the kind), and this we apply straiglit through to fish,
flesh, or fowl, not to mention eggs and A’^egetables.
Generally, it may be added, in the opinion of con-
noisseurs, with disastrous results !
However, having fixed on our curry powder, it is
still possible for the British cook to impart an
agreeable variety to her Eastern dishes by a careful
use of the various addenda indispensable in curry
making. On one point, however, no mistake must
be made. Butter is necessary, and must be used
generously, taking care, however, to avoid the mis-
take (in European eyes) of the Indian cook, who is
apt to measure the excellence of his curry by its
greasiness. The addenda are shallots, garlic, cayenne,
cocoanut (grated or as milk), green ginger (procurable
at the dilferent stores and at Covent Garden),
turmeric, creme de riz or rice flour, tamarinds, sour
apples, raisins, &c. Onions are indispensable, and
should be used liberally, sliced, and fried to a golden
brown in the pan in which you eventually fry the
curry jwwder. But these may be varied by using
shallot minced and fried (which is, indeed, the onion
ch'efly used in India), or even a little minced garlic,
or garlic vinegar, in the flavouring. (Eor average
tastes a cut clove of garlic rubbed two or three times
across the frying or stewf)an Avill be found amj^le.)
An acid of some kind should ahvays be mixed Avith
curry, whether this be tamarind pul]:), lemon or lime
juice, tom'-, to puree, sour apples, or gooseberries, as
may be most convenient.
The curry powder itself, whatever be its kind, must
alAvays be carefully cooked before the moistening
96 BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DISHES.
and other ingredients are added, or it will give a
harsh, acrid, dusty taste to the dish that nothing will
overcome ; it must, moreover, be very slowly cooked.
Indeed, curry can never be hurried at any time, and
as a general rule is always nicer the second than the
first day.
The process is as follows : Rub a frying-pan over
once or twice with a cut clove of garlic, and melt in
it a full ounce (or jDerhaps a little more) of butter or
best clarified dripping, and fry in this 2oz. of minced
sLallot or onion tiU of a delicate golden brown,
over a slow, clear fire ; then stir in the curry powder,
using four or five good dessertspoonfuls of the
powder for an average dish, or use four spoonfuls
and one of curry paste, as you please. This amount
must however depend greatly on individual taste and
the freshness and strength of the curry powder (I
prefer Edmund’s “ Empress ” powder and paste),
and must be cooked very slowly with the other
ingredients for seven or eight minutes, adding more
butter or dripping if necessary during the cooking.
When this is all well blended, add gradually a pint
of either hot water or any stock suitable to the
material✪ Curry of which the curry is to be made, stirring it
well and smoothly together. If you are going to use
cooked meat it is well to stir a couple of teaspoonfuls
of creme de riz into the pan with the other ingre-
dients, and then when the stock is added, bring it
all gently to the boil, after which you allow it to
simmer fifteen or twenty minutes till it all becomes
a rich sauce. Now, if you are going to use cooked
ingredients, add them cut up neatly ; draw the pan
CURRIES AND PILAFFS.
97
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Presented as published in 1904. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
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the kind), and this we apply straiglit through to fish,
flesh, or fowl, not to mention eggs and A’^egetables.
Generally, it may be added, in the opinion of con-
noisseurs, with disastrous results !
However, having fixed on our curry powder, it is
still possible for the British cook to impart an
agreeable variety to her Eastern dishes by a careful
use of the various addenda indispensable in curry
making. On one point, however, no mistake must
be made. Butter is necessary, and must be used
generously, taking care, however, to avoid the mis-
take (in European eyes) of the Indian cook, who is
apt to measure the excellence of his curry by its
greasiness. The addenda are shallots, garlic, cayenne,
cocoanut (grated or as milk), green ginger (procurable
at the dilferent stores and at Covent Garden),
turmeric, creme de riz or rice flour, tamarinds, sour
apples, raisins, &c. Onions are indispensable, and
should be used liberally, sliced, and fried to a golden
brown in the pan in which you eventually fry the
curry jwwder. But these may be varied by using
shallot minced and fried (which is, indeed, the onion
ch'efly used in India), or even a little minced garlic,
or garlic vinegar, in the flavouring. (Eor average
tastes a cut clove of garlic rubbed two or three times
across the frying or stewf)an Avill be found amj^le.)
An acid of some kind should ahvays be mixed Avith
curry, whether this be tamarind pul]:), lemon or lime
juice, tom'-, to puree, sour apples, or gooseberries, as
may be most convenient.
The curry powder itself, whatever be its kind, must
alAvays be carefully cooked before the moistening
96 BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DISHES.
and other ingredients are added, or it will give a
harsh, acrid, dusty taste to the dish that nothing will
overcome ; it must, moreover, be very slowly cooked.
Indeed, curry can never be hurried at any time, and
as a general rule is always nicer the second than the
first day.
The process is as follows : Rub a frying-pan over
once or twice with a cut clove of garlic, and melt in
it a full ounce (or jDerhaps a little more) of butter or
best clarified dripping, and fry in this 2oz. of minced
sLallot or onion tiU of a delicate golden brown,
over a slow, clear fire ; then stir in the curry powder,
using four or five good dessertspoonfuls of the
powder for an average dish, or use four spoonfuls
and one of curry paste, as you please. This amount
must however depend greatly on individual taste and
the freshness and strength of the curry powder (I
prefer Edmund’s “ Empress ” powder and paste),
and must be cooked very slowly with the other
ingredients for seven or eight minutes, adding more
butter or dripping if necessary during the cooking.
When this is all well blended, add gradually a pint
of either hot water or any stock suitable to the
material of which the curry is to be made, stirring it
well and smoothly together. If you are going to use
cooked meat it is well to stir a couple of teaspoonfuls
of creme de riz into the pan with the other ingre-
dients, and then when the stock is added, bring it
all gently to the boil, after which you allow it to
simmer fifteen or twenty minutes till it all becomes
a rich sauce. Now, if you are going to use cooked
ingredients, add them cut up neatly ; draw the pan
CURRIES AND PILAFFS.
97