COOKING VEGETABLES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 11

COOKING VEGETABLES.

SOME.NEW WATS MENTIONED. > People who eat a |reat quantity of meat pity thoso people who believe in a purely vegotable diet. A dinner without meat, however, ican bo mado quite as appetising as one with a good roast of beef, provided that tho vegetables are properly prepared. . English peoplo' do not seem to understand how to cook vegetables so.as to obtain all the nourishment which there is in them. It is the Eastern races who have learned that secret. They can produce an infinite variety of dishes of delicatelyflavoured and deliciously-seasoned vegetables. A few of the following Hindu recipes contributed to one of the magazines at Home may be of interest:— Savoy Cabbage With Potatoes and Ginger. Slice a medium-sized Savoy cabbage in fine shreds. Pare two medium-sized potatoes and cut them in inch cubes. Put the two vegetables, dripping wet, in a saucepan in which two tablespoonfnls of butter have been molted. If it is possible, finely chop about,thrco inches of green ginger root and add it to the cabbage and potatoes. If the green ginger cannot be had, use one-half of ground ginger instead. Season with: salt and cayenne pepper to suit the taste, one teaspoonful of curry powder and a generous pinch each of ground allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Cover the pan closely and let the vegetables cook in the liquid generated by their own steam. Stir once Sn a while, so as to thoroughly mix the spices with the vegetables. It will not be neces-. saryto'add water in order to cook'them perfectly tender, if the lid of the pan m. which they are' cooked fits perfectly tight over it. Curried Carrots, Cut up in inch cubes as many carrots as. may be required. Put them, dripping wet, into' a saucepan in which one tablespbohful of butter has been melted. Season them with cayenne pepper and salt to suit the taste, and one teaspoonful'of ' curry powder; or, lacking the. curry powder, use a generous pinch each of cinnamon, cloves allspice; ginger, and turmeric. Cover, tho pah closely so no steam can escape ■ and let the' carrots. cook until tender in tho moisture generated from their, own. steam. If necessary, a', very small quantity of water may be added; but there must be no liquid on when they are through cooking. The Indians would simply turn the cover of the pan upside down when-all the moisture in the pan is exhausted, fill (he cover with cold water and trust to the liquid generated from the steam to finish cook-. in» the carrots. The'ln'dians have covers specially made for, this purpose, but the IftUlow. covers used in America will do just as'well. ' •■..:.' .Lentils and Tomatoes. Soak' one cupful ,qf lentils overnight in a pint of water,;or, if you forget to put them to soak the night before, pour boil- , ing water over them in the morning and let them stand in it, covered closely, un- ' tilyoii are ready to uso them. Melt one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan and put the lentils in it, reserving tho: water in which they soaked. Let the lentils fry in the butter, stirring them often, until , thejr/'bogin to brown, then add the water ' in which they we're soaked, one cupful of tomatoes. One teaspoonful of salt and cayenne pepper: to suit the palate. A small onion shredded fine may,be added, if "pre-, forred. i ,Cook until tho' v lentils are thoroughly tender,- so they will readily crush between the thumb and finger. • If necessary,, more! water .may be added, using , but a small quantity, in order that the liquid may bo boiled down to a thick gravy when the lentils are cooked. ; By way of variety, grind the skins from the. lentils . before they ■ are, cooked and after they are.soaked, by rubbing;;them ' briskly, between the palms of tho-lands..', liush them.with plenty of water and jour : it oft quickly, carrying away the skins with it, since they are lighter than the lentils, and remain at the top.' If onions are used, they ,may bo cut yp and fried a golden, brown, along with the lentils, and a different flavour will be imparted;'than if they are. merely boiled with them..-;-" ■'.' ■ v^".