Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C.

Boil water and add to the cocoa powder. Mix well without any lumps. You'll get a thick paste.

Add melted butter to this. I melt butter in the microwave using the 'defrost' option so that it doesn't get very hot. If the butter is hot, wait until it cools down before proceeding. Mix well after adding it to the cocoa paste.

Crack the egg in and whisk well to combine.

Next step is to add the jaggery. I bought this large bottle of Punjabi shakkar from the Indian store here that's been a lifesaver. It's powdered jaggery that has no impurities so I just use it directly to make any Indian sweets or payasam. I measured it out just like sugar and added it to the above.

In goes 1 cup of jaggery. See notes below for ways to use jaggery syrup or how to substitute sugar for jaggery. Mix well.

Now add the atta, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Gently fold to combine well and make sure no streaks of flour remain.

Add the chocolate chips (or dried fruits, nuts, anything else that you like) at this stage and fold in. I used a mix of white and milk chocolate chips and reserved some to add on top.

The batter will be fairly thick. Grease your baking pans with non-stick baking spray or a generous coating of butter and transfer the batter in. (I used two 6" loaf pans, you can use one 8" pan too). Flatten the top gently with your spatula to make sure it's even. Add the reserved chocolate chips on top and push into the batter gently.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 mins. I needed the full 40 mins although I used smaller pans so make sure to check after 35 mins and if a toothpick comes out clean, it's done.

Cool in the baking pans for 15 mins and gently invert onto cooling racks to cool completely before slicing. Stays at room temperature for 2 days and refrigerated for 4 days.