Curry Recipe

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.






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 to a paste, with the addition from time to time of a little

water.



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.



A good plan, however, would be to make your own curry powder. It is

better, much cheaper, and is very little trouble to make.



The following formula is excellent:





1. Curry Powder.



10 ounces of coriander seed;

1 teaspoon of caraway seed;

1 teaspoon of black pepper;

1 teaspoon of red pepper;

6 teaspoons of turmeric;

4 tablespoons of flour;

1 teaspoon of cloves;

4 teaspoons of cinnamon;

Seeds of six cardamons.



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 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.



_Coriander._--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.



_Fresh Cocoanut_ 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.



Making curry is a very elastic method. Much depends upon the taste of

the individual. Some think a teaspoonful of prepared mustard or

Worcestershire sauce a great improvement.



_Always get cheap cuts of meat for curry._ The hock or heel of beef

makes perhaps as fine curry as any other cut.



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.



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.



The recipes which follow are all practical, inexpensive, delicious, and

thoroughly reliable.

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