Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients

• Cooking spray

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) water

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine instant espresso powder (such as Delallo)

• 298 g granulated sugar (about 10 1/2 ounces; 1 1/2 cups)

• 170 g all-purpose flour (about 6 ounces; 1 1/3 cups)

• 42 g Dutch-process cocoa powder (about 1 1/2 ounces; 1/2 cup) (such as Guittard Cocoa Rouge)

• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole buttermilk

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (see notes)

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract

• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

• Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven 350°F (175°F). Lightly spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper, and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk 3/4 cup water and espresso powder until fully dissolved, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add eggs, buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, and reserved dissolved espresso powder. Stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, gently loosen edges of cake from pan. Invert cake onto wire rack and return cake right side up. Let cake cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a serving plate, carefully peeling off parchment paper. Drizzle with additional olive oil, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with vanilla ice cream, if using.

Dhal Makhani

Black Urad Dhal - 1 cup

Rajma - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp.

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Whole Garam Masala - (Cinnamon - 1, Clove - 3, Cardamom - 2, Black Cardamom - 1, Bay Leaf - 1)

Onion - 1, chopped

Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tbsp.

Tomato - 3, pureed

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Kasturi Methi - 1 tsp

Salt

Butter - 4 tbsp.

Heavy Cream - 1/2 cup

Cilantro

Lime juice

Soak Urad Dhal and Rajma in Water overnight. Drain the Water and pressure cook with about 4 cups Water for 3 whistles. Remove from heat and let the pressure come down naturally.

Heat Oil in a large pan. Temper Cumin seeds, Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom, Black Cardamom and Bay leaf.

Add Onions and sauté until translucent.

Add Ginger Garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes away.

Add Tomato puree and cook closed for about 5 min or until Oil starts oozing from the mixture.

Season the mixture with Turmeric, Chilli powder, Cumin, Garam Masala, Kasturi Methi and required Salt.

Now add the cooked Dhal and continue cooking on medium heat for about 30 min.

Stir in Butter and Heavy Cream; cook closed on medium heat for another 5 min.

Turn off heat and garnish with more Cream, Cilantro and Lime juice.

Serve hot with Parathas / Kulchas / Naan.

Aappam

Raw Rice - 2 cup, soaked in Water for at least 4 hours

Coconut - 1 cup, grated

Rice - 1 cup, cooked (leftovers)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Yeast - 1 tsp

Soda - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil

In a wet grinder add the soaked Rice along with grated Coconut, leftover cooked Rice and Sugar. Add Water just enough to cover the ingredients and grind to a smooth Batter. Transfer this Batter to a large bowl and stir in Yeast. Mix well and let the Batter ferment for at least 2 hours.

Heat Aappam pan on medium flame. Grease the pan with Oil.

To the Batter add Soda and required Salt; mix well.

Pour a ladle of Batter into the hot pan and quickly tilt it to spread the Batter in a circular motion so it coats all the sides of the pan. Close the pan with lid and cook for 2 min.

Remove the Aappam from heat and serve warm with any Coconut based Gravy.