Over the past few months it feels like my first friends are finally returning to Ireland! Ones who moved away for adventure or following the purposes they were meant to live out somewhere else. Some have just returned for a short stay and others have moved back. Last week I got to spend time catching up with several of them! On Friday evening three of us spent the entire time eating, catching up and laughing … a lot! We worked like cogs in a machine as dinner was put together. All very normal until one of them said, “let’s have a competition to see who can make their dinner look the nicest.” Competition. Not, “let’s be creative and see what each other comes up with.” Nope, competition! That is when you know you are good friends. Of course, only one of us was allowed in the kitchen at a time so that our ideas wouldn’t be stolen. The results – even more laughter!

I have yet to find anyone who doesn’t like this recipe. It was what we enjoyed for a not-so-passover-passover-meal a couple of years ago (not so passover because it is far from kosher and not even close to the passover meal!). I even tried to make it in Romania when I didn’t have my proper recipe with me! So good.

Tandoori Butter Chicken

Tandoori Chicken

• chicken breast cut into large bite size pieces
• 4 lemons (3 if you don’t like as lemony)
• 1 thumb size piece of ginger, finely grated
• 5 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• salt and pepper

Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 30 min.

Mix all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Marinate for 5-6 hours.

Put chicken on rack and grill, turning once, until cooked through and beginning to blacken a little.

Butter Sauce

• 2 tsp. butter
• 1 large onion
• 7 large garlic cloves (yes, the garlic might infiltrate your house)
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 800 ml tinned, chopped tomatoes or pureed tomatoes
• 1-3 hot chilli peppers (make sure to wash your hands before touching your face … S. would have done well to do that last week!!)
• remaining yoghurt marinade
• 300 ml double cream (whipping cream)
• 5 Tbsp. cold butter
• a bit of ground almonds or almond butter wouldn’t go amiss but I usually don’t have that on hand

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter and saute onion. Add garlic.

Add all other ingredients except butter. Simmer for 1/2 hour.

Add the cold butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking as you do. When butter is melted add chicken.

Serve with rice.

Garnish

• fresh coriander (cilantro)
• limes