Drunken Pears !!

Wishing you all A very Happy & Successful New Year !

Drunken Pears

When I had this 'Drunken Pears' dessert for the first time.. I was so floored with the way they were served ( truly a jewel on the plate) .. the sweet & savory … my taste buds were well treated ❤❤❤!!! I reserved this recipe to share on my blog with you all for the special day..this new year eve !!!…here is the recipe for you all…

The original recipe is with red wine… I just wanted to turn this dessert a sober & non-alcoholic… used orange juice & pomegranate juice (POM)…If you don't mind binging on an alcohol induced dessert..go with the red wine… 🍷

Ingredients :

Pears - 2 (small to medium size)
Sugar - 2 table spoons
Orange Juice - 1/2 cup
Pomegranate Juice - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon stick / vanilla bean - 1 (OPTIONAL)

Preparation :

- I used POM : Pomegranate cherry juice & freshly sqeezed orange juice.

Drunken Pears

- Wash the pears, peel off & remove the seeds with seed remover. If you don't have seed remover…no issues..just leave them… even the bottom of the pears..so that while serving it would be easy.

Drunken Pears

- In a sauce pan add the pom, orange juice, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean & sugar.

- Make sure the sugar is dissolved completely.

Drunken Pears

- Bring the pom & orange juice mix to boil & then add the pears to the sauce pan, cover the pan with a lid and let them cook under low heat.

- Occasionally turn the pears gently so that pears will evenly absorb the flavor and the color.

Drunken Pears

- Don't over cook the pears, test with a fork or toothpick. turn off the heat & take the drunken pears out ..let them come to room temperature.

……. & Serve the drunken pears with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream  or whipped cream or cream cheese with honey on the side and top with the pom sauce - the drunken pears were cooked in…

Once again wish you all Happy New Year.. have a great year ahead !

Neer Dosa !

Neer Dosa - A soft, fluffy and mouth melting…. south Indian crepes recipe and the batter needs absolutely no fermentation… you grind the neer dosa batter and the very next minute..it can go on to the skillet or pan…to make Neer Dosa !!

Neer Dosa

Ingredients :

Raw Rice - 1 Cup ( either regular Sonamasoori / Basmati rice)

Fresh coconut shred - 2 to 3 table spoons (OPTIONAL)

Water - about 8 cups (to soak the rice & to add to the batter)

Salt - as per the taste

Oil - 2 to 3 table spoons

Preparation :

- Soak the rice in 4 to 5 cups of water for 4 to 8 hours.

Neer Dosa

- Drain the water from well soaked rice and grind the rice into a very fine batter (Add the fresh coconut shred while grinding but this is totally OPTIONAL)

- Make sure the batter is not coarse or grain.

- Add the salt & 3 to 4 cups of water to the finely ground rice & the batter consistency must be of whole milk.

Neer Dosa

- As the batter is ready, season the skillet with few drops of oil and let the skillet be heated.

- Use a skillet or non stick pan with raised edges rather than using a flat pan or skillet !

- Once the skillet is hot enough, add the batter and quickly spread the batter by swirling the pan gently, so that the batter evenly spreads to the coast, add little oil along the edges of neer dosa.

- You can see the edges of neer dosa turning into golden brown and coming off along the edges…means the Neer Dosa is ready…using a flat spatula gently transfer the neer dosa on to a serving plate !!

Like, regular dosa you can have any kind of side dishes like sambar, playa, coconut or peanut chutney with Neer Dosa !!

               Try this & enjoy your weekend breakfast special !!!

Chocolate Truffle Bites with condensed milk!!

If you don't mind little sinful sweet indulgences this holidays season..go for this..The easy & quick Chocolate Truffles recipe using condensed milk & microwave - I got it from my colleague ….worth trying !!

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients :

Condensed Milk - 12 fl OZ
Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 3 to 4 table spoons
Butter - 2 table spoons (at room temperature)
Salt - 1 pinch

Truffle Coatings : (Optional) - I used these..just get creative and choose your favorite coatings !!

Coconut shred
Cocoa powder
Salt+ground pepper+nutmeg powder
Dark Chocolate sprinkles
Multicolor sprinkles
Holiday season sprinkles

Preparation :

- Empty the condensed milk into a microwave safe bowl.
- Add cocoa powder, salt and mix well.

Chocolate Truffles

- This mix has to be cooked in microwave for 6 minutes but…every 1 minute take the truffles mix out of microwave & stir and heat again for 1 minute…SHOULD NOT Heat for 6 minutes at once !

Chocolate Truffle bites

- Heat the mix in microwave for 1 minute, takeout & add the butter (soft & should be at room temperature). stir well & heat in the microwave for 1 more minute.

- After 5 to 6 minutes the chocolate truffle mix gets cooked and comes together & with little gummy texture.

- Once the chocolate truffle mix comes to room temparature, cover it with a cling wrap and refrigerate 

for 1 hour.

Chocolate truffles

These are the different coatings I preferred for the chocolate truffle bites, but it is totally your call to choose….

- Takeout the chocolate truffle mix out from the refrigerator , grease your palms with some butter and take small amount of mix & roll them into bite sized truffles…coat them with your fav toppings & place them in a muffin liners.

Chocolate Truffle bites

- Once done, keep them in refrigerator until u serve them…. at the end I mixed all the coatings together..and had fun making a chocolate truffle bite & giving the taste buds the guess work !!

Chicken Drumsticks !

---being little occupied with work…had to stay away from my blog…here I come with the recipe of Chicken Drumsticks marinated with soy sauce & honey !!

Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients :

Chicken Drumsticks - 4 (small / Medium sized)

Red chili powder / paprika - 1 table spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Soy sauce - 1 tea spoon

Honey - 1 tea spoon

Cinnamon / Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tea spoon (OPTIONAL)

Ginger powder - 1 tea spoon

Garlic powder - 1 tea spoon

Salt - As per the taste 

Any cooking oil - 1 tea spoon

Preparation :

- Choose either small or medium sized drumsticks & clean them, remove any extra fat or skin & make small slits here & there so that it allows the marination to get absorbed by the meat.

Chicken drumsticks

- In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients & chicken drumsticks and mix well until all the meat is covered with the marination mix.

Chicken Drumsticks

- Honey can be substituted with 1 tea spoon of brown sugar.

- Cover the Chicken drumsticks with a lid or cling wrap & let it marinate minimum for an hour.

Chicken Drumsticks

- After leaving the chicken drumsticks to marinate for an hour or two, they are ready to go into the oven.

- Place them in a oven safe tray & pre heat the oven to 350 F & let them bake for 20 minutes. Or if you prefer the meat to be little smoked use the broil option.

- After 20 minutes, slowly turn the drumsticks on to the other side & bake / broil again for 20 more minutes.

- Once done..turn off the oven & serve the hot & smokey Chicken drumsticks.. don't forget to sprinkle some sesame seeds on… also you can glaze the chicken drumsticks with some hot sauce !!

Chicken Drumsticks