FoodNet

Practical West African cookery

1910

Page 20 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
1. Peel the piece of pumpkin, cutting a good half-inch of rind away, clean out the thready part inside and the seeds. Cut into pieces about two inches square. 2. Have the water already boiling put in the pumpkin, salt and pepper, and boil for quite five minutes, then set aside and cook slowly for a good half-hour till the pumpkin is quite soft. 3. Pass the liquid and mash the pumpkin through the 44 SOUPS. sieve into a pudding basin. Return the liquid and mashed pumpkin to the saucepan and add the stock or milk. Let it simmer for a few minutes but not boil again. It should have the consistency of a not too thick cream. If too thick it can be thinned with a little water, if not thick enough it can be boiled down for a few more minutes. Note. A teaspoon of chopped parsley thrown into the soup just before serving is an improvement. Two tablespoons fried dices of bread passed round with the soup are an improvement. Yam and Young Onion Soup. (II). 1 breakfast cupful of yam, cut in pieces about two inches square. 1 teacupful of green onions, bulbs and tops, cut in pieces about 1 inch long. 2 pints water. 1 teaspoon butter or lard. 1 teaspoon salt. 1 berkono or a pinch of black pepper. 1 yolk of eggYam and Young Onion Soup. This soup can only be had at the end of the rainy season when the onion bulbs just begin to form and the tops are still quite tender. 1. Put the yam, onions, salt and pepper in the sauce- pan or native pot and cover with the cold water. Set on a slow fire ; when boiling point has been reached, set a little aside and cook very slowly for an hour and a half till the yam is quite soft. 2. With a fork pick out a few pieces of the onion and put them on a plate. Pass the liquid and mash the yam and onion through the sieve. This ought to give about three-quarters of a pint of thick soup. Add to it the pieces of onion you had set aside. 3. Put the yolk of egg and the butter at the bottom of the tureen. Mix it with a tablespoonful or two of soup before pouring on the remainder. The soup must be very hot but not boiling, or it will set the egg. A few slices of bread can also be added. Note. If you have any stock you can make it up to the two pints by mixing it with water, and than nenhei egg nor butter will be required. SOUPS. 45 Cabbage Soup. (II). 1 middle-sized head of cab- bage or 2 small ones. 1 large onion stuck -with 2 cloves. A breakfast cupful of yam, cut in pieces about two inches square. 6 or 7 pints of water. 2 tablespoons native butter or lard. 3 teaspoons salt. 2 berkono or half a teaspoon black pepper. 4 turnips, 5 carrots a bunch of parsley if obtainableCabbage Soup. 1. Split the cabbage in half, wash it well and let it stand in cold salted water. This is important to bring out the slugs. Halve the onions, peel the yam (carrots and turnips) and cut them in small pieces.