Cut a pound of lemons in twelve bits each, and cook in vinegar and a very little salt until the rinds are perfectly tender. Drain.
Dissolve a pound of sugar in a quart of vinegar; put in the lemons and cook until the mixture becomes thick like jam. Then add a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper (or less), two tablespoonfuls of minced ginger, two tablespoonfuls of mustard seed, and a pound of raisins. Mix all together and boil ten minutes longer.
76. Apple Chutney.
Boil together three pounds of sliced apples, two pounds of sugar, and a quart of strong vinegar. When this begins to get like jam, add half a pound of raisins, four teaspoonfuls of finely-minced garlic, two tablespoonfuls of thinly-sliced green ginger, one teaspoonful of red pepper, and one ounce of mustard seed. Let simmer a while, then bottle and expose to the sun. Apricot chutney is delicious made the same way, with the addition of several ounces of apricot pits, blanched and minced.
77. Rhubarb Chutney.
Make just like apple chutney, only use less vinegar. In addition to the raisins and other ingredients, add a teacupful of finely-minced and blanched almonds. This is worth trying. Less red pepper might be used.
78. Carrot Pickle.
Cut the carrots any way that is desired. If they are very small they need not be cut at all. Sprinkle them well with salt and dry them in the sun for three days, being careful not to forget to bring them in at night. For a pound of carrots take a tablespoonful of mustard seed, half a dozen peppers (sliced), two tablespoonfuls of green ginger (sliced), and two garlics (finely-minced). Cover with vinegar. These are excellent.
79. Mixed Vegetable Pickle.
Eggplant, radishes, onions, carrots, peppers, all are largely used in making pickles in India. They are chopped, sprinkled with salt, and dried for several days in the hot sunshine. Mustard seed, turmeric, and minced garlic are usually added. After several days of sunning they are bottled, covered with vinegar which has been boiled, but which has been cooled.
IX.
Most Everything.
Many of the cooks in India make a very simple puff paste.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A FAKIR OF BOMBAY]
80. Puff Paste.
Make a dough out of a pound of flour and sufficient water. Knead for fifteen minutes. Roll in a damp cloth and set aside.
After an hour or so knead again. Then add a spoonful of shortening at a time until the dough begins to crack and looks rough.
Roll out in a sheet, cut in four pieces, place one upon the other, roll again, cut in four pieces again. Repeat this four times, then roll it into a sheet, spread it with shortening of some kind, cut in four pieces, and place one over the other. Then roll for the last time. The advantage of this method is that it takes comparatively little shortening and is always light and flaky. It makes a delicious pastry for cheese cakes.
81. Cheese Cakes.
Place two cups of pure milk over the fire and when the milk begins to boil squeeze the juice of a lemon into it. The milk will at once curdle.
Drain off the curds. To these curds add the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, a small cup of sugar, and a small cup of ground almonds. Walnuts, pecans, or any other nuts would do all right.
Mix all together smoothly. Line little patty pans with the paste (No.
80), and fill with the curds. Dust powdered sugar over the top and decorate with crossbars of pastry. Bake very slowly.
These cheese cakes are always much in evidence at afternoon teas, garden parties, and all social functions in India.
82. Banana Stew with Cocoanut.
Boil six bananas. To boil bananas do not remove the skins. Just pour enough boiling water over them to cover them. Add a little salt to the water. As soon as the skins crack they are done. Remove and cool. When cool, take off the skins, sc.r.a.pe the bananas a little and split them.
Make a syrup of one cup of sugar and half a cup of fresh cocoanut and half a cup of water. Pour this over the boiled bananas and serve. This dish is much appreciated by the children.
Roselles.
Roselles are a fruit belonging to the sorrel family. The seed is sown in the vegetable garden every year when other seeds are sown. The plants have a vigorous growth. They grow as tall or a little taller than currant bushes. Long before the season is over the bushes are vivid with wine-red flowers. From the waxen petals of these flowers very delicious sauces, jams, chutneys, and jellies are made.
Roselles can be grown any place as easily as tomatoes or cabbage or any vegetable. It would certainly pay any one to make the experiment. The fruit is very rich in pectin, and not only gives a beautiful color when combined with any other fruit, but also adds much to the flavor.
Combined with peaches or strawberries, cherries or guavas, or any other fruit that is deficient in pectin, the roselle has very satisfactory results.
When used by themselves a fine jelly is made which is far superior to currant jelly. I am sure any one will feel repaid who gives it a trial.
The seeds can be purchased from any large dealer.
83. Roselle Jelly.
Remove the petals of the flower from the seed; then mince finely by running through the meat grinder. To every cup of minced petals add three cups of water. Boil quickly as the color is much better if it does not stand around. After boiling about five minutes it will be ready to strain. Strain and make as any other jelly. In flavor and appearance this jelly can not be surpa.s.sed.
84. Roselle Sauce.
Remove petals from the seed, and for every cup of petals take two cups of water. Stew gently for a few minutes, then add a cup of sugar for every cup of fruit. These two things must be remembered if one wishes to get the best results from the fruit. It must be well diluted and it must be cooked quickly, as it is apt to lose its bright color if it stands around.
Tipparees.
Tipparees, or cape gooseberries, are also another fruit which is much neglected in this country. To many they are familiarly known as ground cherries. These are much prized in India, and they really are a fine fruit, which can be grown any place and will more than repay the little time spent in their cultivation. In India the seeds are sown annually. I think in this country it seeds itself for a few years at least, but I am sure better results would be brought about if the seeds were planted every spring.
This berry is unequaled for making jam. If any doubt it, buy ten cents"
worth of seed next spring, plant it in your garden. Let the plants grow and spread and in the early fall make jam according to the following:
85. Tipparee Jam.
Husk the fruit and p.r.i.c.k each berry. Do not add too much water, as the fruit is very juicy. Cook until fruit is tender, but not broken. For every cup of fruit allow a cup of sugar. Cook rapidly and not too much at a time. It finishes up very quickly. A good plan is to cook only partially, turn onto platters, and expose to the sun as one does any other sun preserve.
Tipparees are fine for making pies and tarts.