Yes, you read that right! This version of hot chocolate is desi! Desi or something belonging to “desh” or country is a term often used in context of anything and everything Indian, Pakistani or from the larger sub-continent. But why would I do that to a hot chocolate, you would ask. Well, I did it for the team! Yes, foodies, I am talking to you! I did it for your gluttonous indulgences! And let me assure you, it was all worth it. This spicy hot chocolate is just what you need when you want to give a warm hug to your soul this winter season!
Your next question might be, where is all this coming from and what inspired me? Well, the answer is on this blog. You may remember Kanika’s trip to Santa Fe a few months ago.
How spicy is your Spicy Hot Chocolate?
I was talking to Kanika earlier this week about doing a spicy hot chocolate recipe for the blog and she asked me how was I going to make it spicy. My standard answer to that was cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. But my blog sister was not impressed!
“Girl, have you even…?” (I imagined that is how she must have reacted to my answer. But she did not say it out aloud. That is not how Kanika talks in real life.) 😄
My brother and I used to make cinnamon and star anise infused chocolate milk with melted dairy milk chocolate bars quite often in the past. And we were quite happy with the results and would pat each other on our backs about how innovative our take on chocolate milk was. Let me give you some context and tell you that this was a time in the early 2000s where we weren’t looking for recipes for everything online.
But Kanika proceeded to tell me about the use of chilli in the chocolate elixirs she had had in New Mexico. And she had to say no more. I knew what she meant when she asked me about how I was going to make this hot chocolate spicy.
The answer was in my Masaal-daan!
I soon researched recipes for a spicy hot chocolate and realised that I needed Cayenne pepper or Mexican Chile powder. I had neither and couldn’t find them in my grocery store. Of course, I would find it here in Dubai if I were to hop a few stores but I like to look for alternatives in my otherwise, quite well stocked Indian kitchen. I do use whole Kashmiri Laal mirch all the time in south Indian tadkas and I knew that was the chilli I was going to use. Kashmiri chilies are less hot as compared to regular dry red chilies and are also great to lend colour to a dish.
Because I was making just one cup, I decided to use one small red chilli and removed the seeds from it. The results were beyond satisfactory and I won’t hesitate to say that from now on, this is going to my go to Spicy Hot Chocolate recipe. I wouldn’t have started writing this blog post if it had been otherwise!
So here’s how I made this Desi Spicy Hot Chocolate
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Active time: 7 minutes; Total Time: 12 minutes
Serves 1; Yields 1 mug
Ingredients
- Unsweetened or lightly sweetened Dark chocolate (70-80%), 1/2 cup (chopped roughly)
- Low fat milk, 1 cup
- Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon or according to taste
- Cinnamon powder, 1/4 teaspoon
- Nutmeg powder, 1/4 teaspoon
- Dry Kashmiri Red Chilli, 1 small
- Star anise, 1 (optional)
- Sea salt, 2 pinches
- Cinnamon stick, for garnish (optional)
Method
Start by chopping cold dark chocolate using a sharp knife. Don’t leave the dark chocolate idle for too long as it will start melting and will stick to the chopping board.
I used an 85% Belgian chocolate mixed with a 70% dark chocolate. Both varieties were slightly bitter and were lightly sweetened. I prefer these because it is difficult to control the amount of sugar in the drink if you use sweetened chocolate. I prefer to have milk with less or no sugar.
In a heavy bottomed steel pan, transfer the chopped chocolate with 2 tablespoons of milk.
Throw in the nutmeg and cinnamon powder and melt the contents together on low heat by stirring often. Take care to not cook the chocolate too much once it melts. The chocolate should melt within 2-3 minutes. Follow by adding the rest of the milk.
Mix well and let this milk heat on low flame.
Take the Kashmiri dry red chilli and with a knife, cut the top portion with a knife, just under the stem. Twist the mouth of the chilli and shake it off to take out most seeds from it.
Snap the red chilli in half and throw it in the milk.
Follow by adding half teaspoon of sugar and mix well. You can taste a small amount with a spoon to adjust the sugar. If you find it too spicy, you can remove the Kashmiri chilli sooner rather than let it sit in the milk.
Heat the milk till it is scalding hot. You will see some bubbles form on the surface once it is hot enough.
Add the salt later to the milk so that it does not curdle 
Pouring spiced hot chocolate in mugs
To serve, add a few pinches of sea salt (or any salt) and a cinnamon stick in a mug. Pour the spicy hot chocolate on top and mix the salt in with a spoon.
Serve this velvety and thick and somewhat Desi Spicy hot chocolate hot and sip slowly to melt winter blues away and ring in some holiday cheer!
- Unsweetened or lightly sweetened Dark chocolate (70-80%), 1/2 cup (chopped roughly)
- Low fat milk, 1 cup
- Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon or according to taste
- Cinnamon powder, 1/4 teaspoon
- Nutmeg powder, 1/4 teaspoon
- Dry Kashmiri Red Chilli, 1 small
- Star anise, 1 (optional)
- Sea salt, 2 pinches
- Cinnamon stick, for garnish (optional)
- Start by chopping cold dark chocolate using a sharp knife. Don't leave the dark chocolate idle for too long as it will start melting and will stick to the chopping board.
- In a heavy bottomed steel pan, transfer the chopped chocolate with 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Throw in the nutmeg and cinnamon powder and melt the contents together on low heat by stirring often. Take care to not cook the chocolate too much once it melts. The chocolate should melt within 2-3 minutes. Follow by adding the rest of the milk.
- Mix well and let this milk heat on low flame.
- Take the Kashmiri dry red chilli and with a knife, cut the top portion with a knife, just under the stem. Twist the mouth of the chilli and shake it off to take out most seeds from it.
- Snap the red chilli in half and throw it in the milk.
- Follow by adding half teaspoon of sugar and mix well. You can taste a small amount with a spoon to adjust the sugar. If you find it too spicy, you can remove the Kashmiri chilli sooner rather than let it sit in the milk.
- Heat the milk till it is scalding hot. You will see some bubbles form on the surface once it is hot enough.
- To serve, add a few pinches of sea salt (or any salt) and a cinnamon stick in a mug. Pour the spicy hot chocolate on top and mix the salt in with a spoon.
- Serve this velvety and thick and somewhat Desi Spicy hot chocolate hot and sip slowly to melt winter blues away and ring in some holiday cheer!
- I used an 85% Belgian chocolate mixed with a 70% dark chocolate. Both varieties were slightly bitter and were lightly sweetened. I prefer these because it is difficult to control the amount of sugar in the drink if you use sweetened chocolate. I prefer to have milk with less or no sugar.
Looks and sounds luxuriously delicious! Captured the essence of my thoughts spot on 🙂
It was really delicious. Please do try it soon and tell us if it reminds you of chocolate elixir you had in Santa Fe. 🙂
Umm..mug full of deliciousness. Have to try this soon sometime.
Thanks! Do try it and tell us!