Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

Serve the Curry at once, in the casserole, and hand a dish of well-boiled rice (see page 414). The essentials in Curry-making are patient and slow cooking, the proper use at the proper time of the right ingredients, and close attention to details. It may seem a great deal of trouble to carry out the instructions given above, but both the cook and her employers will be well repaid. Of course, a Curry should only be ordered when the cook has plenty of time to attend to it. Any remains of the Curry should be set aside in the casserole, and revived next day by the addition of half an ounce each of butter and of onion fried together as before, then fried with a teaspoonful of Curry-powder, and finally moistened with a coffeecupful of broth. If the casserole is now gently heated in the bain-marie the Curry will be found even better than it was the day before, for the chicken will have become thoroughly flavoured with the sauce, and the sauce will be reduced and strengthened by the second simmering. TO MAKE THE CURRY Fresh meat and fresh fish can be curried in exactly the same way as chicken. Of course, meat stock must be used for meat, fish broth for fish, and vegetable eau de cuisson or milk for vegetables. The creme de riz must always be added to the “ Curry stuff,” as it absorbs the butter in frying and prevents any greasiness. The nutty infusion, like the addition of butter or yolk of egg to a good sauce, is always stirred in at the last moment. If liked, a dessertspoonful of chutney may be added with the currant jelly ; probably tamarind chutney would be the most suitable. Cooked meat should be cut into squares, and allowed to marinade in a well-made Curry sauce for as long as possible. It will only need to be gently heated in the casserole to steaming point, and should then be served at once. Cold dressed vegetables, or hard-boiled eggs (cut lengthwise), need only gently warming up in the Curry sauce. Some people like garlic in Curries ; in this case use a drop or two according to Mrs. Earle’s method (page 343). An excellent Curry can be made of sprigs of lightly- boiled cauliflower, mixed with plenty of picked boiled shrimps, and gently heated up together in Curry sauce. Praicn Curry , or Curry of the fillets of any firm fish, is very popular, and can be made on the same lines as the Chicken Curry already given. Take at least a pint of prawns, shell them, keep the shells and throw away the heads. Clean them carefully by passing a small knife down the grooves on the prawn, back and front, and take out any grit which may be there. Put the prawns into a basin of fresh water, wash them thoroughly, dry them on a cloth, dust them over with flour, and lay them on a dish. Cut a good-sized cucumber, or two small ones, into quarters, take out the seeds, and peel off the green skin. Divide the quarters into pieces two inches long and one inch thick, and put them into a stewpan with plenty of boiling water, half an ounce of butter, and a teaspoonful of salt. Blanch for three minutes, and simmer them until three-parts done, then drain the liquid off, turn the pieces of cucumber on to a clean dish, and cover them up. Fry the onions and butter as before, make and fry the “ Curry stuff,” and make the nutty infusion. Have ready half a pint of strong fish broth made by simmering hal a pound