon (4 quarts) water
9 tablespoons sarsaparilla root
3 tablespoons licorice root
2 cups brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/8 teaspoon champagne yeast or 1/2 teaspoon brewer's yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water

Procedure
1. Chop roots. Prepare vanilla by slicing lengthwise with a paring knife.
1. Heat 2 quarts of water to a simmer.  As the water heats, add the chopped roots, sugar, and vanilla bean.  Simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover, and let cool for 30 minutes.

2. After the sarsaparilla mixture has cooled 30 minutes, pour it slowly into a jug with 1 quart of cool water, straining as you pour. Fill the jug to the top with the extra water until there is about 2 inches of space at the top of the jar.

3. In a small bowl, proof the yeast by adding yeast to 1/4 cup lukewarm water.

4. Shake the water & sarsparilla mixture in the jug vigorously for about a minute.
5. Add the yeast mixture to the jug and agitate vigorously again.
6. Pour the mixture into your sterilized bottles.  Cap and let sit for 48-72 hours for champagne yeast, 4-5 days for brewer's yeast.  When the carbonation is right, refrigerate and use within 6 weeks.

Makes 8 12-ounce bottles.

Note: There will be a sediment of yeast at the bottom of the bottle, so that the last bit of sarsaparilla will be turbid. It will not hurt you, but you can decant carefully if you wish to avoid this sediment.

Rich Bread Pudding with Non-Alcoholic Rum Sauce

Photo courtesy of myrecipes.com

During my first summer away at college, I decided to try out Bread Pudding, something my dad had made a few times but which I couldn't remember very well. I had just made Egg Bread (which was delicious) and made the bread pudding out of that. Then, for Halloween last year, I made this for my parents who had come to visit. My mom was amazed and told me it was the best bread pudding she had ever had! I don't remember what other bread pudding tastes like, so I'll just have to take her word for it.
Any sort of rich, stiff bread will do, but don't use mundane breads like white bread or wheat bread that you would use to make sandwiches. Specialty breads and homemade breads are much better for holding the liquids that make this dessert amazing. 

Ingredients 

Bread Pudding
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups milk/half and half mixture: Use 1 pint half and half, and add enough milk to make up the difference
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla (extract works, but real vanilla is better)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 oz French or other firm bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
1/2 cup raisins 

Topping (can be mixed in instead)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

Non-Alcoholic Rum Sauce
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract 

Procedure 

1. Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, beat 4 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 3/4 cup sugar with wire whisk until well blended. Beat in milk, half and half, whipping cream, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until well blended. Stir in the bread pieces and the raisins. Let stand an hour, then pour into baking dish.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. In small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until well blended. Sprinkle over top of bread pudding. At this point, the original recipe says to mix the cinnamon sugar with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and then drizzle it over the pudding, but I skipped the butter, sprinkled the cinnamon sugar on top, and then mixed it all together. Since there is a rum sauce that gets poured over the pudding later, I find a sublayer of cinnamon sugar to be pointless.

5. Bake uncovered for 55 to 65 minutes or until top is puffed and light golden brown. The center will jiggle slightly. Cool 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat; do not allow to simmer. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Mix egg and water in a bowl, then stir into butter until well blended. Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon rum extract.

7. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat, and pour over bread pudding. Cool until the topping is hard enough to keep its shape (more or less) when the pudding is served.

Enjoy!

(Must be refrigerated if not immediately completely consumed.)