Thin and flavorful soups are desirable for
the first course in a dinner. For this purpose
the proportions of flour and fat to liquid
should be low and the soup especially well
seasoned. It may even be desirable to sub¬
stitute water for the milk, as is done in
tomato bouillon. Onion juice, parsley, celery,
salt, and herbs may be used for season¬
ing. Just enough well-flavored fat to give
body and good flavor to the soup should be
used in making the soup.
Thick, rich soup may serve as the main
dish in a simple meal. The food value is in¬
creased by the amounts of fat, flour, and
vegetable pulp used.
STARCH PRODUCTS
Certain tropical starches are distributed
in other than powdered form.
Tapioca. Tapioca is prepared from the
^ root of the South American plant cassava or
manioc. In its preparation the root is ground
^and the starch is separated from the fiber.
The starch is then allowed to settle, and is
washed, collected, and dried on hot plates.
This heating ruptures some of the starch
grains, so that tapioca may be considered a
partly cooked product. Tapioca is on the
market in three forms: pearl, granulated, and
powdered. Pearl tapioca is in the form of
round balls which come in three sizes, large,
medium, and small; the latter two are pre¬
ferred because they require shorter cooking
time than the large balls. The balls swell
during cooking and become large and clear.
When cooked carefully, the balls retain their
distinct shape.
Granulated tapioca has been specially
treated to reduce the cooking time. The
starch masses are irregular in size and do not
retain their shape during cooking to as great
a degree as the pearl. Powdered tapioca is
tapioca starch. It is useful in thickening
when a clear mixture is desired.
Tapioca is used most frequently in the
preparation of puddings. It is cooked in
water or milk until it becomes clear. To
avoid stirring, it should be cooked in a double
boiler (after initial heating directly over the
fire).
Tapioca fruit puddings are prepared by
pouring the partly cooked tapioca over sliced
fruit (stewed dried fruit may be used).
Sugar and seasonings should be added and
the combination baked until the fruit is
tender. This allows time for the starch to
complete cooking.
Tapioca custards are prepared by the ad¬
dition of egg, sugar, and any desired flavor- *
ings to tapioca cooked in milk. This is usually
called tapioca cream.
Tapioca may also be added to clear soups.
It is added to the soup after the last straining
and the mixture is cooked until the tapioca
is clear. Used in this way tapioca adds body
to these soups.
Sago. Sago, prepared from the pith of a
tropical palm, is another starch food. The
palm is cut down just before fruiting, when
its trunk is filled with the starchy pith. This
pith is taken out, grated to a powder,
[65]
strained, and washed. It is then made into a
paste and rubbed through sieves of various
sizes, giving small- or large-sized sago. It is
used in soups and puddings in ways similar
to those suggested for tapioca. Sago is es¬
pecially desirable when prepared in the same
manner as a rice pudding.
Page 60
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Thin and flavorful soups are desirable for the first course in a dinner. For this purpose the proportions of flour and fat to liquid should be low and the soup especially well seasoned. It may even be desirable to sub¬ stitute water for the milk, as is done in tomato bouillon. Onion juice, parsley, celery, salt, and herbs may be used for season¬ ing. Just enough well-flavored fat to give body and good flavor to the soup should be used in making the soup.
Thick, rich soup may serve as the main dish in a simple meal. The food value is in¬ creased by the amounts of fat, flour, and vegetable pulp used.
STARCH PRODUCTS
Certain tropical starches are distributed in other than powdered form.
Tapioca. Tapioca is prepared from the ^ root of the South American plant cassava or manioc. In its preparation the root is ground ^and the starch is separated from the fiber. The starch is then allowed to settle, and is washed, collected, and dried on hot plates. This heating ruptures some of the starch
grains, so that tapioca may be considered a partly cooked product. Tapioca is on the market in three forms: pearl, granulated, and powdered. Pearl tapioca is in the form of round balls which come in three sizes, large, medium, and small; the latter two are pre¬ ferred because they require shorter cooking time than the large balls. The balls swell during cooking and become large and clear. When cooked carefully, the balls retain their distinct shape.
Granulated tapioca has been specially treated to reduce the cooking time. The starch masses are irregular in size and do not retain their shape during cooking to as great a degree as the pearl. Powdered tapioca is tapioca starch. It is useful in thickening when a clear mixture is desired.
Tapioca is used most frequently in the preparation of puddings. It is cooked in water or milk until it becomes clear. To avoid stirring, it should be cooked in a double boiler (after initial heating directly over the fire).
Tapioca fruit puddings are prepared by pouring the partly cooked tapioca over sliced fruit (stewed dried fruit may be used). Sugar and seasonings should be added and the combination baked until the fruit is tender. This allows time for the starch to complete cooking.
Tapioca custards are prepared by the ad¬ dition of egg, sugar, and any desired flavor- * ings to tapioca cooked in milk. This is usually called tapioca cream.
Tapioca may also be added to clear soups.
It is added to the soup after the last straining and the mixture is cooked until the tapioca is clear. Used in this way tapioca adds body to these soups.
Sago. Sago, prepared from the pith of a tropical palm, is another starch food. The palm is cut down just before fruiting, when its trunk is filled with the starchy pith. This pith is taken out, grated to a powder,
[65]
strained, and washed. It is then made into a paste and rubbed through sieves of various sizes, giving small- or large-sized sago. It is used in soups and puddings in ways similar to those suggested for tapioca. Sago is es¬ pecially desirable when prepared in the same manner as a rice pudding.