Classic Chocolate Mousse

I am glad that we have gradully left behind the long summery days and have started to witness the vibrant colors of a short spell of fall. The signs of rainfall in this deserted country seem to be grim, but the pleasant temperatures and the soft breeze is surely inviting.

Strolls along the corniche and weekend outings have become a common sight these days, not to forget the barbeque nights at the beach side and witnessing spectacular sunsets. The next 4 months on my calender have been pencilled in as wintry days.Winter has certainly started to take shape adding color and sparkle to everything and I am sure to love and enjoy it.

After a quick tour to India, I have returned with a nostalgic feeling of pouring rains,grey skies, subtle fragrance of the blooms & the punchy chills in the air. Memories to keep safe. And I have returned with a renewed sense of energy and am glad to have found my niche.

Now hopping to the recipe of the day - a rich and a creamy dessert called the Classic Chocolate Mousse that is incredibly easy to make and that ticks all the boxes. I call chocolate the bountiful gift of winter as it is an energy rich food and an effective cough preventor. Overall it is a super seller and it is central to many desserts as it can be widely used for glazing as well.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chocolate powder
1 sachet unflavored powdered gelatin
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup  sugar
1/4 tsp of vanilla essence
Chocolate shavings/chips, for garnish

HOW TO MAKE:

1) In a small bowl dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup of hot water. Stir thoroughly and let it sit for 5 minutes. The gelatin will bloom well. Add some cold water to this and alow it to sit for 5  more minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a bowl mix in the chocolate powder,sugar, vanilla essence and the whipping cream. Beat it on high speed for 1-2 minutes till its silky. Keep aside.

3) After the gelatin has bloomed for 5 minutes, gently fold in the the chocolate cream mixture. Make syre that you do not lose the volume from the cream.Stir thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4) Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, berries or whipped cream and enjoy!

Spinach Fritters (Palak Pakoda)

Its months since I have posted and they have been big time busy days packed with a lot of activity. There has been so much happening around and so much to share. The road of life seems to be taking surprising twists & turns but amidst everything I took my time off for a flying visit to my hometown - India.

I am also aware that this has been my longest absence from blogging and I wish I do not repeat this again. But at the rate life is moving on, I sometimes wonder if I could continue to maintain this rhythm or will I all of a sudden abandon my blog some day? That's something to think and worry about !!!

OK, Its been a fortnight since I returned to Muscat after a quick tour to India. I remember leaving the sweltering heat behind to land in the midst of monsoons,shallow puddles,green foliages & exotic blooms. Something to behold. And then the rest of the days were totally social - greeting family & old friends, parties,shopping and much more.

Anyways, to keep the momentum going, I decided to post another savoury .... A quick fix and a healthy wintry recipe called the Spinach Fritters or the Palak pakoda.

 INGREDIENTS:

1)   1 bunch of Spinach
2)   6 tbsp of Chick pea/besan flour
3)   Salt to tatse
4)   1 tsp Red chilli powder
5)   1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
6)   1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

HOW TO MAKE:

1)   Wash and pat dry the spinach leaves and chop them into 1 inch pieces and keep them aside.

2)   In a bowl, mix the chick pea flour with salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander leaves.

3) Add water to this mixture and make a batter of desirable consistency. (The batter should not be watery or too thick also)

4)   Heat oil in a wok. Dip the spinach leaves in the mixed batter and start placing bite size pices in the oil and deep fry them till golden.

5)  Serve hot.