Curries and Pilaffs

CURRIES AND PILAFFS. the kind), and this we apply straight through to fish, flesh, or fowl, not to mention eggs and vegetables. Generally, it may be added, in the opinion of con noisseurs, with disastrous results! However, having fixed on our curry powder, it is still possible for the British cook to impart an agreeable variety to her Eastern dishes by a careful use of the various addenda indispensable in curry making. On one point, however, no mistake must be made. Butter is necessary, and must be used generously, taking care, however, to avoid the mis take (in European eyes) of the Indian cook, who is apt to measure the excellence of his curry by its greasiness. The addenda are shallots, garlic, cayenne, cocoanut (grated or as milk), green ginger (procurable at the different stores and at Covent Garden), turmeric, crème de riz or rice flour, tamarinds, sour apples, raisins, etc. Onions are indispensable, and should be used liberally, sliced, and fried to a golden brown in the pan in which you eventually fry the curry powder. But these may be varied by using shallot minced and fried (which is, indeed, the onion chiefly used in India), or even a little minced garlic, or garlic vinegar, in the flavouring. (For average tastes a cut clove of garlic rubbed two or three times across the frying or stewpan will be found ample.) An acid of some kind should always be mixed with curry, whether this be tamarind pulp, lemon or lime juice, tomato purée, sour apples, or gooseberries, as may be most convenient. The curry powder itself, whatever be its kind, must always be carefully cooked before the moistening to the side to keep hot but no longer to cook, and allow the addition to steep in this sauce for an hour at least, though several will not hurt it; then, when wanted, draw it back to the fire and let it heat well, without, however, actually boiling, which would toughen the meat, etc. If fresh meat is used for the curry, cut it up fairly small and fry it lightly for two or three minutes in 1oz. of butter or clarified dripping, with a minced shallot, then add it to the curry sauce and let it steep for an hour or so; bring it gently to the simmer and let it continue very gently for twenty-five to thirty minutes in a partially uncovered pan. It is at this time that the various seasonings should be added. For instance, tamarind pulp (for this take half a small pot of tamarinds and rub it through a fine sieve, using about half a pint of boiling water to help it through, stir this together, then add it to the rest of the curry); or else a teaspoonful of green ginger grated very finely may be stirred in, together with a few raisins, or some lemon juice, etc. At the last stir into the curry a gill of rich cocoanut or almond milk; or two or three spoonfuls of cream may be stirred in, just as you are about to serve the curry. The recipe for this milk is already been given. Any fish, flesh, or fowl may be curried by this recipe, which, it may be mentioned, is for 1lb. of meat of any kind, fresh or cooked. Beef or mutton are excellent for curry, though abroad chicken are chiefly used, cut up into neat pieces, the pint of stock being obtained from the bones, giblets, etc. In this country pork is much liked served in this way.