IN THE KITCHEN

Southland Times, Issue 18975, 23 June 1923, Page 14 (Supplement)

IN THE KITCHEN

DIGESTABILITY OF FOOD INFLUENCED BY COOKING. The method of cooking has an influence on the digestibility of food, raw and lightly cooked meats being more easily assimilated than meat that is well done. Of animal foods, white meats, such as chicken, turkey, game, are more easily digested than duck or red meats. Sweetbreads are very easily digested, doubtless owing to the amount of connective tissue they contain. The following table shows the rate of assimilation of certain foods:— Food. Time.

The digestibility of cheese varies with its texture, age, and composition. If grated or dissolved and mixed with other foods it is more easily digested than when eaten in the ordinary way. Butter and margarine uncooked are easily digested. 7oz. of tea, coffee, and water 1| hours. THE HOME COOK CHOCOLATE CAKE. Ingredients.—2oz. of cornflour, soz. of flour, 3oz. of grated chocolate or chocolate powder, 4 eggs, 1 level teaspoonful of baking powder, 4oz. of butter, pinch of salt, 4oz. of caster sugar, 1 tablespoonful of milk, vanilla essence. Method.—Beat the butter and sugar to a cream. Add the eggs one by one, beating each in well. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the chocolate to the butter mixture, then stir in the flour and milk. Mix lightly, flavour with vanilla and put into a greased tin lined with greased paper. Place this on a baking tin and bake in a moderate oven about one hour. When cold ice with chocolate and decorace w’ith crystallised violets. CHOCOLATE ICING. Stir three ounces of grated chocolate and 4 gill of water over the fire and boil for five minutes. Cool a little, then add half a pound of icing sugar rubbed through a hair sieve. Mix well and stir over very low heat for a few seconds. If too thick add a very little water gradually. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pour it over the cake. If made too hot after the sugar is added the icing looks dull. WHEN POULTRY IS TOUGH. Old hens and ducks which are no longer profitable in their egg yield and arc therefore killed for eating, can be made tender by being closely steamed for one hour and then roasted in the ordinary way. The saucepan under the steamer should be filled to the brim with water; the lid of the steamer must fit tightly and not be removed until an hour has elapsed. The birds should be roasted immediately after the steaming. CREAM CHEESE. To make cream cheese out of sour milk pour boiling water over the sour milk, which is previously put in a rag when the water has been drained away, and it is cool, gather up in a cup, add a piece of butter, salt and pepper, beat with a fork. Put it into a cheesecloth and squeeze well into a pat by tying well up in the cloth and let it hang for a day. The cheese is then ready for use. Serve in a bed of parsley. BOMBAY CURRY. Slice four onions, fry to a pale brown. Add chopped-up cold cooked meat and fry, tossing it about with a fork for two minutes. Strain off all grease. Take a tablespoon of curry powder. Throw all over the contents of the frying-pan, cook for a minute, stirring so that it does not burn; cover with boiling water, let it simmer gently; add a chopped-up apple, a tablespoon of vinegar, chopped up chillies, a tablespoon full of sugar, a grated lemon rind, an ounce of sultanas, an ounce of currants, an ounce of grated cocoanut. Cook for an hour. Then put the curry away until cold, skim off any grease, reheat before serving. Soak the rice well before cooking, and skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Boil gently, adding fresh water until cooked. When strained, dash a cupful of cold water over the rice. This separates the grains and gives them the required glossy look. Rice is too often served as a gluey mass.

5 and a third oz. of potatoes 5 and a third oz. of bread .. 2 to 24 hours. 3 hrs. 20mins. 144oz. boiled milk .. .. 2 to 3 hours. 2 eggs 2 to 3 hours. 10 oysters 7oz. of white fish 7oz. of shell fish 3|oz. of beef sausage .. .. 2 to 3 hours. 3jo2h-of veal (roast) .. .. 3 to 1 hours. 8 joz. of chicken . . . . 3 to 4 hours. 9oz, lean beef 3 To 4 3|oz. of pork 3 to 4 hours. 6oz. lean ham . . . . 3 to 4 5 and a third oz. boiled rice 3 to 4 hours. About l£oz. cooked t-apioco, sago, arrowroot .. .. 2 hrs. 40 min. 5 and a third oz. lentils .. 4 hours. 7oz. dried peas .. 4] hours. 7oz. haricots 4 to O hoilT*** 5 and a third oz. asparagus 2 to 3 hours. 5 and a third oz. boiled cabbage and other green vegetables 5 and a third oz. cauliflower 2{ hours. 5 and a third oz. carrots . . 3 hrs. 20 min. Parsnips, turnips, beetroot (nrobablv > The absorption of most fruits corresponds with that of fresh vegetables. 9oz. of smoked tongue . . 4 to 5 hours. smoked beef 4 to 5 hours. 7oz. roast goose 4 to 5 hours. 7oz. salt herring 4 to 5 hours.