The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13
How the Peculiar National
Dish Is Prepared.
RECIPE OF BLUE DUMPLINGS
Really PaIatabIe Way of Pre-
pairing Corn Meal.


OF the American Indians, sees and hears
many things which interest him greatly
Most Of the indians have attained Ia
that height Of civilization that they no
longer wear the feathers and blankets OF
their forefathers. neither DO they dwell
In the historic wigwam.
When the red man OF the forest and the
plain initiated his white brothers mode
OF dress he also initiated many Of his
habits and characteristics and in a crude
way his habitation and his foods.
Perhaps that which he clings to most
beside his rod ard gun. or, rather, his
bow and arrow, are the old Indian dishes.
which, as long as the white man can re-
member have graced the boar dot the
native American.
In the small towns and cities Of the IN
dian territory the interested stranger has
Jew, If any, opportunities 10 come in con-
tact with these peculiar dishes. If he
would find and eat OF them he must go
TO the homes Of the full-bloods. in the
out-of-the-way places on the hIlltops and
sn the wildernesses.
Among the dishes of the Creek Indians
those we hear mentioned most frequently
Safka is generally spoken of as a food.
This is a mistake the average white man
yes. more than the average white man
lis apt 10 make in speaking of this pc
culiar drink. the national drink Of the
Greek Indians.
There are three kinds Of safka. namely,
satka, or plain safka; sour safka and
white safla.
Safka IS a drink made of corn and wa
ter. The corn used for this purpose is
made into a meal by the Indian in the
OLD primitive way Of pounding it in some
vessel by the use Of a pestle.
The Indians have Q dish which they
make and use expressly for this purpose,
and which they call "safza dish.
wien the indian wants a new safka
dish he HES him 10 the woods and hews
him down a tree. a hickory tree about
l6 inches in diameter Is most likely to be
the one Of his choosing. After he has
hewn down his tree he cuts from it a
block about 10 inches thick. out Of one
side Of this block he hollows out a bowl
shaped cavity inches deep or more and
makes il as smooth as IS possible by
filing the cavity with water and using
some blunt instrument. with which he
occurs and serapes it. When the vessel
IS dry it is ready for use. Sometimes the
trunk of tree, one side Of which has
been followed out. is used for their pur-
pose and answers fully as well as the
more elaborate dish.
In this vessel the Indian places his corn
snd. taking pestle, which is sometimes
made of stone. but more commonly of
hickory wood, pounds the corn until it
makes coarse meal Then ne takes some
kind of fan, or something which viii
take its place. and fans from among the
broken grains All the husks and skins.
i the broken grains are of uneven size !
the Indian uses riddle. which is really
p very coarse sieve. and riddles out the
fire grains. and the coarsor grains. which
the riddle retains. are again returned to
the dish for a further beating.
A pot about fun of water and two
quarts of this coarse meal are the mater
falls used in the making Of saf6a. The
Indians often use less corn to that amount
of water. but two quarts is as little meal
as is common among the more civilized
half-breeds when the corn and water
have been put I'm the pot and the pot
placed over the fire. take some vessel /
having perforations in the sides or bot
tom and put I'm it some clean wood ashes. |
ard over this pour water until il nearly
Ills the vessel. Hold this vessel over the /
pot containing the safSa until the I've
thus made by the water running through /
the ashes drips into the pot and turns /
the water yellow Then that is sufficient.
Tho Indian uses no salt whatever in /
saflla-
An shat Is necessary IS n good fire kept /
constantly under the pot and to replenish |
Tho water in the pot. as it Is evaporated /
in the process of boiling. The Indian +
cooks his safSa q long time. so the white /
squaw who makes safSa must prepare I
herself for task OF more than ordinary /
length.
Sour safSa IS made i'm just the same way 4
as plain saflra. but as It's name implies. /
the pot has been set aside until its con +
tents have soured or fer-nented This
fermeaJation is aided from time to time 4
by keeping a little Of the sour safka and +
adding L 20 the new iot thus Fastening 1
the souring process. This IS the Indians (
favorite safi1a thc plain and white safka /
being found in the homes ~ the better 1
educated Indian. The half-hreeds some (
times add iitte soda 10 the SOUR safSa /
ITO make it healthy" they say.
I'm The making II sour and plain sarza
sny kind of corn may be used. but when 4
you make white safza you must have
white corn.
The Indians have a corn which they
raise expressly fo~ this purpose and I
which is vcrs. similar TO the white pop