232 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
three separate classes of Curry—the Bengal, the Madras, and 
the Bombay. Of these the first is the purest, and best, the 
high old superlative Curry. The Bengal chef excels most in 
fish and vegetable Curries. Bombay boasts of its special gifts 
in bombelon fish, and its popedones. Sir George Birdwood 
insists on always including in a Curry the leaf, or its essence. 
of the Murraya kenigii. Others advocate the grated pulp of 
a cocoanut, with a little of its milk. The Curry powder must 
be thoroughly cooked with the dish, and not merely added 
thereto at the last moment. Rice forms the invariable adjunct 
to every dish of Curry, this being first washed in several waters 
before it is cooked. Curried rice is very useful for serving with 
eggs, or for adding to mulligatawny. It is prepared by putting 
half a pint of rice in a saucepan with a dessertspoontful of good 
Curry powder, and one of finely-chopped onion; season with 
salt, and pour over it one pint of boiling water. Let it cook 
about ten minutes, or till nearly done (it should soak up all the 
water) ; stir it up well. Lay a clean cloth over the saucepan, 
and put it to stand in a warm place until required. It is always 
better for standing an hour to dry, and finish cooking. Some 
rice will require a little more water. The several condiments 
which are employed in mixing Curry powder, as already signified, 
exercise each some special virtue as a medicament,. which 
reference thereto under its particular heading here will explain, 
and will indicate its special use. 
In the early English Forms of Cury (1390), two “ Cury,” or 
Curry powders are supplied, ‘forte,’ and “‘douce,” which gave 
a designation accordingly to certain highly-spiced indigenous 
dishes of that date. Curries are therefore (as Dr. Thudicum 
alleges) native also to England, and by no means an exclusive 
importation from Hindustan. Sir J. C. Tennent, of Ceylon, 
has, however, praised the unrivalled excellence of the Singhalese 
in the preparation of their innumerable Curries, each of which 
is tempered by the delicate creamy juice expressed from the 
flesh of the cocoanut. For domestic Curry, butter, if it can be 
afforded, should be used instead of dripping ; and half a teacupiul 
of shredded cocoanut, with a sour apple, chopped fine, should 
be added before stewing. A plain Curry is made in India even 
of toasted bread, cut in dice, and fried brown. For a vegetable 
Curry, chop four onions, and four apples; put them in a pan 
with a quarter of a pound of butter, and let them fry a light 
