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Fresh Fruits
Fresh fruit is an especially fitting ending to an exotic meal of curry. Papayas, mangoes, and pineapple are particularly appropriate, and nowadays, because of air freight, they are available in many city markets almost the year around. In Ceylon, papayas are often eaten to commence a meal, and mangoes later on. However, both make excellent desserts, as does pineapple. Serve the papayas "on the half shell," seeds removed, or cut them up and drizzle with lime juice. Mangoes, when properly ripe, are very juicy and their large flat seed makes it difficult to eat them. However, in Ceylon, they have a neat solution. They make a circular cut at each end of the fruit, then make two lengthwise incisions between the cuts, making it easy to peel off the skin. The end pieces are used as handles, and the fruit may be eaten with a spoon or a fruit knife and fork. It may even be eaten out of hand, though it has been said that the best place to do this is in the bathtub. Pineapple may be quartered, through "plume" and all, then sectioned, the pieces loosened from the shell for easier eating. Or cut it up and serve drizzled with kirsch or your favorite liqueur. And be sure not to overlook melons, berries, peaches, or figs as a dessert.
Ambrosia
This simple old-fashioned dessert is perfect for a finale to a curry. Slice peeled oranges, add sliced bananas, strawberries and any other fruit that is in season. Layer into a bowl or dish with high sides. Sprinkle well with sugar and grated coconut over each layer of fruit. Chill well before serving.
Baked Bananas
Peel 6 bananas and arrange on a baking dish. Dot with 3 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Drizzle on the juice of half a lemon. Bake in a 350 degree oven until brown, basling a few times. Pour on a jigger of Cointreau and serve warm with cold coconut cream.
Banana Fritters
2 ripe bananas
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Milk
2 eggs
Mash bananas and combine with flour, sugar and salt, and just enough milk to make a thick batter. Beat eggs light and fold into mixture, then drop by the spoonful into deep fat (360°), and cook until brown. Drain and serve hot with powdered sugar.
Cheese Balls and Roses
This is interesting and exotic, a nice little sweet to serve after curry. Pour a quart of yogurt into a large strainer lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Let drain 24 hours, then turn out a clean folded dishcloth to further drain and dry. Sprinkle with a little salt and knead smooth. then form into little walnut-sized balls. You will get 20 to 24 of them. Thin rose petal preserves with a little water and pour over. Let stand in syrup overnight before serving with plain flaky crackers.
Coconut Custard
3 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups scalded milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
Make a custard with the eggs, slightly beaten, the salt, sugar and milk. Heat in a mixing bowl over hot water until the mixture coats a spoon. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and pour custard into a baking dish. Beat egg whites stiff, add sugar, coconut and vanilla. Spread over top of custard. Put in a 450 degree oven until the meringue is browned.
Coconut Tapioca
1/4 cup pearl tapioca
Cold water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Soak tapioca in water to cover for 1 hour; drain. Scald milk in double boiler, add tapioca and cook until tapioca is translucent; add coconut. Beat egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and add, with salt. Continue cooking in double boiler until thick. Add vanilla and pour into a buttered baking dish. Beat egg whites stiff, add remaining sugar and spread over tapioca. Put in a hot (425°) oven for 5 minutes to brown lightly.
Crimson Strawberries
This is simple and refreshing. Wash and hull a quart of strawberries and allow to drain. Heap in a shallow crystal bowl and drizzle on a jigger (2 ounces) of Kirsch. Cointreau, or Cognac. Whirl a package of frozen raspberries in a blender and strain over the strawberries. Of course, you can use fresh raspberries, but you will need a little sugar. The liqueur may be omitted if it pleases you.
Goula Malacca
1 fresh coconut
Boiling water
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups water
8 slices green ginger
1 cup tapioca
Break coconut, saving liquid. Grate and cover with boiling water. Let stand, then squeeze through a strainer. Add coconut liquid and chill. Make syrup with sugar, water and ginger, cooking until reduced one-half. Chill. Prepare tapioca according to directions. Pour into a mold and chili. Unmold and pass the two sauces separately.
Molded Cream with Fruit
2 cups cream
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 envelopes (2 tablespoons) plain gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 pint sour cream
Heat cream, add sugar, salt and gelatin softened in cold water. Stir until dissolved. Cool and fold in sour cream. Pour into 5-cup mold and chill. Unmold and surround with fresh or canned fruit.
Orange Compote
6 oranges
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
6 glasses (1/4 cup)
Grand Marnier
Peel the oranges with a sharp knife in such a way that all rind is removed and you have only a yellow globe. Cut rind into tiny matchstick-like pieces and cover with water. Bring to a boil, drain, repeat. Make a syrup with sugar and water and poach orange halves 4 minutes, then remove. Reduce syrup by one-half, add orange peel slices and Grand Marnier. Pour over oranges and chill. Divide between glasses. Serves six.
Three Oranges Dessert
3 oranges
2 small tins mandarin oranges
1/3 cup orange marmalade
Peel the oranges with a sharp knife in such a way that all rind is removed and you have only a yellow globe. Cut the oranges in half, horizontally. Drain the tins of mandarin oranges. Arrange the orange halves all a platter, flat sides down. Surround with the tangerine segments and spread a spoonful of marmalade over the top of each half-dome of orange. This is very refreshing and elegant.
Pineapple Exotique
1 can pineapple "sticks" or chunks
1/4 cup kirsch
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Drain pineapple. reserving juices; pour kirsch over. Beat 3 egg yolks with sugar. Add butter and cook over hot water until thickened, adding a little of the pineopple juice and the kirsch drained from the pineapple. Cool and pour over fruit. Sprinkle with almonds. This is A-Number-One!
Yogurt Sauce for Fruit
This is very nice on strawberries, raspberries, seedless grapes, peaches, or other cut-up fruit. Simply mix yoghurt with honey to your taste---or serve the two separately. Sour cream and brown sugar are good, too.
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