The oriental cook book; wholesome, dainty and economical dishes of the Orient, especially adapted to American tastes and methods of preparation

Preface

In many respects the cooking of a country is directly indicative of the character of its inhabitants. Often, the disposition of a person, or of a nation, can be traced back with considerable certitude to the kind of food which has been habitually eaten for long periods. At any rate, there is always a certain correspondence to be noted between the general characteristics — physical, mental and spiritual (as we say for want of a better word) — and the foods, or the special methods of cooking of each individual, geographical section, nationality and racial group. This is a peculiarly fascinating line of thought, too much so, in fact, to be more than hinted at here ; for anything even remotely approaching an adequate consideration of it would be out of all proportion to the space at our command for these few preliminary words. It must suffice, then, to say merely that the Orient, like the French Nation, presents unmistakable evidence of this great truth.

But, in addition to this law of individual and distinctive variation in the matter of cooking, as in all other fields as well, there is another law which is becoming more and more operative every day, perhaps especially among English-speaking people, and pre-eminently among Americans. May we call this latter the law of acquisition or assimilation? We mean thereby to characterize the remarkable tendency in the country to draw upon the riches of the rest of the world, in every realm of human achievement, and to make them one's own, either as a whole or in part, to make them minister to one's enjoyment and advancement. The United States is a Cosmopolitan Nation, with myriads of interests and capacities of appreciation, and there seem to be good and sufficient reasons today for offering its people access to what has been wrought by the genius of Oriental cookery.

In fact, the steadily increasing appreciation of, and demand among Occidentals for, Oriental cooking, finally induced us, among other reasons, to undertake the difficult task of wiiting this book.

The preparation of it we term a difficult task, perhaps for no other reason than this singular one, namely, the non-existence in the Orient, or among any of the Oriental nations — except among

PEEFACE the Armenians, and that in an inefficient form — of any regular literature upon the Culinary Art, which might have served us as a guide among the widely differing recipes and ideas upon cookery that have existed from time immemorial, from the Balkans to Persia, and from Arabia and Egypt to the Caucasus. It has been, therefore, our exacting duty, not only to collect the best of the numerous recipes, but also to select from the countless variety such choice and practical ideas as will appeal, we hope, to the Occidental tastes and demands.

Being of Oriental origin, but knowing quite thoroughly the characteristic taste of Western peoples in certain of the fine arts — ^in Oriental rugs, tapestries and general antiques, for example, as well as in other lines that have been appreciated by the educated and cultured — we have taken the pains, at the original suggestion and because of the incessant requests of some intimate American friends, to prepare this book. It has cost us many of the best years of our life and many expensive trips to the Orient, in order to secure at first hand right, positive, tested and authoritative information in regard to many things concerning which we had previously only possessed natural ability, as an observer, and an eye for appreciation and selection. To this we think we may properly add a welldeveloped patience in research and a faithfulness in recording results, both of which qualities have had abundant exercise in the arduous but congenial labors now completed. Moreover, it may be added that we have had the frequent advice of some of the best-known exponents of Oriental Cookery as exemplified in the palaces and homes of the East.

As a consequence, we believe we have finally evolved a book which gives, in a designedly limited compass, the most representative, meritorius and easily adaptable methods of food preparation that are known and practiced all over the Orient by various nationalities, such as the Armenians, Bulgarians, Caucasians, Egyptians, Greeks, Jews, Persians, Syrians, Turks, etc., etc.

All human beings are naturally gifted with more or less ability, when occasion requires, to prepare food for themselves. The true art of Cookery, however, is not the possession of many, especially when it is exercised for the highest good and pleasure of others. This truly specialized and

PREFACE praiseworthy function demands good judgment, an inherent sense of fitness and proportion in the choice and blending of food ingredients, reliable guidance, and after that practice and ever more practice.

But cookery should not be made a difficult task by minute descriptions of compositions and combinations — as is true of many cook books — in such a way as to cause the average housekeeper bewilderment or discouragement. Of course, excellent results in the art of cookery require a general knowledge of and experience in the art, on the part of the cook, yet, it should also be left with her to make a fair attempt at it, and use her own judgment considerably, regarding preparation and results. Cookery is neither practical nor successful when it is too scientific, because such success is largely dependent on the taste of the cook and those for whose enjoyment it is prepare'd.

Civilization has taught human beings to be careful in their selection of foodstutfs, and again, it has taught them, on the whole, to prepare the food in a way to make it more nourishing and palatable. Thus, the common reasons for cooking are already known to every person, which are, namely :

To do away with the hurtful substances in foodstuffs, and to cause destruction to microbes and other foreign matter in flesh and in vegetables.

To assist mastication and hasten digestion of food through proper combinations of various eatables; and finally

To use or serve them in the best style, suited to the customs and conceptions of civilised people.

Although cooking recipes are innumerable and vary much in different countries, still the general methods of cookery are simple and their operations few in number. They are: Boiling or Stewing, Broiling or Grilling, Baking, Roasting and Frying. All these methods are practiced, and in the preparation of some food often more than one method is used. Each one of these methods is also essential for the reason that certain foodstuffs can only be properly treated in one way in order to give them the desired taste and appearance. Each of these several methods agrees with tastes, and what may be indigestible to one may be quite digestible to another.

Oriental Cookery, like all else Oriental, is not based on strict science, but on natural and happy

PEEFACE combinations of food ingredients and flavors which many, many years ' experience on the part of different peoples has taught them. It is naturally, harmoniously and easily done, and is dependent for its successful result on good and wholesome ideas in general cooking, and anyone with a little courage can do it, too, without minutely following the given guide in the recipes.

Oriental cookery is valued not only because of its economy, because one can get the most out of the least material used in the preparation of a food, but it is also recognized and esteemed for its general body-building and nourishing character, and although it is solid and substantial, it is often dainty as well. In Oriental cooking, not a single dish is dependent on the extravagant use of expensive and various ingredients which, when counted up, make food very expensive, but it is dependent, and very much so, on the flavor of 'each different article used in the making thereof. For those, therefore, who are fond of plain food, but of the kind that puts an extra layer of fat on the consumer, Oriental cooking is especially recommended.

Successful Oriental cooking is based on the theory that no one ingredient used should greatly outdo the others in strength, and that the result should be a perfect harmony. It should not be very difficult, therefore, for anyone who will remember this to follow the methods described in this book, and although we have, to the best of our ability, given the approximate quantities of every substance to be used in the preparation of each recipe, it is desirahle, nevertheless, that each housekeeper should use her own judgment in regard to quantity, proportions, taste, and the like. We have aimed only to furnish general guidance in a field that will be wholly new to those for whom our work has been done. We do not pretend to lay down exact rules for families of different sizes and varied likings.

It has, furthermore, been taken for granted that those who purchase a copy of this Oriental Cook Book will not look to find in it that general and widespread information about cookery, which it is to be assumed every housewife already possesses. For instance, when we have spoken of Boiling or Frying, we have avoided the common explanation of what is meant by boiling or fiying, nor have we given the scientific explanation theredo ]

PREFACE of — the temperature required, tlie changes produced in the process, and so on. We have prepared this book largely for those who know how to do the little ordinary things involved in the culinary art, who will understand the meaning of our expressions, who know the ingredients already in use and are able to comprehend their nature without looking for our explanation of them.

Thus — not believing it to be consistent with our present purpose — we have avoided giving the different food properties contained in each ingredient, such as the water, the alhuminoids, the fat, the starch, the sugar and the salts, which are to be found always in our daily food compositions. In short, we have not written anything about the degree of temperature at which olive oil or butter will melt or come to a smoking point, nor stated that such ingredients are nourishing in certain conditions and not in others ; that meat, fish or vegetables will fry in fat of a certain degree and not in less, etc., etc. All these things have been avoided because we take it for granted that our readers will only be interested in the recipes of Oriental Cookery and the facts relating thereto, which have been handed down through the centuries.

While wishing to be modest in all our assertions regarding the merits of this Oriental Cook Book, we find ourselves hoping that it may eventually take its place alongside of fine i*ugs, tapestries and other objects of art, as a means of making the Orient known to the Occidental mind. The culinary art of those romantic lands, whose people for many centuries have been the recipients and faithful preservers of valuable secrets along this line, has a rare and rewarding interest of its own, which, we believe, may well engage the earnest attention of women of Western lands.

We have omitted illustrations in this book, for the good reason that Oriental cooking is wholly based on remarkable combinations of foodstuffs which no illustration can ever depict.

We feel that all our efforts will be well and fully repaid if this work meets with appreciation on the part of any considerable number of those who are interested in the art of cookery, either as housewives, cooking teachers or professional cooks. We are quite confident that it will do so, if merit counts for anything, for it not only stands alone as an exposition of Oriental cookery in English, but we cannot find that it lacks any of the es-

PREFACE sentials of completeness or practicability which, characterizes its American and English exemplars.

We also trust that this book may be found to be, to somie degree at least, instrumental in reducing the high cost of living for those who make use of it, inasmuch as one of the fundamentals of Eastern cookery is the maximum of savor with the minimum of expense.

Were it possible for us to allude, in this preface, to the many remarkable dishes that have made Oriental cookery famous, perhaps they might induce a readier recognition of the merits of the book. However, as they are dealt with in detail in their respective places in the body of the work, we refrain from mentioning them in this limited space, leaving it to our readers to make use of the recipes which we have made as explanatory as possible.

By the will of Allah, we remain. Very sincerely yours,

Ard ASHES H. Keoleian.

New York, N. Y. 1913.