Chap.lll. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. 27 



Mutton, may be computed the quantity of Pullets, Chickens, and young Pidgeons, the 

 number whereof is limited, according to the Seafons i as alfo what may be confum'd 

 in Rice, and Butter, for the Pilau, which is accounted the belt di(h in Turkey, and all 

 over the Eaft. Thofe Nations, who are lovers of Temperance, and do not much ftu- 

 dy the fatisfa&ion of the palate, feldom have any other di(h : and that not being con- 

 temptible , fome haply will give me thanks , for communicating the ordering of 

 it. 



The Turks-, and generally all the Inhabitants of the Eaftem parts, make the Pilau, fnt tvtj of or* 

 after this manner. According to the quality of the perfons who are to be entertain'd, daring tht Vi- 

 and the quantity which is to be made of it, you take eithet a piece of Mutton alone, or ,au * 

 together with that fome Pullets or Pidgeons, which are to be boyl'd in a pot, till they 

 are half done, or fomewhat more. When you think them fo far boyl'd, then pour 

 out both meat and broath into a Bafin, and the Pot being waftfd, put it on the 

 fire again with Butter in it, which they fuffer to melt, till fuch time as it is very hot. 

 Then they chop the meat, which had been but half-boyl'd into little pieces, the Pul- 

 lets into quarters, and the Pidgeons into halves, and fo they caft it into the Butter, 

 they fricafs it, till it be of a very brown colour. The Rice being well walh'd, they 

 put fome into the Pot over the meat, as much as they think fitting, and the broath, 

 which had been pour'd into the Bafin, they alfo put it into the Pot, Ladle-ful after La- 

 dle-ful,, over the Rice, till fuch time as it ftands two fingers breadth above it. Then 

 is the Pot immediately cover'd, there is a clear fire made under it, and they ever and 

 anon take out fome grains of the Rice, to fee if it be foftned, as alfo whether it be 

 requifite to put in fome more of the broath, to compleat the ftewing of it. For it is 

 not like the Rice brought into our parts, which prefently breaks afunder, but their 

 Rice is of fuch a kind, that it muft be fully boyl'd, and yet the Grain entire, as well 

 as the whole Pepper, wherewith they feafon it. As foon as it is come to that condi- 

 tion, they cover the Pot with a cloath three or four times doubled, and fet the Pot- 

 lid upon that, and fome time after, they make another melting of Butter, till it be ve- 

 ry red s to be caft into the holes, which are made in the Rice, with the handle of the 

 Ladle, after which they cover it again of a fudden, and fo let it ftand foaking awhile, 

 and then ferve it up. It is put into large Difhes, with the meat handfomly difpos'd 

 upon it, and fome part will be white, that is, continu'd in its natural colour, fome 

 part, yellow, occafion'd by a little mixture of Saffron, and a third part of a Carnati- 

 on-colour, done by the tindure of the juyce of Pomegranate. Nay, though the meat 

 be as fat as is requifite for the ordering of this Difli, yet to make the Pilau more deli- 

 cate and palatable to them, they beftow three pounds of Butter on fix pounds of 

 Rice, which makes it fo extraordinary fat, that it difgufts, and is naufeous to thofe 

 who are not accuftom'd thereto, and accordingly would rather have the Rice it (elf 

 (Imply boyl'd with water and fait. There are always two or three Dilhes ferv'd up 

 after that manner, to the Grandees of the Port, who, for the moft part, keep open 

 Table, and inftead of flelfi, they cover them with a great Aumelet or Omelet, made 

 with good Herbs, and about three fingers thick, or with fome poach'd Eggs, which 

 are neatly difpos'd all about it. A man is never incommodated by this kind of Rice, 

 but the other, which is too fat, is not fit for thofe who drink Wine, and will not ex« 

 cite in them a délire to eat of it often. 



Since I have given you an account how they order the Pilau, I cannot forbear ma- A particnUr 

 king you a further difcovery of the lurks management of the Kitchin, and telling ^^Jjjjj 

 you how they roaft their meat. The greater fort of meat, as (heep and Lambs are 

 roafted whole, in Ovens made in the Floor, wherein they hang them by the heads, 

 and they are taken out thence as it were brown-bak'd, and Cook'd well enough, fo as 

 to excite appetite. At the bottom of the Oven there is ordinarily a Baiin plac'd, ha- 

 .ving in it fome Rice and fair Water, which receives the drippings of the Beaft, the 

 very Tayl it felf, which fometimes weighs fifteen or twenty pound, yielding a good 

 quantity thereof, as being in a manner all fat. The Tayls of the Lambs, having not 

 (b much fat, are excellent meat, and în a manner as delicate as the Sweet-breads of 

 Veal. Thefe Lambs being thus roafted, are always ferv'd up with Rice under them, - 

 and for the greater Tables, they fèrve up two of them in a DilfuSo that there is no ufe 

 cf Spits in the Turkjjh Kitchins : but what is for Poultry ,or Fowl, which they order fd 



C E ) untowardly^ 



H 



