Spinach Rolls....Everbake Shalimar Bagh Revisited.

I miss not living in Delhi.

I miss the hustle and bustle and craziness and the food available in Delhi.

In the blistering cold that Delhi endures, you will still find people selling steaming hot street food…Ranchi disappoints. If you brave the cold and venture out for a drive in search of HOT street food…you are greeted with people selling littis…a “sad “cousin of the Rajasthani Baatis.

At least the Baatis have the Dahl as the dipping sauce, the littis have mashed potatoes.

Not happy…

Not happening…

So looking for comfort food…

Anything nice will do…

Any dream will do…

Jason Donovan just disappeared after Neighbours –He didn’t even last the ninety’s. Yes, we did know what happened way back in Australia and on Aussie TV too.

He was so long ago, I even forget the grade I was studying in, his girlfriend Kylie Minogue did make it a little big, though.

Back to warm food ,not too high in calories ,but comforting stuff though.

In Shalimar Bagh ,Delhi, there is a big bakery called Everbake that opened way back in 2002. That was the time we realized that Shalimar Bagh was happening…because people from all over north Delhi(which is by far the most boring place to live in) were flocking to Everbake to enjoy all the baked goods, same variety and quality as that available in the bakeries of south Delhi. We those who lived walking distance (or cycle rickshaw distance…why walk when you can take a “RICK”)from Everbake had arrived.

This is the sight in the morning in most localities in Delhi...its an act defying gravity..and the traffic laws set by Delhi Police..Well ,we never tried these stunts...only 2 per RICK!

The best things they had to offer were loaded in calories and cheese. The spinach rolls were the lesser evil…at least you get fewer empty calories.(the pureed and twice cooked spinach was indeed loaded with vitamins)

Well, as usual the first thing I heard when I spoke of “bespoke” spinach rolls…was EEugh! I’d rather have cheese Bread!

The  lord and mighty had spoken, It was to be cheese bread and spinach rolls. Sweet child had been forced to take part in the school annual sports day, fruitful for those whom sport is a little more that  the exercise s the thumbs partake when they move the various buttons on the analogue controller.(the complicated joystick like thing for the play station).The cheese bread was bribe for Tiffin.

Single task and dual result…

We’ll start with the basic dough for the

Bread…

You need

4 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp dried yeast

2 tsp + 1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp mustard paste/ powder

1 tbs shredded cheddar.

2 tbs chopped herbs(I used basil, dill, coriander and mint all together)

All aboard the food processor

And then kneaded  with the hand hot water.

Once the dough is done then add the 1 tsp extra olive oil and lightly remove to a large plate.

The extra oil makes it easy for you to remove the dough ,else loads of it just sticks to your hands.

On the plate, cut into two parts. The first we’ll use to make the simple cheese bread and the second half we’ll use for the spinach rolls.

The easy bit first…

Cheese bread...

The half portion of dough

75 Gms shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp garlic chopped.

Sesame seeds,Flax  seeds to sprinkle

1 tbsp milk

 Just blend the cheese and chopped garlic into to dough and shape into a roll and place on a sheet of Al Foil. Just brush with the milk after the loaf has doubled.
Pre heat oven at 220C/430F and pop the loaf in. You can also do both breads together.

For the

Spinach rolls...

You need

½ cup spinach puree

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp milk

25 Gms shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Seeds to sprinkle(and increase the health factor.)

Blanch  225-250 Gms spinach. Squeeze the extra water and then purée the spinach.

Season the puree with salt ,red chili flakes, maybe something extra….

Sprinkle some flour on your work top and roll out the dough to a 12 inches by 8 inches rectangle.

First brush the dough with olive oil.

Spread the pureed and spiced spinach on the rectangle leaving the sides. You don’t want messy rolls.

Now roll along the breadth…I also sprinkles a wee bit of cheese.

i.e. your spinach roll is a log about 12 inches long.

Sharp knife,8 pieces.

If you have a muffin tray use that after greasing the cups, I used a Pyrex  dish. 8 rolls spinach side up and  down.

Brush with the milk and Sprinkle with the cheese(I just anted to hide the spinach).

Finish with the flax and sesame seeds and let this also rest till the dish is filled up.

Pop into the oven with the cheese bread ,when both breads have been risen..that tells you that your yeast ROCKS!That was the cheese bread after resting for an hour.
Together forever...and never to part....they went into the oven together...

And came out shiny and tempting...

And Soft and smelling yummy!
Reliving memories...

A word of caution, have the rolls WARM, fresh out of the oven, for the Everbake like experience.

If you are not ova-avoiding…try this with an egg sunny side up….and smile.

Happiness takes you HOME!

The bread stays as long as you can keep it...in the fridge maybe 2-3 days ,wrapped in cling film.

Next time you are near Delhi, try Everbake-to tell yourself that your version was better.

So what are you baking today???

Enjoy your new years party and come back and eat healthy!

Coming up wholewheat Brownies..to help you welcome 2012.