Ragi brownies

Ragi brownies had been on my to do list for a very long time but somehow could not get around making them. 

When team Plattershare share asked me to review Kalya brand of cocoa powder, I knew instantly that I have to try Ragi brownies. 

I didn't tell my son and husband that they are Ragi brownies. They assumed these to be regular brownies. They were amazed by the texture and  simply fell in love with them. That's when I disclosed the secret ingredient. 

The distinct taste of Kalya Cocoa Powder cannot be missed. 

Ingredients

Ragi flour.                     135 gms

Cocoa Pd                       50 gms

Baking powder              1/2 tsp

Coffee powder              1/2 tsp

Brown Sugar.                3/4 cup

Butter melted                60 gms

Milk +yogurt                1 cup 

Egg.                              1

Vanilla extract              1tsp

Walnuts chopped         1/3 cup

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
• Grease  a six inch square pan. Line it with parchment paper hanging on both sides. 
• This will help you pull out the Brownie easily. 
• Dust the remaining two sides with cocoa pd. 
• Mix the walnuts with a tsp of cocoa powder and keep it aside. 
• Sift Ragi flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and coffee powder. 
• In a bowl mix with a balloon whisk sugar butter, milk yogurt mixture, egg and vanilla extract. 
• Now add dry ingredients in small batches and mix with balloon whisk. 
• Pour into the prepared pan. 
• Sprinkle walnuts. 
• Tap the pan. 
• Bake it for 25- 30 minutes. 
• Check with a toothpick. 
• Remove it on a wire rack. 
• Let it cool for a few hours. 
• Now gently lift the parchment paper and remove the brownies. 
• Cut into desired sizes. 
• Stays fresh at room temperature for two days. 

Chocolate Walnut Cinnamon Buns

I used to make these often when my son was in school. The twinkle in his eye as he would assemble the whole dessert gleefully would make my day. 

He would put a large scoop of ice cream and then pour oodles of homemade chocolate syrup before digging in. 

I stopped making these once he left for college. 

When I was asked by Plattershare to review Kalya brand of cocoa powder and showcase some recipes using it, the first thought that came to my mind was to recreate these chocolate walnut Cinnamon Buns. 

Irony is that my not so young son is coming back home in two days time. Hoping to see the same twinkle in his eyes. 

Ingredients

For the filling

Butter                     50 gms

Brown sugar          50 gms

Walnuts                  50gms chopped finely

Cinnamon pd         1 tsp

For the buns

Flour                      185 gms

Cocoa pd                18 gms

Brown sugar          15 gms

Baking pd              1 tsp

Cinnamon pd         1/2 tsp

Butter                     15 gms chilled

Milk                       100 ml

Banana                   1 small.

Method

Filling

• Beat butter and Cinnamon pd till creamy.
• Add sugar and beat till light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
• Mix in the walnuts.
• Keep it aside.
• Do not refrigerate.

For the buns

• Take a six inch round pan. Line the base with a parchment paper.
• Grease and dust with flour.
• Churn banana and milk in a blender.
• Strain it and keep it aside.
• Take all the dry ingredients and whizz them in a food processor.
• Cut butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture.
• Churn again to evenly distribute the butter through the flour.
• Take it out into a bowl.
• Now slowly add the banana milk mixture and using the tips of your fingers bring together the flour.
• If it feels dry add a tsp of water at a time.
• I used 1 tbsp water.
• Dust a parchment sheet with some cocoa powder and place the dough ball on it.
• Cover with another parchment sheet.
• Using a  rolling pin, roll it out into a 12 by 10 inch rectangle.
• This will require some patience.
• Spread the filling evenly all over.
• Now  with the widest end facing you, roll up the dough away from you so that it resembles a Swiss roll.
• Using a very sharp knife or a bench scraper cut the roll into six equal parts.
• Place the buns, cut side up in the prepared tin with very little gap between them.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
• Now reduce the temperature to 180 degrees celsius and bake them for 20-25 minutes.
• Mine took 25 minutes.
• If you have a bread thermometer, then check, their internal temperature should read 190 degrees fahrenheit.
• Remove the pan to a wire rack.
• After ten minutes carefully remove them to a serving platter.
• Enjoy them plain with coffee or serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a drizzle of homemade chocolate syrup. 

Note : you can easily double the recipe. 

Cucumber Plum Salad

In this heat and humidity salads are God send. I made a quick salad today with Cucumber, carrot and plum with some seeds, nuts and raisins. 

Raisins are my new found love in salads. 

I like the way they cut the tartness of the dressing. 

Ingredients

Cucumber.          1 very small

Carrot.                1 very small

Plum.                  1

Baby spinach      8-10 leaves

Raisins.               1 tbsp

Sesame seeds      1 tsp

Walnuts               1 tbsp 

Dressing

EVOO.                1 tsp

Lemon juice        1 tsp

Pepper pd.           1/8 tsp

Salt                      1/2 tsp

Mint leaves          2 

Method

Wash and peel carrot and Cucumber.

Chop cucumber into very small cubes.

Using a peeler peel thick strips of carrot. Now cut them into small pieces.

Cut plum also into small pieces. 

Mix Cucumber, carrot, Plum and raisins and keep it in the fridge. 

The juices from the salad will help the raisins to plump up.

Roast walnuts and Sesame seeds.

Wash baby spinach and pat dry.

Mix the dressing ingredients with a whisk . 

To plate: 

Arrange baby spinach. 

Arrange the Cucumber mix on top.

Pour the dressing and toss lightly.  Sprinkle walnuts and Sesame seeds. 

Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.