The victory cookery book

Pulses should be placed in boiling water, adding one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to each quart of water, and left to soak until fully expanded—that is, 12 to 24 hours. In soaking Egyptian lentils, the soda is not necessary ; the husks are tender, and perhaps also they do not contain so much lime as the other pulses. After this soaking pulses are easily and quickly cooked by steam. They © must be washed in fresh water after soaking, — to wash the soda well away. Then tie © them in a cloth to the lid of the ordinary saucepan so that they hang over boiling | water. There should be sufficient water to produce steam for the time required for cooking the pulse, and the water should not be allowed to boil violently, for if the water touches the pulse it hardens them and retards the cooking. 7 Time of Steaming.—Lentils, 15 minutes ; haricot beans and butter beans, 80; split peas, yellow or green, 20; and red or brown — haricots and whole peas, from 80 to 50 minutes. When so cooked by steam, the pulse — absorbs less than its own weight in water, is thoroughly cooked, yet every seed is whole, and can be easily mashed for purée or soups and requires but very little seasoning. When eaten in this way, pulses must be masticated, which is the first stage of digestion, whilst when served in the usual — broken-up state they are more often swallowed with little or no mastication. — Pulses contain only about 2 per cent. of fat, therefore they should be, when possible, accompanied by fatty meat, such as pork or : : | | | | | bacon. When so served the pulse should be allowed to simmer, after the steaming, in the eravy of the meat, and so become enriched with the fat of the meat, in preference to being served dry or stewed with added fat or stock. When fat meat is not available, other fat must be added. Peas Soak in boiling water with 1 teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda per quart of water, for 12 to 24 hours (potato water is sometimes used for this purpose, in which case bicarbonate is not required). Wash well in several fresh waters, then steam till tender, 30 to 50 minutes. Haricot Beans As above. Steam for 30 minutes. Red Lentils (Egyptian) As above. No soda required; steam 15 minutes. If boiled it is not necessary to soak them. Boil in an equal quantity of water (a cupful of pulses to a cupful of water, for example), and absorb all water by slow cooking. | | Rice Place in a tin with 1½ times the measure of water, milk or stock (very little salt). Close the vessel as tightly as possible so that no water can enter or escape. Place in a pan of boiling water, and steam for 20 to 30 minutes. Barley Soak with twice the amount of moisture, seal up as for rice, and steam for 40 to 60 minutes. Note.—All the subsequent mixtures may be served as rissoles, croquettes or medallions. — Croquettes should be cork-shaped, and coated with flour and water batter and crumbs. Medallions are ball-shaped first, then coated and pressed into medallion shape with the lid of a cocoa tin, which gives it the correct shape. The mixture may be varied by adding some of any of the additions named, such as rice, barley, peas, lentils, eggs, nuts, and, if the substance needs to be enriched, dried milk powder may be added. This, of course, adds greatly to the food value. These preparations are satisfying, easily made and appetising. Rice Savoury Materials —1 quart water, }4 oz. salt, 1 pint rice, 2 to 4 oz. grated or chopped cheese, pepper and nutmeg. Method.—Cook the rice for 80 minutes in salt and water; add pepper, nutmeg _ and cheese and stir till creamy. Turn out | into a dish, and when cold shape into cakes, egg, crumb and fry, or coat in flour and _ water batter and bake or fry.