81. Cheese Cakes.
Place two cups of pure milk over the fire and when the milk begins to boil squeeze the juice of a lemon into it. The milk will at once curdle. Drain off the curds. To these curds add the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, a small cup of sugar, and a small cup of ground almonds. Walnuts, pecans, or any other nuts would do all right.
Mix all together smoothly. Line little patty pans with the paste (No. [80]), and fill with the curds. Dust powdered sugar over the top and decorate with crossbars of pastry. Bake very slowly.
These cheese cakes are always much in evidence at afternoon teas, garden parties, and all social functions in India.
82. Banana Stew with Cocoanut.
Boil six bananas. To boil bananas do not remove the skins. Just pour enough boiling water over them to cover them. Add a little salt to the water. As soon as the skins crack they are done. Remove and cool. When cool, take off the skins, scrape the bananas a little and split them.
Make a syrup of one cup of sugar and half a cup of fresh cocoanut and half a cup of water. Pour this over the boiled bananas and serve. This dish is much appreciated by the children.
Roselles.
Roselles are a fruit belonging to the sorrel family. The seed is sown in the vegetable garden every year when other seeds are sown. The plants have a vigorous growth. They grow as tall or a little taller than currant bushes. Long before the season is over the bushes are vivid with wine-red flowers. From the waxen petals of these flowers very delicious sauces, jams, chutneys, and jellies are made.
Roselles can be grown any place as easily as tomatoes or cabbage or any vegetable. It would certainly pay any one to make the experiment. The fruit is very rich in pectin, and not only gives a beautiful color when combined with any other fruit, but also adds much to the flavor. Combined with peaches or strawberries, cherries or guavas, or any other fruit that is deficient in pectin, the roselle has very satisfactory results.