The Big Book of Curry Recipes (61 page)

1 tbsp curry paste

Method:

Thoroughly wash the rice in a colander under plenty of cold, running, water to remove the excess starch. In the meantime, bring 2l (8 cups) of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the rice and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is just tender.

Turn into a sieve and allow to drain then combine the butter and curry paste in a frying pan. Add the coked rice and fry gently until coated by the curry butter. Serve hot.

Indian Sauce

Indian Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli’s recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce of a tomato sauce base flavoured with curry paste and meat glaze.

This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Indian Sauce that’s derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli’s 1861 volume,
The Cook’s Guide and Housekeeper’s & Butler’s Assistant
. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.

Original Recipe

No. 73.—INDIAN SAUCE

For half a pint of Tomata sauce, No 21, add a tablespoonful of diluted and strained curry-paste, a bit of glaze, and a little anchovy; boil together and serve.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

300ml (1 1/4 cups) tomato sauce

1 tbsp curry paste

1 tsp of meat glaze (basically a good meat stock reduced down to a honey-like consistency)

1 tsp anchovy essence

Method:

Heat the tomata sauce in a pan then stir in the curry paste. Allow to heat through then stir in the glaze until dissolved. Add the anchovy essence, bring to a simmer and serve.

Mulligatawney Soup

Mulligatawney Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli’s recipe of 1861, for a classic Anglo-Indian soup (often spelled Mulligatawny) of vegetables and apples in a curry-flavoured base that’s finished by the addition of diced meat.

This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Mulligatawney Soup that’s derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli’s 1861 volume,
The Cook’s Guide and Housekeeper’s & Butler’s Assistant
. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.

Original Recipe

No. 144.—MULLIGATAWNEY SOUP.

Peel and slice up a dozen onions, and put these into a stewpan with four ounces of butter, and fry them without colour over a slow fire ; when this is done, add six unpeeled apples and cut in slices ; and as soon as these have been dissolved over the fire, mix in six ounces of flour, two tablespoonfuls of curry paste (Crosse and Blackwell’s is best), and a good spoonful of curry powder ; moisten with three quarts of good stock ; stir over the fire until the soup boils, and then set it to continue gently simmering by the side, to allow all grease &c., to rise to the surface ; remove this, rub the soup smoothly through a sieve or tammy ; and having poured it into a soup-pot, add poultry, game, veal, or pork, or any kind of fish, previously cooked, and cut into neat square pieces ; boil together for a few minutes, and serve with plain boiled rice in a separate dish.

Note
.—When pieces of ox-tail, ox-cheek, tendons of veal, calf’s brains, tails or feet, rabbit, &c., garnish the soup it is then designated ox-tail, &c., à l’Indiènne, or ox-tail soup in the Indian fashion.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

12 onions, peeled and diced

120g (4 oz) butter

6 apples, cored (but not peeled) and cut into slices

180g (6 oz) plain flour

2 tbsp curry paste

1 tbsp curry powder

3l (12 cups) good quality stock

cooked and diced meat (fish, poultry, game, lamb etc)

Method:

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions then cover the pan and sweat gently for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are softened but not coloured. At this point, add the apple slices and continue sweating down gently for about 20 minutes, or until the apples have broken down almost completely.

Scatter the flour over the surface and mix in until smooth. Now stir in the curry paste and curry powder then whisk in the stock until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Skim off any fat from the surface of the soup then rub through a fine-meshed sieve to purée.

Pour the resultant puréed soup into a clean stockpot, add the meat (or fish) pieces, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the meat is heated through. Turn into a soup tureen and accompany with plain boiled rice.

Indian Curry-Powder

Indian Curry-Powder is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton’s recipe of 1861, for a classic Victorian English interpretation of a traditional Indian spice blend intended for curries.

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton’s 1861 volume
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management
, the classic Victorian cookbook.

Original Recipe

INDIAN CURRY-POWDER, founded on Dr. Kitchener’s Recipe.

449. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of coriander-seed, 1/4 lb. of turmeric, 2 oz. of cinnamon-seed, 1/2 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. of mustard, 1 oz. of ground ginger, 1/2 ounce of allspice, 2 oz. of fenugreek-seed.

Mode
.—Put all the ingredients in a cool oven, where they should remain one night; then pound them in a mortar, rub them through a sieve, and mix thoroughly together; keep the powder in a bottle, from which the air should be completely excluded.

Note
.—We have given this recipe for curry-powder, as some persons prefer to make it at home; but that purchased at any respectable shop is, generally speaking, far superior, and, taking all things into consideration, very frequently more economical.

Modern Redaction

I know that this recipe is also duplicated elsewhere in this book, but it’s impossible to look at historic curries and this history of British curries without reference to this recipe, with its heavy use of turmeric (after all its this style of curry that the British introduced into Japan).

Ingredients:

115g (1/4 lb) coriander seeds

115g (1/4 lb) ground turmeric

60g (2 oz) cinnamon seeds (substitute cinnamon)

15g (1/2 oz) cayenne pepper

30g (2 oz) mustard seeds

30g (2 oz) ground ginger

15g (1/2 oz) allspice berries

60g (2 oz) fenugreek seeds

Method:

Spread the coriander seeds, cinnamon, broken into pieces, mustard seeds, allspice berries and fenugreek seeds on a baking tray. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 120ºC (250ºF) and bake for about 90 minutes, or until lightly toasted.

Turn into a mortar or spice grinder and render to a powder then mix in a bowl with all the remaining ingredients. Turn into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, label and store in a cool, dark, cupboard.

Indian Mustard

Indian Mustard is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton’s recipe of 1861, for a classic recipe for a traditional mustard flavoured with shallots, vinegar, ketchup and anchovy sauce.

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton’s 1861 volume
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management
, the classic Victorian cookbook.

Original Recipe

INDIAN MUSTARD, an excellent Relish to Bread and Butter, or any cold meat.

450. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of the best mustard, 1/4 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of salt, 4 shalots, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 tablespoonfuls of ketchup, 1/4 bottle of anchovy sauce.

Mode
.—Put the mustard, flour, and salt into a basin, and make them into a stiff paste with boiling water. Boil the shalots with the vinegar, ketchup, and anchovy sauce, for 10 minutes, and pour the whole,
boiling
, over the mixture in the basin; stir well, and reduce it to a proper thickness; put it into a bottle, with a bruised shalot at the bottom, and store away for use. This makes an excellent relish, and if properly prepared will keep for years.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

115g (1/4 lb) black mustard seeds

115g (1/4 lb) plain flour

15g (1/2 oz) salt

4 shallots, finely chopped

4 tbsp vinegar

4 tbsp ketchup

75ml (2 1/2 oz) anchovy sauce

Method:

Gently toast the mustard seeds in a dry pan until aromatic (but not burned). Turn into a spice or coffee grinder then render to a fine powder. Combine in a bowl with the flour and salt then add enough boiling water to bring the ingredients together as a stiff paste.

In the meantime, combine the vinegar, shallots, ketchup and anchovy sauce in a pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes then take off the heat and immediately work into the mustard paste. Transfer to a pan, bring to a simmer and cook until the mustard reduces to the desired thickness.

Place a bruised shallot in the base of a jar, pour over the mustard mix, seal and set aside to mature for 1 month before use.

Indian Pickle

Indian Pickle is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton’s recipe of 1861, for a classic pickle or preserve of mixed vegetables preserved in spiced vinegar with mustard, ginger, turmeric and long pepper.

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton’s 1861 volume
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management
, the classic Victorian cookbook.

Original Recipe

INDIAN PICKLE (very Superior).

451. INGREDIENTS.—To each gallon of vinegar allow 6 cloves of garlic, 12 shalots, 2 sticks of sliced horseradish, 1/4 lb. of bruised ginger, 2 oz. of whole black pepper, 1 oz. of long pepper, 1 oz. of allspice, 12 cloves, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 2 oz. of mustard-seed, 1/4 lb. of mustard, 1 oz. of turmeric; a white cabbage, cauliflowers, radish-pods, French beans, gherkins, small round pickling-onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies, &c.

Mode
.—Cut the cabbage, which must be hard and white, into slices, and the cauliflowers into small branches; sprinkle salt over them in a large dish, and let them remain two days; then dry them, and put them into a very large jar, with garlic, shalots, horseradish, ginger, pepper, allspice, and cloves, in the above proportions. Boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, which pour over, and, when cold, cover up to keep them free from dust. As the other things for the pickle ripen at different times, they may be added as they are ready: these will be radish-pods, French beans, gherkins, small onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies, &c. &c. As these are procured, they must, first of all, be washed in a little cold vinegar, wiped, and then simply added to the other ingredients in the large jar, only taking care that they are covered by the vinegar. If more vinegar should be wanted to add to the pickle, do not omit first to boil it before adding it to the rest. When you have collected all the things you require, turn all out in a large pan, and thoroughly mix them. Now put the mixed vegetables into smaller jars, without any of the vinegar; then boil the vinegar again, adding as much more as will be required to fill the different jars, and also cayenne, mustard-seed, turmeric, and mustard, which must be well mixed with a little cold vinegar, allowing the quantities named above to each gallon of vinegar. Pour the vinegar, boiling hot, over the pickle, and when cold, tie down with a bladder. If the pickle is wanted for immediate use, the vinegar should be boiled twice more, but the better way is to make it during one season for use during the next. It will keep for years, if care is taken that the vegetables are quite covered by the vinegar.

This recipe was taken from the directions of a lady whose pickle was always pronounced excellent by all who tasted it, and who has, for many years, exactly followed the recipe given above.

Note
.—For small families, perhaps the above quantity of pickle will be considered too large; but this may be decreased at pleasure, taking care to properly proportion the various ingredients.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

For the Preserving Vinegar:

1l (4 cups) vinegar

6 garlic cloves

12 shallots

2 sticks of sliced horseradish

115g (1/4 lb) ginger, bruised

60g (2 oz) whole black peppercorns

30g (1 oz) long pepper

30g (1 oz) allspice

12 cloves

7.5g (1/4 oz) cayenne pepper

60g (2 oz) mustard seeds

115g (1/4 lb) mustard powder

30g (1 oz) ground turmeric

For the Vegetables:

1 firm, white, cabbage

cauliflower florets

radish pods

French beans

string beans

gherkins

pickling onions

nasturtium pods

bell peppers

chillies

courgettes

(and any other vegetables you like)

sea salt

Method:

This is an unusual pickle, in that it’s made over an entire garden season, with additional vegetables being added to the base mix as, and when, they become seasonable.

Take a hard, white, cabbage and cut into thin slices then separate the cauliflowers into florets. Place in a non-reactive dish, sprinkle salt over them then cove with a cloth and set aside to brine for two days. After this time, wash the vegetables to remove excess salt and dry thoroughly.

Place in a large jar along with the garlic, shallots, horseradish, ginger, black pepper, long pepper, allspice and cloves (use the quantities above for every 1l of vinegar you are adding [I tend to make enough for a 2.5l pickle jar]). Add the vinegar to a pan with the cayenne pepper, mustard seeds, mustard powder and turmeric. Bring to a boil, allow to cool slightly then pour over the contents of the jar. Seal with a vinegar-proof lid and set aside.

Set aside until the next set of ingredients are ready. When ready to add more ingredients to the pickle, wash them in cold vinegar, wipe dry and slice if large. Place in the jar, ensuring that they are covered completely by the vinegar.

When the last of the ingredients have been added, turn the contents of the jar into a large pan and thoroughly mix the vegetables. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to smaller jars then pour the vinegar into a pan (add more vinegar if needed), bring to a boil, top-up the spices then pour over the contents of the pan, seal thoroughly and set aside to mature for at least two months before use.