The Curry Cook's Assistant Part 2

2 Tablespoons Coriander Powder and 1 of Rice Powder.

1 Saltspoon Saffron and a Pinch of c.u.min Powder and Fenugreek.[4]

1/2 Pint of Milk or good Gravy.

1 Large or few small Onions.

A bit of Cinnamon, 2 Cloves (if you wish spices).

1/2 Teaspoon Green Ginger chopped up fine.

A Small Garlic chopped up fine.

1 Large Spoonful of b.u.t.ter (fresh); Salt to taste.

[4] If could be procured.

N.B.--This Curry is made in Madras with or without Cocoanut, but little Tamarind will flavour this Curry better than Lemon Juice. Vinegar, Curry Leaves, etc., are used in Madras and Ceylon. This is a first-cla.s.s Curry if carefully prepared.

_Mode._--Have the meat ready cut in half-inch squares; then slice the onions; put a good stew-pan on the fire, add the b.u.t.ter; soon as the b.u.t.ter gets hot put in the onions and Curry Powder, but not the ginger, garlic, and spices. When the onions, Curry stuffs, etc., are nicely browned, add the meat, garlic, ginger, spices, and give it a turn. Let it stand for a few seconds, then add the milk or gravy, salt, etc.; set on slow fire for about 20 minutes. When sending to table add a few drops of lemon or good pickle vinegar, but tamarind is best. Add little cayenne if preferred hot; a hot Curry is considered always nice and healthy, the cayenne to be added when preparing.

No. 5.--BEEF CURRY (Kabob or Cavap Curry).

1 1/2 lb. Lean Beef.

2 Tablespoons Coriander Powder and 1 of Rice Powder.

1 1/2 Saltspoon Saffron and a good Pinch of c.u.min Powder.

1 Good Pint of fresh Milk or Gravy.

1 Large Onion or few small ones.

Ginger, about 2 inches long.

2 Long Budded Garlics.

1 Large Spoon b.u.t.ter (fresh).

Spices; Salt to taste.

N.B.--This Curry same as Madras Curry, No. 4, but the meat ought to be of tender part. Must not overdo it, neither burn it. If tamarind used, it is nicer.

_Mode._--This is a first-cla.s.s Curry if carefully prepared. Cut the meat in half-inch squares; the ginger as round as a threepenny piece, and the garlic the same size, but thicker. Now sharpen few thin sticks with points to stick the meat (I mean as large as champagne bottle wire, three to four inches long). Now begin the job; stick one of meat, another of garlic, another of meat, and one of ginger (I mean a piece of meat must be between garlic and ginger). Proceed as above till you finish the meat, etc.; now place a stew-pan on fire; put in the b.u.t.ter and the onions sliced. When nicely browned add the Curry stuffs and the meat. Now let the whole fry gently in the b.u.t.ter for five minutes; now pour the milk in and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes. When serving add a spoonful of cream and a few drops of lemon, and send to table with boiled rice (separate).

No. 6.--BEEF CURRY (Dry).

Same ingredients as for Madras Curry, No. 4, and prepare the same way, but do not add any milk. Add about four tablespoons of good gravy when preparing, but add two tablespoons of cream five minutes before serving.

(If I say dry, not very dry, but second to it; add few drops of lemon when sending to table.) This Curry must be put on very slow fire, a hot oven will do; if so, you must look every five minutes in case it burns.

This Curry can be eaten with rice, boiled potatoes, or toast if wished.

Some dry Curries are done in a frying-pan within ten minutes, only the onions and Curry stuffs should be browned, and the meat mixed with it.

N.B.--Must use a wooden spoon to all Curries when browning the Onion and Curry Stuffs, etc.; better than a plated one.

No. 7.--BEEF CURRY (Ball).

Take a pound of beef free from skin, bone, etc., put into a sausage machine, and get it mashed up; put on a plate, pepper it slightly. Now take ingredients same as for No. 4, and chop fine the ginger, garlic, and mix with the meat with little salt. Now make this meat into b.a.l.l.s as large as a marble, flour it, and fry in lard to a brown colour. Do not let it break. Now keep this to a side, and place a good stew-pan on fire, and put in the b.u.t.ter and the onions sliced, and the Curry Powder.

When all these nice and brown add the meat b.a.l.l.s to it. Just mix slowly, not to break the meat b.a.l.l.s. Now add half-pint of good milk, or gravy, and let it stand on a slow fire till wanted. When serving, add a spoonful of cream, few drops of lemon, and salt to taste, and send to table with boiled rice, etc.

N.B.--This Curry must not overdo, neither must the meat be overdone when frying; and when pa.s.sing the meat through sausage machine, at the same time you can add the spice, garlic, ginger, with the meat to be mashed up. If preferred hot, add little cayenne pepper.

No. 8.--CHICKEN CURRY.

One good-sized Chicken (about a pound or more).

Other ingredients same as for Madras Curry, No. 4. Now cut up the chicken in half of each joint. Keep it to a side. Now fry the onions, sliced, in a stew-pan, with a large spoon of b.u.t.ter. When the onions are nice and brown, just fry the chicken in it less than half done. Take it out and keep to a side. Now fry the Curry Powder till it is nice and dark brown, then add the chicken, more onions, and other things into the frying Curry Powder, etc., and add half-pint of good gravy, and set it on a slow fire for 20 minutes. When serving, add two large spoons of cream. If it is very dry, add little more gravy to it. A few drops of lemon will flavour it, but I recommend to make the chicken into a "moley," as No. 29. Much nicer to be eaten with rice or treated as an ordinary entree, and the curried fowl (whole) nicer as a joint.

No. 9.--SNIPE CURRY.

Dress four snipes as for serving on toast; then cut in halves, pepper and salt it, roll it in little (or sprinkle with) flour, and fry it in a large spoon of b.u.t.ter or lard, quarter done or nearly half done. Keep it to a side. Now take a good stew-pan, put on fire, melt a spoonful of b.u.t.ter, and fry a large onion, sliced; put in

1 Tablespoon Coriander.

1 Dessertspoon Rice Powder.

A pinch of c.u.min Powder.

A pinch of Saffron and Spices.

Let all these fry gently in the b.u.t.ter, then add half-pint of good gravy, salt to taste, and let this stand on a hot oven, simmering gently till required. Five minutes before serving, add the fried _snipes_, with a few drops of lemon juice, and send to table. Do not let it be too juicy, but the half-pint of gravy should be reduced to a quarter-pint.

Cayenne pepper should be added if preferred hot Curries. Snipe should only be heated through, and not quite _over_done. This Curry nice with rice, toast, etc. etc. Can almost be treated as an entree.

No. 10.--PIGEON CURRY.

Take four young pigeons and dress same as for salmi of pigeon, and treat the same way as for Snipe Curry, No. 9. Any curry may be made of different taste by reducing the ingredients or exceeding it, or by using tamarind or pickle vinegar instead of lemon juice, or using milk instead of gravy; and to some Curries add cream, and other Curries using cocoanut juice (milk).

No. 11.--PORK CURRY.