Caramel Bread Surprise - No Bake#Improve

An Easy Caramel Bread Surprise makes the perfect dessert. You have to prepare this a day in advance if you want to serve it for a party. It has to set/chill in the refrigerator, then only, you will be able serve it in slices, as this a not bake dessert.

Ingredients

For The Caramel

190 Grams Homemade Dulce De Leche
1/3 Cup Milk
4 Large Bread Slices - trim off the sides 
For The Cashew Caramel Crunch
½ Cup Cashew Nuts
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Butter
For The Caramel Cream
2 Cups Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Homemade Dulce De Leche

Method
Dry roast the cashew lightly.
For The Cashew Caramel Crunch

Take a nonstick pan add the sugar and on low flame let is melt do not stir, when the sugar completely melts and starts to 

caramel then stir till it turn light golden, add the butter and switch off the flame

add the cashew and give it quick mix.

Pour this on a greased plate and let it cool. Then break this into pieces and place it in a zip lock bag, crush it with a rolling pin till coarsely powdered.

Keep aside our caramel crunch is ready.
For The Caramel Cream

Whip the cream till it forms soft peaks, add the Dulce De Leche and whip it for a minute or till well blended, if your want a dark color then add more Dulce De Leche. Keep aside
For The Caramel

To make the Dulce De Leche spreadable. Add the Dulce De Leche with the milk and cooked it on low flame till it becomes a little thick but spreadable caramel consistency. Switch off the flame and let it cool.

For Assembling The Bread Surprise
Lightly butter a 6" Pyrex dish.

Pour little thin caramel on the base, arrange bread slice

with a spoon spread the caramel on it then sprinkle the crunch.

Then whipped caramel cream mixture
Again bread slice with a spoon spread the caramel on it then sprinkle the crunch. Again whipped caramel cream Mixture. Drizzle a caramel , sprinkle the crunch on top. 

Cling wrap it and let it chill in the refrigerator over night so that is sets well.

Serve this chilled. 

It's super delicious, enjoy!!
Labels: Improv Cooking Challenge, Caramel, Cashewnuts,No Bake Desserts, Whipping Cream, Dulce De Leche, Bread Slices, Eggless, No Gelatin

 Improv Cooking Challenge

Caramel & Cashew

• Vietnamese Caramel Chicken by Pandemonium Noshery
• Cashew Caramel Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Caramel Falooda by Magical Ingredients
• Caramel Bread Surprise - No Bake by Sneha's Recipes
• Vietnamese Caramel Beef an Cashews by Making Miracles

Fragrant Cranberries Chicken Pulao With Cashewnuts#Improv

Sometimes there is a leftover of chicken and other stuff, which we need to use, so that, there is no wastage at all. Here is a simple recipe, which is nutritious and made a delicious meal.

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Medium Carrot - thickly grated
1 Medium Onion - sliced
1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Cup Leftover Cooked Chicken
Salt to taste
1 Green Chilly - slit
1 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Heaped Ghee
¼ Cup Cashewnuts
¼ Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander Leaves
10 Mint Leaves
For the Rice
1 Cup Basmati Rice
Salt to taste
Whole Mixed Spices
1 Bay leaf
4 Black Peppercorns
1 Piece Cinnamon
2 Green Cardamoms

Method
For The Rice

Wash and soak rice for 15 20 minutes.
Parboil rice with the whole mixed spices and salt till done. Drain and keep aside to cool. Spread it in a plate so that the grains do not clump up.
To Assemble The Pulao  

In a pot / kadai heat ghee and oil. Add sliced onions and fry till light golden brown. Add in the ginger garlic paste and sauté till raw smell goes. Add a cashew nuts and fry till golden. Add in the dried cranberries and fry till they plump up. Add in the slit green chilly, cooked leftover chicken, grated carrot and salt to taste stir well. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. Add in the cooked rice and lightly give it a mix. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on low flame for 10 - 12 minute, till the rice is nicely heated. 

Serve hot with raita.

Labels : Chicken, Leftover series, Pulao, Cranberry, Cashewnuts, Rice, Improv Cooking Challenge, Main course

 Improv Cooking Challenge

Cranberries & Meat

• Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Chops by Palatable Pastime
• Cranberry Bacon Jam by Pandemonium Noshery
• Fragrant Cranberry Chicken Pulao with Cashew Nuts by Sneha's Recipes
• Pork Tenderloin with Dried Cranberry stuffing by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Cranberry Glazed Sticky Wings by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Vegan Cranberry Soy Spring Rolls by Magical Ingredients 

Grilled Pork Chops In Homemade Pomegranate Molasses#Improv

Pomegranate Molasses or Narsharab is an Azerbaijani seasoning prepared by cooking the Pomegranate juice to thick tarty syrup. 

This pomegranate molasses has no sugar or added preservatives. You can also check this Pomegrante Raisin Sauce which is delicious.

Makes 200Ml Molasses 
Ingredients

5 Large Pomegranates - cleaned

Will give you - 900 Ml to 1000 Ml Pomegranate Juice
Method

Place the cleaned pomegranate in a pan, cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame. 

When it softens, switch off the flame and cool.

Place it in a blender jar blend it for a minute. 

Strain the juice with a cheese cloth,

squeezing the cloth well to extract all the juice.

Place this back into the cleaned sauce pan, bring this juice to a rolling boil on high flame, stirring.

Once it comes to a rolling boil reduce the flame to low and

cook till it reduces to 1/3 or thickens to thick but flowing saucy consistency it too around an hour or so to reduce. Strain the mixture to remove the scum.

Let this cool completely after 2 hours it till thicken a little more. I added a drop or two red color to the juice, this is optional.

Cool and store in a soft squeeze bottle and refrigerate
Can use this for meats or salad etc.

Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients
600 Gram / 5 Pork Chops skinless and fatless
.1½ Tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Large Cloves Garlic - grated
¾ Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly flakes
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Extra Light Olive Oil

To Garnish / Serve
Fresh Mint
Pomegranate Molasses
Salad
Labneh
Method

In a large bowl add in the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, honey, garlic, mustard, chilly flakes, black pepper and salt whisk it well to combine. Take each pork chop and dip it in the prepared marinade and rub it the marinade on it. 

Place all these in a single layer in a container and refrigerate it overnight. The next day place the chops in a pressure cooker arrange them in a single layer. Add all the marinade and wash the dish/container with a cup of water. Cover the cooker and keep it in high flame take one whistle then reduce the flame to medium low, keep it for 7 minutes. Then again increase the flame to high take 4 whistles switch off the flame let the cooker cool completely. 

Open the cooker, dry all the liquid and keep turning the chop till they are fried and releases it own oil. 

To serve in a platter. Dollop a tablespoon or two of the Labneh on the platter. Arrange the pork chops on it. Sprinkle fresh mint, drizzle with pomegranate molasses. 

Serve with Pickled Radish and lettuce, onion and cherry tomatoes salad, drizzle some pomegranate molasses on the salad. Enjoy these juicy and fall off the bone pork chops. Super delicious.

Labels: Pork Chops, Homemade, Pomegranate, Molasses, Grilled, Main course, Side Dish, Improv Cooking Challenge, International Cuisine

October Improv Cooking Challenge

Pork & Molasses
• • Baked Beans and Cottage Ham by Palatable Pastime
  • Grilled Pork Chops In Homemade Pomegranate Molasses by Sneha's Recipe
  • Molasses Roasted Pork Tenderloin by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Pork and Beans by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Quinoa Dosa With Peanut Coconut Chutney

Quinoa Dosa is a healthy and tasty dosa that is very easy to prepare just like regular dosa. The batter for the Quinoa dosa is made of rice, quinoa and urad dal. Quinoa dosa is healthy and different to break the boredom of making regular dosa , you can relish it with your favorite chutney or sambar!

Ingredients
1 Cup Quinoa - I used organic quinoa
1 Cup Idly Rice
½ Cup Urad Dal
1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
Water as required for grinding
Salt to taste
Oil as required for making dosa

Method

In seperate bowls wash the quinoa

urad dal and fenugreek seeds.

idly rice,

 Wash 3 to 4 times until you see clear water. Soak it in enough water for 6 hours.

After 6 hours, drain all the water and wash it in fresh water and drain all the water. In a wet grinder add little quantity of the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds, rice and quinoa add little water to grind this to a fine paste. Grind the mixture into a smooth, and fluffy batter with adding little water as possible in regular intervals when needed.

When this is ground to fine paste transfer the mixture to a bowl, add required amount of salt and mix well. Allow the batter to ferment for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.

In the morning give the batter will be light and fluffy a good stir and check the consistency of the batter. If it is little thick add around ¼ cup water to make a flowing but thick spreading consistency batter, this will yield perfect crispy dosa.

Heat a dosa tawa, brush it oil and spinkle a little water and wipe is clean with a kitchen towel. Now pour a ladle of batter and spread it like regular dosa. Drizzle few drops of oil and cook dosa in medium flame. 

When dosa looks done transfer it to a plate.

Let's Prepare the Chutney to go with it!!

This Peanut Coconut Chutney goes well with any South Indian food like dosa, idli, uttappam etc.

This chutney is very tasty and easy to prepare, done with few ingredients. I' am 100% sure almost every kitchen has these ingredients ready to use.

Make One Cup
Ingredients
For Chutney
½ Cup Peanuts
¾ Cup Freshly grated coconut
2 Tablespoons Roasted Chana Dal
¼ Cup Yogurt
1 Bunch of Coriander leaves/Cilantro
1 Inch Piece of Ginger
3-4 Green Chillies
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Salt to taste
For Tadka
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 Dried Red chilies
Pinch Asafoetida
5-6 Curry leaves
Method
Grind together ingredients mentioned for chutney in a mixer grinder using very little water to make thick chutney. Take it out in a bowl.
For the Tadka

In a small saucepan kept on high heat, add oil and let it heat well.

Once the oil is nice and hot, reduce the heat.
Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the asafoedita, red chillies and curry leaves mix it well for a minute. Switch off the flame and pour over the prepared chutney.

Serve with quinoa dosa.

Enjoy this delicious combo!! 
Labels: Quinoa, Dosa, Peanuts, Ginger, Chutney, Healthy, Breakfast, Main course, South Indian, Crepes, Improv Cooking Challenge

September 2021 Improv Cooking Challenge
Theme is Peanut & Ginger
Asian Noodle Salad by  A Day in the Life on the Farm
Haitian Tablet Pistach by  Pandemonium Noshery 
Kung Pao Chicken  by Palatable Pastime 
Minty Tomato Peanut Chutney by  Magical Ingredients 
Quinoa Dosa With Peanut Coconut Chutney by  Sneha's Recipe  

Fried Eggplant Curry#Improv

This is side dish, has a thick saucy gravy and it's tangy and delicious. Try it, you too will love it. 

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Medium Eggplant/Brinjal
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Medium Tomato - chopped
1 Cup Hung curd
1 + 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Kacha Masala
1/2 Teaspoon Chilly Flakes
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoon Oil 
Oil as required for frying the eggplant/brinjal slices
1 Tablespoon Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Method

Slice the brinjal in roundels and then in four parts. Rub a teaspoon of salt on both sides of the eggplant pieces, keep it in a strainer for an hour atleast. After an hour wash the brinjal pieces well and pat them dry.

Whisk the hung curd and chilly flakes till smooth. Keep aside.
Fry the brinjal slices in little oil, till brown on both sides. Keep them aside. 
Blend the tomatoes and garlic to a smooth puree. Keep aside. 
In a deep pan / kadai heat oil, add onion and saute till brown. Add the coriander leaves, blended tomato puree, salt  and Kacha Masala , and fry till oil separates.  Add sugar, a cup of water , take  the pan aside and add half of the whisked hung curd, mix well.  Place the pan again on low flame, stirring continuously till it comes to a boil, cover and let it cook again till oil separates.   Arrange the brinjal slices in the gravy, cover and cook or a minute for two only.

Serve hot with the remaining hung curd and enjoy with roti, phulkas or parathas.

Labels: Brinjal, Eggplant, Side Dish, Vegetables, Kacha Masala, Improve Cooking Challenge, Main course, Serves Two

Improv Cooking Challenge: August 2021

Eggplant and Tomatoes

Classic Moussaka from Palatable Pastime
Fried Eggplant Curry from Sneha's Recipe
Catalan Escalivada from Culinary Adventures with Cam
Mirza Ghasemi - Vegan Version by Magical Ingredients
Eggplant and Tomato Tian byA Day in the Life on the Farm
Eggplant Prosciutto Caprese Panini from Cookaholic Wife