Sorry for the delay in posting the final part.

Thanks to Iolanthe for her usual wonderful contribution in betaing this fic. Thanks also to MozartMaid for checking the final part.


Here's the recipe for Butter Chicken.

I got it from the internet originally, but I can't find it again to give proper credit. I have adjusted it over time, so it's no longer in it original form.


Butter Chicken

Serves 4.

Olive oil
1 green onion
1 white onion
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-2 cm nub of ginger, peeled
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala (recipes for garam masala spice can be found on the internet. Most involve heating/preparing a large amount and keeping for next time. I'm rarely that organised so I grind together coriander seeds, cumin, black peppercorns, cardamom, dry ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves. I don't bother too much with accurate measurements, but the coriander seeds should be 2-3 times more than the cumin and pepper. The cloves and cinnamon should be a bit less than the cumin and pepper. Alternatively, you can buy garam masala already prepared.)

1 red/green chilli, ground or finely chopped. (As a general rule, I add 1 chilli for every 2 people eating. My chillies are home-grown and smaller than usual - about 4-5cm long. Adjust according to your own taste preferences.)

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
¼ cup yoghurt (Natural or greek - whichever happens to be in the fridge.)
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
1 cup tomato paste or puree
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

CHICKEN
Olive oil
500 grams breast/thigh chicken, cubed
1 teas garam masala
Pinch of cayenne pepper
¼ teas fenugreek seeds, ground
¼ cup cashews, finely ground
¼ cup water

METHOD
Heat oil over medium heat.
Sauté finely chopped onions.
Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli, cumin, bay leaf. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Add tom paste/puree and cook 2 minutes.
Stir in cream, milk, yoghurt.
Reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 mins, stirring.
In a separate pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Cube chicken and cook in second pan until lightly browned
Reduce heat, season with garam masala and cayenne pepper
Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink.
Stir cooked chicken into sauce
Mix together cashews, fenugreek seeds, and water, stir into sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.

Serve with rice or bread (naan, roti).

Enjoy!


Thanks to everyone who read and commented on this fic.

Corrina.

D'aaaw! That recipe looks good; I'll have to try it.

Corrina,

That was a wonderfully romantic ending to a very romantic story.

It is such a pleasure to read your stories.

Turned out perfect -- just like a yummy butter chicken!

Awww!! Perfectly sweet. Such good feelings come off of this one! I really loved it.

And then you had to go and ruin it with the recipe. I'm having minor panic attacks just reading it... Excellent job!

You had me at Butter Chicken. This is going to be one heck of a recipe for me to duplicate. Hmmm maybe I can get my husband to help me? Who knows what that will lead to?

Seriously, this was a yummy story for the senses.

Thank you for a very different take on Lois and Clark's romance.

AWW. That was so sweet and romantic, Corinna. I'm not going to attempt the recipe, although it looks yummy. In this heat, if it doesn't microwave, it doesn't get cooked.
I just love your allegories and similies. Just perfect.
regards
Artemis.

Corrina,

I just read parts 1-7 for the first time. I know this was supposed to be WAFFy, but the heat in this story is tangible!

Is there going to be a "Washing the dishes" sequel? I'll have to print it out and read it with oven mitts!

Thanks,

I'm a sucker for alternate beginning stories, and you never disappoint!

I think it's great that you've created a scenario in which Lois might actually learn to cook. On the other hand, these two seem awfully prone to distraction...

Thanks for giving us a great story, in the middle of another great story, no less!

Amber

Very sweet ending! Laura

They kissed. I loved that part. This was a really good story.

But... But... those chocolate kisses are waiting. After all the anticipation for them. And the coffee is getting cold!

LOIS: Don't worry. I'll eat them... eventually.

CLARK: I'll save you one.

LOIS: This could spell trouble for our relationship.

CLARK: Go ahead. I can make more.

LOIS: Yes, I'll be definitely need private lessons.

CLARK: Sorry, I'm all booked up through 2015 after this story hit the LnC Boards.

LOIS: But... I was FIRST!

CLARK: Okay. You *were* first.

Fun story. Still can't believe Lois didn't find Clark hanging out at her apartment after their lesson as creepy or a big red flag.

QofC Thanks for all your feedback, Queenie. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do.

Ken I had two endings, but decided to go with the romantic one because it better suited the story.

MM Thanks

Mouse Don't be intimidated by the recipe. Try it when you've got plenty of time and you're cooking for people who will be appreciative regardless of how it turns out.

Morgana Having made this recipe numerous times, it's now one of my 'easy' recipes - something to cook when I don't feel particularly inspired about cooking.

Artemis I don't use the microwave for cooking so I couldn't even guess if the recipe was adaptable. Thanks for all your comments.

Shallowford LOL about the oven mitts. I don't have any plans for a sequel. The story already went about twice as long as I had originally planned.

Amber Lois might learn to cook ... or she might simply marry Clark and figure she doesn't need to learn

Laura Glad you enjoyed.

John Thanks for your FDK.

Virginia

If the positions had been reversed and Clark had a woman coming for a date, do you think Lois would have stayed around out of curiosity? If I were writing that scenario, I couldn't imagine her simply walking away. It would be a bit hypocritical of Lois to condemn Clark for doing something she would have done.


Thanks so much to everyone who read and commented on this story.

Corrina.

Perfect ending. I'll have to try the recipe as well.

Aaaaaaaawwwwww...!!!! That was so, so, so, SO romantic!
Excellent ending, it let a taste of chocolate in my soul

And thanks for the recipe, too!!

Per your recommendation I tried Butter Chicken at the Indian restaurant we ate at tonight. It was really good. My husband (the Chef) liked it so much that he stole the last of my serving. Thanks for the recommendation and the recipe (which I can now pass off to him to make for me...er... us.).

Aw, this was fabulous... where's that "melting into a puddle of WAFF" graemlin, anyway?

) Thanks so much for sharing! Love to see a confident Clark *not* getting slapped down, and a flirty Lois. And hooray for saving Lois from Claude.

PJ

Kate Glad you liked the ending ... see below

chelo I'm was trying for romantic

Virginia I have some friends who are great with curries. They consider butter chicken to be a bit of a lesser curry (not as hot, not as strong in taste.) I made them this recipe ... I think it changed their views a little

Pam Claude has his purpose in this, but I enjoyed keeping him away from Lois.


OK - I was never really happy about the end of this story. I was tossing up between two endings, then tried to combine them, then went back to the original, but I was still

So for Shallowford and others (and so Goo will stop hounding me about this story), I've written an epilogue/sequel.

It's with Io now - I'll try to post it in the next couple of days.

Thanks to everyone for such lovely comments,

Corrina.

Oven mitts are ready!

Not sure you'll need oven mitts. It's more tying up an end I didn't like being left loose.

Corrina.