Cooking For 1966 DRY MUTTON CURRY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31087, 16 June 1966, Page 2

Cooking For 1966 DRY MUTTON CURRY

fB» CELIA TIMMS]

When one knows the basic ingredients and method of preparing a curry, a very excellent one can be produced, but the art of curry making—and it is an art—can never quite be achieved by any one other than by those whose staple food it is. The perfection of flavour produced by the sensitive blending of spices such as is achieved by an old Madrasee cook is something that cannot be learnt— not even if one is taught by one of them as I was. It is an instinct However, very good curries can be achieved with the use of the prepared commercial curry powders or pastes which are available in a choice of strengths. The heat of a curry is controlled by the use of chilli and many curries are made without this ingredient, still giving the fragrance and flavour that no other dish can achieve. The amount of curry powder varies according to individual taste and it is simple to make a curry exactly as you like it stepping up the spices you like and decreasing the others. Here is a recipe for dry mutton curry. Sfe You Will Need: lib mutton cut into small cubes loz erf butter 1 onion 1 clove garlic

4 shallots 1 tablespoon good curry powder 1 teaspoon curry paste 1 tablespoon dessicated coconut 1 teaspoon grated green ginger, or i teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup coconut milk. Method: First, make coconut milk by placing three cup# coconut (dessicated) into a saucepan and pouring three cups of milk over it and bringing slowly to toe boil. Allow to cool then squeeze coconut with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Press through fine sieve and the resultant liquid is the coconut milk. Melt butter and in this fry the onion which has been thinly sliced, toe garlic which has been crushed and the chopped shallots until very lightly coloured. Add the curry powder and curry paste and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add dessicated coconut and ginger and continue cooking for further few minutes, then add the meat and the coconut milk and reduce heat to very slow and cook uncovered for one and a half to two hours or until most of the liquid has reduced, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking. Serve with freshly boiled rice and chutney.