Palak ka kapa

Last week I happened to be in Corbett . There I had a chance to sample a kumaoni dish called Palak ka kapa. I was blown away by the simple flavors of the dish. It is kind of soupy and can be paired with any bread. We had it with stuffed kulcha.
I was so impressed with the dish that I had to recreate it. Since I didn't get a chance to speak with the chef, I searched on  Google. There are various versions there. So I picked up a few hints and created my own version, which I would say was very close to what I had eaten at Corbett.
At home we enjoyed it with paratha and the leftover with sourdough bread.
I don't claim it to be authentic. In fact would love inputs from kumaoni cuisine experts. This is purely my version.
I have used rice flour to thicken it, you can use wheat flour or besan also. But I feel besan would give it a more kadhi kind of taste. It's best to make it in an iron pan or kadhai.
Please do try it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients
Palak (spinach)     250 gms
Onion                      1 medium finely sliced
Rice flour                1 tbsp
Whole red chili      2
Mustard oil             2 tbsp
Asaefotida               a pinch
Cumin seeds           1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds    a pinch
Red chili pd             1/4 tsp
Salt                            to taste
Water                        2 cups
Lemon juice             2 tsp

Method

• Wash palak. Chop it very fine.
• Heat oil in a sauce pan.
• Add Asaefotida, Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, whole red chill.
• Once seeds crackle add onions.
• Saute onions till light golden.
• Add rice flour and saute till it turns slightly brown. 
• Now add red chili pd and stir.
• Quickly tip in palak. Saute for a couple of minutes minute.
• Add salt and one cup water.
• Cook till palak is done. Donot over cook else palak will lose its color. 
• Now take some of it and whizz it in the food processor. 
• Tip it back in the sauce pan, add remaining one cup water. 
• Boil it till you get a slightly thick but soupy consistency. 
• Switch of the flame. 
• Add lemon  juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. 
• Serve hot. 
• Lemon juice is completely optional but that's how I like it.

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 Baileys Ice-cream

Chocolate Baileys Ice-cream is a delight for those who love Baileys and chocolate. 

The taste depends a lot on the quality of cocoa pd used. I must say Kalya Cocoa Powder did take the taste a notch up. 

I have used Amul cream. Please don't use whipping cream if you want real taste of ice-cream. Keep the cream in the fridge overnight. Chill the bowl and the whisks also before you start beating the cream.

 Ingredients

Milk.                  1/4 cup

Cocoa pd            20 gms

Fresh cream       200 gms

Condensed milk 200 gms

Baileys.              1/4 cup 

Method

• Mix cocoa pd and milk.. 
• Beat cream till its really thick.
• Add the cocoa pd  and milk mixture. 
• Beat to mix well. 
• Add in condensed milk and beat again.
• Add Baileys and mix well.
• Now freeze it for four to five hours. 
• The sides would have frozen but ice cream would be still soft in the centre. 
• Beat it well. 
• Now pour it into a flat container. Cover with cling films and close the container tightly.  
•  Freeze it overnight. 
• Serve it next morning. 

Chocolate Syrup

Chocolate Syrup 

I have been making chocolate syrup for many years now but somehow never got down to blogging it. 

But when I was chosen by plattershare to review Kalya brand of cocoa and share some recipes using the same, I finally got down to blog it. This, a very easy  recipe, gives you yummy chocolate syrup in minutes with no preservatives. Once you try this, you will never use store bought ones. Use very good quality cocoa coz the taste of your sauce depends on it . Today I have used Kayla. Earlier I have always made it using Hintz. Go ahead and try it out . 

Gives 200 gms 

Ingredients : 

Raw Cane Sugar        125 gms

Cocoa pd                    25 gms

Water                         1/2 cup

Vanilla Extact            1/2 tsp

Sea salt                       a pinch

Baking Soda              1/8 tsp

Method:

• Mix in water and cocoa pd in a deep sauce pan.
• Place it on medium heat.
• Tip in sugar, stirring all the time.
• Bring it to a boil, stirring continuously.
• Now reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time.
• Don't leave the sauce unattended even for a minute coz it will boil over.
• Remove from fire and let it cool.
• It will appear quite watery right now but remember it will thicken as it cools.
• While its cooling stir in salt , baking soda and vanilla extract.
• Once completely cool store in sterilized glass bottles and refrigerate .
• Stays  fresh for a couple of months. 
• Serve it over ice cream, cakes . 
• You can gift it to someone dear to you as well.

Note : baking soda is used to prevent crystallization of sugar.
You can easily double the recipe. .
I have used raw cane sugar but you can use white sugar also.

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.