Practical West African cookery

1 breakfast cup milk (if Ideal, 1J tablespoons to the rest of water). 1 egg. 1^ tablespoons sugar. 4 or 5 drops of vanilla. Custard (see index,'. 1. — Put the milk and one tablespoon sugar in the small enamel saucepan. When boiling, add the washed rice and boil gently for twenty minutes, occasionally stirring till the rice is soft and has absorbed all the milk. Take the saucepan off the fire and let it cool down. 2. Separate the white from the yolk of the egg. Beat the white to a stiff snow. Mix first the yolk with the rice in the saucepau, then the white aud add the vanilla. 3. Melt the remaining sugar in the small frying pan with a few drops water. As soon as it turns deep brown, take it away and pour it into the small pudding basin. Turn the basin about so that the sugar coats the bottom and nearly half way up the sides, then fill the basin with the rice and cover securely with a weighted saucer. 4. Stand the basin in the flat saucepan containing enough boiling water to reach three quarters of the way up the basin and leave it there for twenty minutes. Take it out and stand it in cold water. When quite cold, turn it over gently on to a plate. Pour the cold custard round the pudding. Blanc Mange. (1). 1 teaspoon butter. A few drops of vanilla or other essence, 2 tablespoons cornflour. 1 pint milk (if Ideal, 2 tablespoons to the rest of water). 6 lumps or l£ tablespoons sugar. 1. Mix the cornflour to a smooth paste with three tablespoons cold milk. 2. Put the sugar and the remaining milk into the large enamel saucepan. As soon as it boils, move the saucepan aside and when it has cooled a little, gently mix in the cornflour paste, the butter and the vanilla essence. Let it boil up again for at least ten minutes, stirring all the time, till reduced to three quarters of a pint. 3. Rinse the large pudding basin in cold water, immediately pour in the cornflour, and stand the basin in a cooler, covered with a cloth for a good hour. Turn out when required and serve with jam, native honey or a little milk. Note. — Blanc mange can be equally well made with Amara flour. Orange or Lime Sponge. (II). 2 tablespoons cornflour. 3 eggs. 1 pint water. 2 oranges or two limes. 20 pieces of lump sugar. 1. Rub the pieces of sugar on the outer rind of the limes or oranges till they are quite yellow. 2. Mix the cornflour with a little water to a smooth paste and put it in the enamel saucepan, adding slowly the rest of the water. Bring it to the boil quickly, add the sugar, the juice of one lime or orange and the yolks of eggs. Let it boil slowly for eight minutes, stirring all the time, put it aside to cool. 3. Beat up the white of the eggs to a stiff snow, and mix it lightly to the mixture in the saucepan when it is a little cool. Rinse the large pudding basin in cold water, immediately pour in the mixture, stand it in the cooler and when required for serving turn it out gently on to a plate. Chocolate Pudding. (II). 2 good tablespoons cornflour. 12 lumps or 3 tablespoons 5 teaspoons cocoa. sugar. 1 pint milk (if Ideal, 2 table- A few drops vanilla essence, spoons to the rest of the water).