Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Curry.— This favourite dish, especially a favourite with those who have resided in India, is often rendered unpalatable by the same curry -seasoning being used for every dish, however differently may be the viands of which it is composed. It must be evident that the same flavouring will not be suitable for a curry of chicken, of fish, or of calf's head. The seasoning should always be adapted to the character of the meat, and, if it can be ascertained, to the taste of those who have to eat it. The first thing to be attended to is to have good stock, secondly, suitable seasoning, and thirdly, plenty of properly prepared rice, for the rest of the dish is only intended to serve as a sort of relish to this most important part of it. The meat, whether cooked or otherwise, should be cut into small convenient-sized pieces, and fried in hot butter until lightly browned, with sliced onions and mushrooms, or mushroom powder. A little good stock should then be added, which, after simmering a little while, should be thickened with curry powder, curry paste, and, if liked, a little ground rice. The boiled rice should be piled round the dish. Though fresh meat is always to be preferred as being more juicy, yet cold meat is excellent warmed up as a curry ; and it should be remembered that it does not require so much stewing as fresh. When other proportions are not given, a teaspoonful of cui-ry powder, a tea-spoonful of curry paste, a tea-spoonful of ground rice, and a breakfast-cupful of gravy may be allowed for every pound of meat. The addition of a sour apple, or a little grated cocoa-nut, or tomatoes, or cucumbers, or green gooseberries (seeded), or spinach, will greatly improve various curries. It must be remembered that the vegetables are to be stewed in the gravy until they have imparted their flavour to it, then passed through a sieve, and returned to the curry. Curry, Calcutta.— Cut up a young chicken, either coolced or raw, into convenient-sized pieces. If home-made curry powder is preferred it may be made by pounding together ' and mixing thoroughly a table-spoonful of I coriander seed, a table-spoonful of poppy seed, ; a siilt-spoonful of turmeric, half a salt-spoonful ! of red chilli, half a salt-spoonful of cumin seed, I half a salt-spoonful of ground ginger, and a ; salt-spoonful of salt. Generally speaking, how- ■ ever, excellent curry paste and powder may be '' purchased of respectable dealers for as little as i the ingredients would cost. Mix this smoothly ' with a quarter of a pound of butter, and fry ; two sliced onions in it till lightly browned. j Then fry the chicken. Add the milk of a cocoa-nut, and simmer all gently together for a quarter of an horn-. Stir in the juice of a small lemon, and serve with rice. Time, three-quarters of an hour. Probable cost, 3s. 6d. Sufficient for four or five persons. Curry Gravy. — Make a powder by mixing together two table-spoonfuls of ground rice with a salt-spoonful of pepper, a salt-spoonful of salt, and a salt-spoonful of mixed sweet herbs dried [ and powdered. Cut two pounds of veal into pieces about an inch and a half square and half I an inch thick. Dip them in hot butter, then I in the powder, and fry them in butter till lightly i browned on both sides. Mix a quarter of a