CHESTNUT CURRY
One pound chestnuts, 2 ozs. butter, 4 ozs. onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 sweet apple, 1 dessertspoonful curry powder, 1 dessertspoonful flour, 1 dessertspoonful sweet chutney, 2 tablespoonfuls grated cocoanut, 1 teaspoonful tarragon vinegar, 2 teaspoonfuls lemon-juice, ³⁄₄ pint brown vegetable stock, ¹⁄₄ pint boiling water, salt, pepper.
One pound chestnuts, 2 ozs. butter, 4 ozs. onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 sweet apple, 1 dessertspoonful curry powder, 1 dessertspoonful flour, 1 dessertspoonful sweet chutney, 2 tablespoonfuls grated cocoanut, 1 teaspoonful tarragon vinegar, 2 teaspoonfuls lemon-juice, ³⁄₄ pint brown vegetable stock, ¹⁄₄ pint boiling water, salt, pepper.
Method.—Cut a small piece from the pointed end of the chestnuts and boil them until they are sufficiently soft to be pierced with a very fine skewer. Then remove the outer and inner skins, and put the nuts into a sauce made according to the directions given below; cover the curry with a thick piece of greased paper before putting on the lid of the pan, and simmer very gently in a moderate oven for an hour. Serve the curry surrounded by carefully-boiled rice which should be garnished with little pieces of pickled red cabbage and gherkin. For the sauce fry the onion (thinly sliced), the tomatoes, and apple (also sliced) in the butter until the onion shows signs of changing colour, then add the curry powder, and draw the pan to the side of the stove and let the contents simmer for twelve minutes. Pour the boiling water on to the cocoanut (preferably freshly grated, but desiccated can be used) and steep by the side of the stove until required. At the end of the time named stir the flour into the pan, and when it is smoothly mixed with the butter, etc., pour in the stock and stir over the fire until it has boiled and thickened; then addthe chutney, vinegar, lemon-juice and let the sauce simmer gently for half an hour, when it should be strained through a sieve into a stewpan; stir the cocoanut, and strain the liquid from it into the curry; then add the chestnuts and cook as directed above. A salad composed of sliced tomatoes and small pieces of crisp, white celery, with a plain oil and vinegar dressing, should be served with the curry.