The housekeeper's guide to preserved meats, fruits, vegetables, &c

generally somewhat mild. Thus those persons who prefer curry very hot can add curry powder, curry paste, cayenne pepper, whole chilies, etc. Halford s curries are sold in tins — namely , curried fowl, curried rabbit, curried lobster, and curried prawns, besides which curry sauce made by Halford is sold in tins by itself. This latter will be found an exceedingly useful dish to the cook, as it enables her to serve a dish of curry from the remains of any cold meat at a few minutes’ notice. One great improvement to all curries is to warm up a few bay-leaves in the curry and send them to table whole. Another great essential to curry is some good plain boiled rice. Boiling rice for curry is not so simple a thing as many cooks would imagine. The great art of boiling rice is to send it to table so that each grain is separate, and yet cooked through. When the grains of rice stick together it shows that it has been badly boiled. In England the rice is generally preferred cooked through. In the East, as in Egypt and Turkey, rice is always served in a state resembling an Irish potato — namely, it has an “eye” in it. The outside of the rice is soft, but there is a small hard spot in the middle. Probably in countries where rice is almost the staff of life, in this condition a greater amount can be eaten, and it is possible that it possesses more nourishing powers. The best way to boil rice for curry is as follows : — First of all wash the rice very thoroughly in several waters, and continue to wash it till the water in which it is washed does not become cloudy or change colour. Throw the rice into sufficient boiling water to more than cover it. Let it boil for about ten minutes, then take it off the fire, strain it, and place the saucepan in which it has been boiled in a very hot place by the side of the fire, and not over the fire, or the rice would bum. Allow the rice to steam and swell gradually. It should be occasionally stirred with a fork or spoon. The rice will now gradually dry, and when dry the grains will not adhere to one another. This is the usual way in which rice is boiled on board the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s steamers. I remember, however, some years ago seeing a curry cook on board the Mirzapore boil the rice as follows. He first boiled it for about eight or ten minutes, and then strained it in a sieve, and washed it again with cold water for some time. The rice was then replaced in the saucepan, and the saucepan put by the side of the fire for the rice to gradually heat and swell and become dry. The result was certainly most satisfactory. Which of these two methods is preferable had better be left to the cook, who can try each receipt. Of course, a good deal depends on the rice. When the rice is very large rather more time should be allowed than when it is small. Halford’s curries are a most convenient form of having a dish ready at a few moments’ notice, the only thing necessary being that the tin should be immersed in boiling water, and the water allowed to boil for about twenty minutes. The tin can then be opened and the contents turned out on to a dish. The rice should always be served separate, and not on the same dish as the curry.