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1. Place the cubes of beef and kidney in a large mixing bowl. Combine 1/3 cup of the flour with the nutmeg, salt and pepper, and sift it over the meat. Then toss together with a large spoon to coat the pieces evenly. Stir in the mushrooms, onions and parsley. Set aside.
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2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out about two thirds of the suet pastry into a rough circle 14 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Drape the pastry over the rolling pin and unfold it slackly over a 6 cup English pudding basin or a plain 6-cup mold about 7 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep. Gently press the pastry into the basin, being careful not to stretch it. Roll out the remaining pastry into an 8-inch circle, and set it aside.
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3. Ladle the beef-and-kidney mixture into the mold, filling it to within ½ inch of the top. Mound the meat in the center, and pour in the water.
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4. With a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry from the rim of the mold and lightly moisten the rim with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Carefully place the 8-inch circle of pastry over the mold and trim the edges again.
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5. Then crimp the pastry all around the rim with your fingers or the tines of a fork to seal it tightly. Lay a lightly buttered 10-inch circle of parchment paper or foil over the top of the pudding, turning the edges down all around its circumference to hold it in place.
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6. Now dampen a cloth kitchen towel with cold water and wring it dry. Spread the towel flat, sprinkle it evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup of flour, and shake it vigorously to dislodge the excess flour. Spread the towel, floured side down, over the top of the pudding.
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7. Bring the ends of the towel down around the sides of the basin or mold and tie them in place about 1½ to 2 inches down the side (just below the rim if you are using a pudding basin) with a long length of kitchen cord.
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8. Bring up two diagonally opposite corners of the towel and tie them together on top of the pudding. Then bring the remaining corners together and tie them similarly.
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9. Place the pudding in a large pot and pour in enough boiling water to come three fourths of the way up the side of the mold. Bring to a boil, cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to its lowest point, and steam for 5 hours. From time to time replenish the water in the pot with additional boiling water.
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10. To serve, lift the pudding out of the water (holding it by the looped cloth if you are using a basin with a rim) and remove the towel and paper or foil. Wipe the mold completely dry and wrap it in a clean linen napkin. Serve at the table directly from the basin or mold.
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