Learning to Cook : First Courses : The Soojee Challenge

Some of us learned to cook from our mothers. Some of us learned to cook in spite of our mothers. Actually, our mothers didn’t have all that much to do with the process--as the following stories prove.

Although we all came to cooking via different paths, all of us vividly remember the first foods that we cooked. And while they’re not generally dishes that we find ourselves cooking up every day, when we recently tested these recipes, we found, somewhat to our surprise, that they are all delicious.

In my last year at college, I came upon a lost paperback book entitled “Indian Cookery for Use in All Countries,” written at an undisclosed but probably pretty remote date by a London restaurateur named E.P. Veerasawmy. “In the evening of my days, and at the request of many hundreds of my pupils and well-wishers,” wrote this kindly man in his introduction, “I have ventured on a task which I sincerely hope will be of material benefit not only to my country but to the Empire.”

If it had been easy to use, I think I might have lost interest, but it blandly called for mysterious ingredients such as soojee (which turns out to be semolina, or Cream of Wheat), raggie (an Indian millet) and drumsticks (a kind of gourd). A recipe simply called “Chicken Curry” was followed by four more titled “Chicken Curry (Another way).” It was a challenge for a college kid looking for challenges, and I ended up cooking about half the recipes in the book. My favorite “Chicken Curry (Another way)” taught me the basic idea of sauteing; French cuisine was just around the corner.

CHICKEN CURRY (ANOTHER WAY)

1/4 cup clarified butter or vegetable oil

1 onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

2 cardamom seeds, crushed, about 1/8 teaspoon

2 whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger root, peeled and sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek, optional

1 chicken, jointed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 lemon

Heat oil in skillet over low heat. Add and fry onion, garlic, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon until onion is tender. Add coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin, cayenne and fenugreek. Stir well and cook slowly 4 to 5 minutes.

Add chicken pieces and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and 1/4 cup water, cover pan and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cover, reduce gravy if needed, squeeze in lemon juice and serve with rice. Makes 3 to 4 servings.