Baking is a very economical way of dressing food, and some joints of meat eat better baked than roasted, notably rolled ribs of beef. A baked ham, too, is delicious. For cakes, especially ones with fruit in them, a rather fierce heat at first is necessary. A slack oven at first is the common Indian fault, and the cook should remember that in nine cases out of ten a cool oven does more harm than a fast one. Another fault is constant opening of the oven. If it is heated as experience teaches, there is no reason why the process of baking should be watched at all. All cakes and puddings with soda in them require a hot oven ; shortbread, biscuits, milky puddings, &c., a slow one. As a rule, if a little flour sprinkled on the baking-sheet browns rapidly, the oven is hot enough for cakes. •II ^ golden rule never to mix either eake or pudding till the oven be hot enough to cook it. Delays are fatal. CHAPTER XXIII SOUPS In India the khansamah invariably makes soup of beef-bones. Now you can no more make all soups from one thing than you can make all kinds of puddings. The first lessonsj then, for the Indian cook to learn are briefly these : — 1. All soups cannot be made from beef -bones. 2. All soups should not taste strongly of meat. 3. The strength of a soup is not shonm by its jellying when cold. 4. Bones .should not be bought ; if they are wanted, those of the roast meat may be used. Soups may be divided into five classes : Clear soup.Sj or consomme ; plain stock soup^ or bouillon; thick vegetable soup, or puree; thickened soups ; and soups without meat Each of these classes must be treated separately. Tlie first, that of clear soup, is capable of many variations, according to the flavouring and cjuality of the stock, and the different things, vegetables, macaroni, quenelles, eggs, &c., added to it. The foundation is good clear stock, a supply of which should always be ready, as it is not only necessary for soups, but also in almost every sauce and made dish. In India, where guests come unexpectedly, a tin of Boyril or Extract of Beef should always be within reach, \\ith its aid, any soup for two can be made soup for four. The following recipe is sufficient for all requirements : Strong Clear Stock.— To every unit' of meat take 2 units of water. Supposing this unit to be two pounds (^2 oz.), the smallest wortli handling for stock, then the seasoning will be one onion stuck 1 The unit is either one tablespoon or one ounce. 338 The Indian Housekeeper and Cook 239 with three cloves, one carrot, one turnip, savoury herbs, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt. The meat should be cut into dice as for curry. Place the stock-pot on the fire, rub the bottom with a little fat or butter, lay in the meat neatly, and add eight tablespoons cold water✪ Strong Clear Stock. Boil down till the bottom of the pot is covered with a jelly- glaze, then add the rest of the water, cold, add the flavouring. Do not let it boil, but simmer for six hours. If made properly, and skimmed carefully, this stock will never require clearing. If it does, the white of an egg may be used, or what is better, save a portion of the meat, mince fine, just cover with water, and let it sbind till the stock has been made. Let the stock cool, add the fresh meat, and put on the fire again, stirring till it boils. Let it cool a little and strain carefully.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Baking is a very economical way of dressing food, and some joints of meat eat better baked than roasted, notably rolled ribs of beef. A baked ham, too, is delicious. For cakes, especially ones with fruit in them, a rather fierce heat at first is necessary. A slack oven at first is the common Indian fault, and the cook should remember that in nine cases out of ten a cool oven does more harm than a fast one. Another fault is constant opening of the oven. If it is heated as experience teaches, there is no reason why the process of baking should be watched at all. All cakes and puddings with soda in them require a hot oven ; shortbread, biscuits, milky puddings, &c., a slow one. As a rule, if a little flour sprinkled on the baking-sheet browns rapidly, the oven is hot enough for cakes. A golden rule never to mix either cake or pudding till the oven be hot enough to cook it. Delays are fatal. CHAPTER XXIII SOUPS In India the khansamah invariably makes soup of beef-bones. Now you can no more make all soups from one thing than you can make all kinds of puddings. The first lessons, then, for the Indian cook to learn are briefly these : — 1. All soups cannot be made from beef -bones. 2. All soups should not taste strongly of meat. 3. The strength of a soup is not shown by its jellying when cold. 4. Bones .should not be bought ; if they are wanted, those of the roast meat may be used. Soups may be divided into five classes : Clear soups, or consomme ; plain stock soup, or bouillon; thick vegetable soup, or puree; thickened soups ; and soups without meat Each of these classes must be treated separately. Tlie first, that of clear soup, is capable of many variations, according to the flavouring and quality of the stock, and the different things, vegetables, macaroni, quenelles, eggs, &c., added to it. The foundation is good clear stock, a supply of which should always be ready, as it is not only necessary for soups, but also in almost every sauce and made dish. In India, where guests come unexpectedly, a tin of Boyril or Extract of Beef should always be within reach, \\ith its aid, any soup for two can be made soup for four. The following recipe is sufficient for all requirements : Strong Clear Stock.— To every unit' of meat take 2 units of water. Supposing this unit to be two pounds (^2 oz.), the smallest wortli handling for stock, then the seasoning will be one onion stuck 1 The unit is either one tablespoon or one ounce. The Indian Housekeeper and Cook 239 with three cloves, one carrot, one turnip, savoury herbs, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt. The meat should be cut into dice as for curry. Place the stock-pot on the fire, rub the bottom with a little fat or butter, lay in the meat neatly, and add eight tablespoons cold water. Boil down till the bottom of the pot is covered with a jellyglaze, then add the rest of the water, cold, add the flavouring. Do not let it boil, but simmer for six hours. If made properly, and skimmed carefully, this stock will never require clearing. If it does, the white of an egg may be used, or what is better, save a portion of the meat, mince fine, just cover with water, and let it sbind till the stock has been made. Let the stock cool, add the fresh meat, and put on the fire again, stirring till it boils. Let it cool a little and strain carefully.

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