Inter-Castle Memo dated 3-10-1994

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Inter-Castle Memo

Date: 3rd October 1994

To: House-elves

Cc: Albus Dumbledore

From: Rolanda Hooch

Subject: Chicken Tikka Masala

Dear House-elves,

As you know, I am very fond of your cooking, and I am hoping that your exemplary skills will be up to recreating the most fantastic dish that I encountered in Muggle Birmingham while I was on holiday there. I managed to pick up the closely-guarded recipe from the shop-keeper—after a bit of gentle persuasion—and have written it out for you. This dish is slightly spicy, and when eaten with rice, I am confident that it would be beneficial for providing Quidditch players with plenty of energy for their matches. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts

60ml/2¼fl oz olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, grated

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

4 tbsp tomato purée

2 very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

100ml/3½fl oz plain full-fat yoghurt

100ml/3½fl oz double cream

½ tsp salt

½ lime, juice only

splash water or chicken stock (if necessary)

cooked basmati rice, to serve

few sprigs fresh coriander, chopped, for garnish

Method

1. Cut the chicken breasts into very thin slices and heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is smoking, add the chicken, onions and garlic and fry for 30 seconds over a fierce heat. Immediately add the ginger, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin and fry for a further minute.

2. Stir in the tomato purée and the chopped tomatoes and boil rapidly for five minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Add the yoghurt and double cream. Return to a low heat, bring to a simmer and then stir in the salt and lime juice. If the curry is too thick at this stage, you can add a little water (or chicken stock) to get the correct consistency.

3. Serve the curry with cooked basmati rice and chopped coriander.

I have been told that this will serve 4 people, so the recipe will need some adjustments, which I will leave in your capable hands.

Headmaster Dumbledore,

I hope that you will give your permission for such a culinary experiment to take place at Hogwarts. It is my hope that the students will enjoy such fare, and if this proves popular among staff and students, I ask that this become a regular dish on the menu at Hogwarts.

Signed:

R. Hooch

Flying Instructor

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author: kristoph