Fry a cupful of cream of wheat in half a cup of butter or crisco. When it begins to have a nutty flavor and to be slightly brown, add three cups of water and one cup of sugar and a few of the small inside seeds of the cardamon. Boil slowly until it forms a thick rich paste. Press into square cake pans and sprinkle over the top minced nuts and also raisins, if desired. Cut in squares like fudge. Very good and wholesome.
98. Bombay Hulwa.
Bombay hulwa is noted all over India. Soak a pound of cream of wheat in enough water to cover it. Let it stand three or four hours. Then rub it through a coarse strong cloth until you get all the starch out. To do this you must keep dipping the cloth in water again and again. Let this water stand until the starch has settled, then pour off the water. Make two pounds of white sugar into a syrup. Boil until it reaches the fondant stage, then add the cream of wheat starch, and keep boiling and stirring until it forms into a lump. Then add about half a pound of butter. Crisco will do as well if salt is used with it. Go on cooking the hulwa until it begins to get so hard that you can hardly manage it. Then add a wineglass of rose water, some blanched and shredded almonds and the little inside seeds of half a dozen cardamons. Delicious and nourishing, but rather expensive.
99. Turkish Delight.
This popular confection is made by a similar method to No. [98], excepting gum arabic is used instead of cream of wheat starch. The right proportion is about an ounce of powdered gum arabic to two pounds of sugar. The butter also is omitted at the last, but the almond, rose water, and cardamon seed are usually added. Press into plates, cut in squares, and roll each square in powdered sugar.
There is an easier way, however, to make it. Melt gum-drops. This is easily done by adding a little water and boiling, or by keeping hot in a double boiler or fireless cooker for a while.
Add the almonds and cardamons and lemon or orange juice if desired. Dust powdered sugar in a square pan. Press in the paste, dust powdered sugar over the top. Cut in squares.
100. Frosted Bananas.
Use rather green bananas for this. Peel, slice crosswise, sprinkle lightly with salt and fry. Be careful to keep them whole and not to burn them. Allow them to get thoroughly cold, then frost as directed for gulab jamans (No. [94]).