War Time Curry (Ministry of Food, 1946)

The second world war was a strange time for Britain foodwise. Rationing had a massive impact. For the first time even vegetable curries didn’t have meat in (we were about as vegetarian friendly as the rest of Europe – well meaning, but unsure why you didn’t want mutton in your Banana Curry). We started using potatoes as a meat substitute, and throwing in apples, tomatoes and sultanas too. That’s the Portuguese influence on the curry again, sweet fruit in savoury dishes.

Ingredients

2 lb potatoes
Half oz fat (butter, oil, lard… whatever you could get your hands on)
1 onion chopped
1 medium sized apple, chopped
1 small tomato
2 tspn curry powder
2 tbspn flour
Half a pint of stock or meat extract and water
Half teaspoon mixed herbs
2 cloves
Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 tspn sweet pickle or 1 oz sultanas
1 tspn vinegar
1 tspn sugar
2 tspn salt

Equipment

Sharp knife
Large saucepan
Large frying pan

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Put them aside to stay warm (alternately, put potatoes on the boil and let them cook while you make the curry sauce(

Heat the fat in a pan, add the onions and fruit and fry lightly.

Before they start to brown add the curry powder and flour.

Add the stock and other ingredients gardually. Boil gently for five minutes, stirring well.

The recipe suggests adding water to bring it up to a half pnt of liquid again. If you can do this by eye, well done you. If you prefer your curry a little more modern and a little less runny, don’t bother.

Pour over the potatoes and serve at once.