Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1786

1602 time. Rice not only forms part of the dish, but it is sometimes served as an accompaniment, being previously plainly boiled and mixed with a little butter or ghee.

Rice also enters into the composition of "brianes," which are highly spiced and seasoned dishes, resembling a mixture of curry and pilleau. The meat, game, fish, etc., is lightly fried, then put into a stewpan with rice, stock, various seasoning and flavouring ingredients, covered closely, and cooked very gently until done.

Except that the meat is thinly sliced, the Oriental hash bears not the least resemblance to the English production so named. The numerous spices, vegetables, and condiments which enter largely into their composition naturally produce a more palatable dish than a hash that simply consists of slices of cold meat warmed in a thin, insipid liquid, which frequently represents an amateur cook's idea of a brown sauce. As regards culinary apparatus, the native cook's requirements are extremely simple. With the aid of a fireplace made of clay, a few earthen dishes, and other utensils of a primitive description, he will produce excellent results.

The following recipes will be more generally useful in India, where all the materials contained in them are easily obtained. As a matter of convenience, the quantities are expressed in the commercial weights of this country, but the appended table of equivalents will enable the reader to easily convert Avoirdupois into Indian weight

(or about ⅛ of a teaspoonful).

Ingredients.—2 lbs. of white fish, 1 lb. of rice, ¼ of a lb. of ghee, or butter, 2 ozs. of roasted chennah, or other ground meal, 2 ozs. of green ginger, 2 ozs. of coriander seeds, 1 oz. of anise, ⅛ of a teaspoonful each of ground cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, cumin seeds and saffron, 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of gingly oil, 2 onions sliced, ¾ of a pint of buttermilk, salt.

Method.—Wash and clean the fish, cut it into pieces convenient for serving, dry thoroughly, pour over it the gingly oil, and let it stand for ½ an hour. Wash off the oil, dry the fish well, rub it all over with the chennah and anise pounded or ground, allow it to stand for a few