HOUSEHOLD NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 3 September 1932, Page 13

HOUSEHOLD NOTES

PREPARATION OF CURRY. dishes. When we are considering our menus at this season of the year, we think of the improtance of having something warm and satisfying. In many instances it is a e.urry in some shape 01 form that supplies these necessary results. It -does not matter whether it is for- breakfast, luncheon, or dinner, there will be a curry of some sort which will meet with our approval. When looking into our safe there will generally be found something which will be improved if made into a cuny. Curry powder is a condiment made in India from strong, spic-es, pepper, garlic, ginger, coriander seed, etc., and dishes flavoured with it are found suitable for both hot and cold days. In the hot weather a curry with its vanoiis flavours is appetising, but on the ebld days it makes a special appeal because of its warming qualities. It is very necessary to have plenty of properly cooked rice to serve with curry and before giving you some ideas and recipes for various kinds of currv it .is necessary to explain the method of. cooking rice. Soak the rice in cold water for at least 10 minutes and put into a large saucepan with plenty of boiling; water flavoured with salt, and let. it boil very quickly until the grains are soft, usually about 20 or 30 minutes. If cooked slowly it is likely to get mushy. When cooked strain through a col'lander, then pour plenty of. cold water through it, stand the collander over a saucepan of hot water, and put over the fire so that the steam will thoroughly heat the rice through aggin. You will find by using this method that your rice will be all in separate grains. When making an Indian curry it is possible to use up all kinds of odds and ends of food, and the greater the variety of ingredients the better the finished dish will be. 'Put a little butter into a saucepan with some sliced onions and fry a delicate brown, then add the curry powder according to taste. 'Add to that anything you may have in the way of fruit—apples, bananas, peaches, odd bits of preserved fruits—or jam, chutney, desiccated coconut, raisins, half a lem'on, some salt and sugar. Cut the cold meats into small pieces, add them and cover with cold water and simmer gently until all the ingredients are cooked and well blended together, then thicken with a. little arrowroot dissolved in cold water, and serve with rice and sliced lemon and chutney. Sliced lemon is always an improvement to any curry when serving. Madras steak may be made from ordinary stewing steak. Some always prefer blade-bone steak, as the grain of it is finer, and it is very tender, if cooked properly. For 21b of steak put four tablespoons of dour with a little salt into a large pie dish or baking pan, cut up the steak into mediumsized pieces, cover well Avitn the dour, then add two sliced, onions on top of the steak. Mix one tablespoon of curry powder with two tablespoons of vinegar and enough water to cover the whole. Put some kind of cover over the dish and place in a warm oven and cook slowly till tender—about one and a half to two hours. It will need turning over during the process of cooking and the dour will be enough to make the gravy the right consistency. , In preparing curried chops or rabbits always fry the onions drst, then add the curry powder and some sliced apples and- raisins, or, in fact, any fruit you have at hand. Here is the recipe for a foundation curry gravy, which can be made quickly and will be found very useful. Various kinds of food can, be added to it, and when served with rice or vegetables will make a nourishing and delicious meal.

Melt in a saucepan one tablespoon of butter, add two tablespoons of arrowroot o-r flour, one dessertspoon of curry powder, and salt to flavour. 'Stir in a little cold water, which prevents from becoming lumpy, then add one cup of warm milk and half a cup of hot water and stir well over fire until it boils, when it should nave the consistency of very thick cream.

A tin of salmon added to this curry gravy makes a very appetising meal. Some of the liquid should be taken off the salmon, or the gravy made a little thicker.

Curried tomatoes make a very savoury dish. Skin the tomatoes by pouring some boiling; water over them (first, then cook in the curry gravy for a few minutes, and serve with plenty of rice. Curried eggs also make a very popular dish, which is made by cooking the eggs moderately hard, shelling them, cutting them in half, and adding to the curry gravy.

-Well-cooked lima beans, sprigs of well-cooked cauliflowers, prawns, spaghetti, and many things which personal tastes may suggest, can be well used with this foundation curry, when served with rice will supply a nutritious and pleasant meal.