<h2>I.<br/> <big>Curry.</big></h2>
<p>Many regard curry as one of the new things
in cookery. This is a mistake. Curry is an old,
old method of preparing meats and vegetables.
Nor is it an East Indian method exclusively.
In all Oriental and tropical countries foods are
highly seasoned, and although the spices may
differ, and although the methods of preparation
may not be the same, nevertheless, generally
speaking, the people of all Oriental countries
freely indulge in curried food.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/003.png" width-obs="500" height-obs="265" alt="MAKING CHUPATTIES" title="" /></div>
<p><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></SPAN></span>However, in India curry reaches its perfection.
The people of India since Vedic times have
eaten curry and always will. They eat it very,
very hot, and Europeans who live in India soon
find themselves falling into the habit of eating
very hot and spicy foods. Whether it is good
for one to eat as much hot stuff as one is expected
to eat in India is a disputed point. In moderation,
however, curry is not harmful, and is a
very satisfactory and appetizing way of preparing
scrappy and inexpensive meats. If carefully
prepared, everybody is sure to like it. Do not
introduce it, however, to your family as a
mustard-colored stew of curry powder, onions,
and cold meat served in the center of a platter
with a wall of gummy rice enclosing it. Most of
the family would hate it, and it would be difficult
to get them to the point of even tasting it
again. Curry, as usually made in India, is
not made with curry powder at all. Every
Indian cook-house is provided with a smooth
black stone about a foot and a half long and a
foot wide. There is also a small stone roller.
On this large stone, by means of the small stone,
daily are crushed or ground the spices used in
making curry. The usual ingredients are coriander
seeds and leaves, dried hot chilies or
peppers, caraway seeds, turmeric, onions, garlic,
green ginger, and black pepper grains. All
these are first crushed a little and then ground<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></SPAN></span>
to a paste, with the addition from time to time
of a little water.</p>
<p>Now of course no American housewife
would want to squat on the floor and grind up
curry stuff on a stone, as do the women of India.
So I hasten to say that very good curry may be
made from curry powder. Curry powder may
be obtained from almost any grocer. The
best in the market is Cross & Blackwell's.</p>
<p>A good plan, however, would be to make
your own curry powder. It is better, much
cheaper, and is very little trouble to make.</p>
<p>The following formula is excellent:</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Curry_Powder" id="Curry_Powder"></SPAN>1. Curry Powder.</h3>
<div class='center'>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="">
<tr><td class="td3">10</td><td class="td4">ounces of coriander seed;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">1</td><td class="td4">teaspoon of caraway seed;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">1</td><td class="td4">teaspoon of black pepper;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">1</td><td class="td4">teaspoon of red pepper;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">6</td><td class="td4">teaspoons of turmeric;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">4</td><td class="td4">tablespoons of flour;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">1</td><td class="td4">teaspoon of cloves;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td3">4</td><td class="td4">teaspoons of cinnamon;</td></tr>
<tr><td class="td4" colspan="2">Seeds of six cardamons.</td></tr>
</table></div>
<p>The coriander and turmeric may have to be
purchased at a drug store. Buy as many of the
spices ground as you can, and grind the others
in a small hand-mill or coffee-mill. Sift together
three or four times and dry thoroughly<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></SPAN></span>
in an expiring oven. Put in air-tight bottles.
A pound of meat will require about two teaspoons
of this mixture. If not hot enough add
more red pepper.</p>
<p><i>Coriander.</i>—You will note that coriander is
the chief ingredient of curry powder. Coriander
is used extensively in flavoring throughout the
East. It can be grown any place, however.
The seed can be obtained from any large florist.
It grows rank like a weed. The leaves are
delicious as a flavoring for meats and vegetables.
A patch of this in your vegetable garden will
repay you, as many a bit of left-over can be
made very tasty by using a little of the finely
minced leaf. The seeds are useful in many ways.</p>
<p><i>Fresh Cocoanut</i> is another ingredient frequently
used in making curries. This gives a
delicious flavor and also adds greatly to the
nutritive value. A cocoanut paste is prepared
by a very elaborate process in the Indian cook-house,
but in this country we are not only confronted
by the problem of living on our so many
dollars a month, but also by the equally great
one of living on twenty-four hours a day. So
we will pass the method of preparing cocoanut
by with the suggestion that you buy your prepared
cocoanut. Baker puts up an excellent
preparation of fresh cocoanut with the milk.
This comes in small tins at ten cents a tin.</p>
<p>Making curry is a very elastic method.<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></SPAN></span>
Much depends upon the taste of the individual.
Some think a teaspoonful of prepared mustard
or Worcestershire sauce a great improvement.</p>
<p><i>Always get cheap cuts of meat for curry.</i>
The hock or heel of beef makes perhaps as fine
curry as any other cut.</p>
<p>There are many different kinds of curries.
Some are so hot that the consumer thereof may
feel that he is the possessor of an internal fiery
furnace. Some are mustard-colored, some are
almost black, some are thin and watery, some
are thick, some are greasy, and some would be
quite impossible for America.</p>
<p>Onions are always used in making curry,
but do not let this discourage any one who does
not like onions. One reason that onions are
so unpopular is that so often they are improperly
cooked. In making curry onions
should be cooked until they are perfectly soft.
Indeed they should be reduced to a pulp. This
pulp helps thicken the curry gravy, and many
people who claim that they cannot eat onions
really enjoy them without realizing what they
are eating.</p>
<p>The recipes which follow are all practical,
inexpensive, delicious, and thoroughly reliable.</p>
<h3>2. Beef Curry.</h3>
<p>Cut a pound of fresh beef into bits. Any
cheap cut does well for this. Slice an onion<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></SPAN></span>
very thinly, and fry together in a dessert-spoonful
of fat of any kind, the meat, onion, and two
teaspoonfuls of curry powder. When they are
nicely browned add several cups of water and
simmer gently until the meat is very tender and
the onion has become a pulp, thereby thickening
the curry gravy. This requires long, slow cooking.
More water may be added from time to
time. If one has a fireless cooker, it should always
be used in curry making. Serve with rice
prepared according to taste. In India, curry
and rice are always served in separate dishes.
The rice is served first and the curry taken
out and put over it. Usually chutney (<SPAN href="#Page_63">Chapter
VIII</SPAN>) is eaten with curry and rice.</p>
<h3>3. Chicken Curry.</h3>
<p>Cut a chicken up any way you like and fry
it with one thinly-sliced onion and the curry
powder. The amount of curry powder will of
course depend on the size of the chicken. Fry
together until the chicken is nicely browned,
then add water and simmer until chicken is
tender. Remember always to reduce the gravy
by slow cooking until it is somewhat thickened
by the onion pulp. A couple of sliced tomatoes
fried with the chicken, onion, and curry powder
is much liked by some—not only in chicken
curry, but in all curries.<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></SPAN></span></p>
<h3>4. Curry With Curds.</h3>
<p>This curry is prepared a little differently.
Place in a deep dish one pound of beef or mutton
or any kind of meat. Cover with thick
curds of milk. These curds should not be too
sour. Also add a green mango pepper thinly
sliced, and if desired a clove of garlic, finely
minced. Let stand in the curds for a couple of
hours. In the meantime fry an onion and two
teaspoonfuls of curry powder together. When
nicely browned add the curd mixture. Cook
over a slow fire until meat is tender. Cold sliced
meat is very good prepared this way. In this
case cook the onions thoroughly before adding
the curd mixture. The meat should be cut in
small pieces.</p>
<h3>5. Meat Curry with Pastry.</h3>
<p>Prepare the curry as in No. <SPAN href="#Curry_Powder">1</SPAN>, adding the
dumplings after the meat is tender. For the
dumplings, mix half a cup of flour into a stiff
dough with water. Add a little salt, and roll
out very thin. Cut in two-inch squares. Some
like a little fresh cocoanut and cocoanut milk
added to this curry.</p>
<h3>6. Meat Curry with Cabbage.</h3>
<p>Half a pound of meat is plenty for this very
hearty and inexpensive dish.<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></SPAN></span></p>
<p>Fry the onion, curry powder, and meat together
in the usual way. When nicely browned,
add several cups of thinly-shredded or sliced
cabbage. Cover with water and simmer slowly
until all are tender. Just before serving acidulate.
In India, tamarind juice is always used
for this purpose, but lemon or lime does very
nicely. Carrots or turnips may be used the
same way and are excellent. Eat with or without
rice. Usually this curry is eaten with
chupatties (No. <SPAN href="#Chupatties_Americanized">69</SPAN>).</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Meat_and_Split_Pea_Curry" id="Meat_and_Split_Pea_Curry"></SPAN>7. Meat and Split Pea Curry.</h3>
<p>Cut a half pound of beef or mutton into
small bits and fry as usual with onions and curry
powder. When nicely browned add a cup of
split peas which have been soaking for several
hours. Simmer all together in plenty of water
until the meat and peas are tender. Serve with
rice.</p>
<h3>8. Massala Fry.</h3>
<p>This is not really a curry, but is an excellent
way of preparing tough round steak.</p>
<p>Mix two teaspoonfuls of curry powder into
a half cup of flour, and pound by means of a
saucer into a pound of round steak. Fry the
steak with a sliced onion until quite brown.
Then add a little water and simmer until the
meat is tender. The gravy should be little and<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></SPAN></span>
rich. Do not cut the meat. This is a fine
casserole dish.</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Hamburg_Steak_Curry" id="Hamburg_Steak_Curry"></SPAN>9. Hamburg Steak Curry.</h3>
<p>Fry together a pound of hamburg steak, a
cup of minced onions, and two teaspoonfuls of
curry powder. When these are quite brown
simmer with a little water until onions are soft.
This can either be served rather dry or with
plenty of gravy. In the latter case, serve with
rice or kidgeri (No. <SPAN href="#Kidgeri">49</SPAN>). A teaspoonful of
Worcestershire sauce is a help to this curry.
This curry is very nice and is quickly made.
Made dry, a little jar of it taken to a picnic or
on a trip will be found very useful, as it keeps
for days. Indeed, all curried meats keep longer
than meats prepared in other ways. Hamburg
steak curry makes fine sandwiches.</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Cold_Meat_Curry" id="Cold_Meat_Curry"></SPAN>10. Cold Meat Curry.</h3>
<p>Any kind of cold meat may be made into
curry. Fry onions and curry powder together
until nicely browned. Then add enough flour
to thicken, as in making gravy. Then add water
or cocoanut milk. When gravy has thickened,
add cold meat. Simmer slowly for a while.
This curry is not so tasty as those made from
fresh meat, and it is well to add a teaspoonful
of Worcestershire sauce.<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></SPAN></span></p>
<h3>11. Buffath, or Curry with Vegetables.</h3>
<p>Fry one-half pound of meat, finely diced,
with onion and curry powder. Add a little
water from time to time, so that the meat will
be tender and the onions soft. Then add two
teacupfuls of water. As soon as water boils
add a cupful of sliced radishes, potatoes, carrots,
or any vegetables that will not mash. Cook
slowly together until vegetables are soft. In
India this curry is always acidulated, but that
is not necessary. It is a good plan, however, to
always serve sliced lemon with all curries, as
some prefer them sour.</p>
<h3>12. Buffath of Cold Meat and Vegetables.</h3>
<p>Prepare a sauce or gravy, as in No. <SPAN href="#Cold_Meat_Curry">10</SPAN>. Add
cold meat and any left-over cold vegetable.
Simmer gently together for a little while. Do
not have too much sauce.</p>
<h3>13. Fish Curry.</h3>
<p>Fish curry is usually made with cocoanut
milk instead of water, but this is not necessary.
It should always be acidulated.</p>
<p>Prepare a sauce, as in No. <SPAN href="#Cold_Meat_Curry">10</SPAN>, using, if preferred,
cocoanut milk instead of water. Also
add a little finely-minced garlic and green
peppers. Put the raw fish in this and simmer<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></SPAN></span>
together until the fish is cooked. Serve with
rice. Spanish rice is excellent with fish curry.
(No. <SPAN href="#Spanish_Rice">56</SPAN>.)</p>
<h3>14. Curry from Tinned Salmon, Sardines, or Tuna.</h3>
<p>Prepare a sauce as in No. <SPAN href="#Cold_Meat_Curry">10</SPAN>, using cocoanut
milk and a little grated cocoanut. Also add a
tiny bit of thinly-sliced green ginger, garlic, and
chili pepper. Pour over the fish, and serve with
rice and sliced lemon.</p>
<h3>15. Salt Fish Curry.</h3>
<p>Cut the salt fish into rather small pieces, and
soak until no longer very salty.</p>
<p>While it is soaking, fry in plenty of oil or
crisco one bunch of green onions, cut up tops
and all, a teaspoonful of curry powder, and
three half-ripe tomatoes. The tomatoes may
be dipped in batter or crumbs. When these
are fried add the salt fish. Simmer together for
a while. Serve with rice. Eggplant is excellent
in this curry instead of tomatoes.</p>
<h3>16. Massala Fry of Fish.</h3>
<p>Make a paste of flour and water and two
teaspoons of curry powder and a little salt. Dip
the fish in this curried paste, and then dip again
in bread or cracker crumbs. Fry in the usual<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></SPAN></span>
way. This is a delicious way of preparing any
kind of cutlets or chops. In fact, any kind of
meat may be fried in the same way.</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Egg_Curry" id="Egg_Curry"></SPAN>17. Egg Curry.</h3>
<p>Fry a sliced onion with a teaspoonful of
curry powder; then add a little flour for the
gravy. When this is mixed quite smooth, add
a teacup of water or milk or cocoanut milk.
Cook until it thickens, then add six hard-boiled
eggs. Cut in halves lengthwise. Serve with
rice.</p>
<h3>18. Poached Egg Curry.</h3>
<p>Prepare the curry as for No. <SPAN href="#Egg_Curry">17</SPAN>. When
gravy begins to simmer, poach the eggs in it.</p>
<h3>19. Eggplant Curry.</h3>
<p>Cut round slices of eggplant. Remove the
outer rind, dip each slice in batter and fry.</p>
<p>Make the curry sauce in the usual way.
When it thickens, carefully put in the eggplant;
simmer gently together until the vegetables are
well cooked. This is excellent made with half-ripe
tomatoes. In each case it is a fine meat
substitute. Always serve with rice.</p>
<h3>20. Curried Stuffed Eggplant.</h3>
<p>Make a curry mince as for No. <SPAN href="#Hamburg_Steak_Curry">9</SPAN>. See that
when the meat is cooked there is plenty of<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></SPAN></span>
liquid. Thicken this mince and gravy with
bread crumbs and let stand. Cut the eggplant
in half lengthwise, and steam or bake in a very
slow oven. When about half cooked, scoop out
the center of about each half. Be careful to
save the vegetable that you scoop out and mix
it with the curry and breadcrumb mixture.
Stuff the eggplant shell with this mixture, cover
the top with crumbs, and bake. Excellent
either hot or cold. A half pound of meat is
enough to nicely stuff one eggplant.</p>
<h3>21. Stuffed Curried Mango Peppers.</h3>
<p>To prepare the mango peppers for stuffing,
cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Let
stand in salt water until required. Then prepare
plenty of rice according to No. <SPAN href="#Plain_Boiled_Rice">52</SPAN>. Keep in a
warm place until required.</p>
<p>Fry Hamburg steak with onion and curry
powder according to No. <SPAN href="#Hamburg_Steak_Curry">9</SPAN>. A pound of steak
will be plenty for a nice big dish of peppers.
Use no water in this mince, but when the meat
and onions are partially fried add a cupful of
the boiled rice, and mix all together. Stuff the
peppers with this mixture of rice and meat.</p>
<p>Put in a roaster and cover with tomato
sauce. This sauce may be made from any
tinned tomato soup, diluted and more highly
seasoned, or it may be made from stewed
tomatoes from which the seeds and skins<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></SPAN></span>
have been removed. Make sauce a little thick.
Bake very slowly or steam. Serve with the
remainder of the rice.</p>
<p>This is such a hearty dish that one needs
prepare nothing else to be served with it.</p>
<h3>22. Mixed Vegetable Curry.</h3>
<p>All vegetables such as peas, beans, potatoes,
carrots, etc., make excellent curry. They may
be either freshly prepared or left-overs.</p>
<p>Fry them all together with plenty of onions
in a little crisco; add as much curry powder as
is desired. If tomatoes are not used, acidulate
a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, and
peppers. Makes a fine curry. These vegetable
curries are usually eaten with chupatties (No. <SPAN href="#Chupatties_Americanized">69</SPAN>).</p>
<h3><SPAN name="Split_Pea_Curry" id="Split_Pea_Curry"></SPAN>23. Split Pea Curry.</h3>
<p>Soak the peas for two or three hours. Fry
in the usual way the onion and curry powder.
A teaspoonful of curry powder is enough for a
cupful of soaked peas. Mix the peas with the
fried mixture. Add plenty of water and cook
until the peas are soft enough to mash up into
a pulp. Serve with rice. An acid is desired
with this curry.</p>
<h3>24. Edible Leaves Curry.</h3>
<p>This may not sound especially inviting, but
in a pinch one might want to try it. The Hindus<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></SPAN></span>
make curries from many things that we would
throw away. Turnip tops, beet tops, radish
tops, the young and tender leaves of many
jungle plants, also the leaves of many trees; all
these are used in making excellent curries.
Dandelion greens, spinach, Swiss chard, may all
be used in the same way. Prepare the onion
and curry powder in the usual way; then add
the greens. It is a good plan to add a few
potatoes to give body to the curry. Use very
little water in cooking. Serve with puris or
chupatties. (Nos. <SPAN href="#Chupatties_Americanized">69</SPAN>, <SPAN href="#Potato_Puris">71</SPAN>).</p>
<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></SPAN></span></p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/004.png" width-obs="500" height-obs="249" alt="TAJ MAHAL AGRA" title="" /></div>
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