Soft Pretzels

Overview
My boys love soft pretzels. Once I got this recipe I make it for them all the time. You can make any kind of topping for your pretzels like cinnamon sugar , sesame seeds or salt. This pretzel is made with simple yeast dough.

Cinnamon Sugar and Sesame Soft Pretzels

Ingredients
1 packet dry yeast about 2 1/4 tsp
1 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup water
I large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water to glace the pretzels before baking

Pretzel topping
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon plus 3 tsp sugar for cinnamon sugar coating
Salt 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on pretzels
Sesame seeds  - 3 Tbsp

Steps
1. In half cup water mix yeast  and sugar and let it rest for 5 minutes till it gets frothy.
2. Put the flour in  a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the frothy yeast mixture in the center and mix in enough flour to make a sticky paste. Let it rest for 10 minutes till it gets bubbly.
3. Mix in the remaining flour, salt and water and knead well to form a smooth dough.
4. Cover with plastic warp and let it rest in a warm place till the dough is doubled.
5. Punch down the dough and divide dough in 6 pieces and make a long ropes and shape pretzels and put on a oiled cookie sheet
6. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and let it rest again till it doubles in size.
7. Brush each pretzels with the egg and water mixture and bake in 400F till golden brown.
8. Move the baked warm pretzels to a wire rack and brush with melted butter on both sides and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or sesame seeds or salt.

Serve Pretzels warm

Stollen Twists

Overview
This is a delicious braided bread made during Christmas time with dried fruits and nuts and covered with lemon glaze. The braiding on the bread makes a very elegant presentation. You can use any dried fruits and nuts that you like. I have used candied red and green cherries and cashews. Lemon Zest and cardamom adds a very unique aroma and flavor to this bread.

Stollen Twists

Ingredients
1 cup milk
3/4 stick butter
4 cups flour plus 3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet dry yeast(2 1/4 tsp)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cups diced candied cherries
1/3 cup diced roasted cashews
1/3 cup raisins
1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water

For lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice

Steps
1. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Gradually add in the warm milk and butter mixture, cardamom powder, lemon zest and eggs and mix well. Mix well to make a sticky dough. Sprinkle with the 3 Tbsp flour.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in warm place about an hour until it is doubled.
4.Mix the dried fruits and nuts. Transfer into a flour surface and knead well.
5. Divide dough into half and each half into 3 and make  3 long ropes.
6. Place the 3 dough ropes on a oiled cookies sheet. Pinch ends and braid the bread. Pinch the ends too. Repeat with the next three ropes to form another loaf too.
7. Cover the braided breads with plastic warp and let it rise again till it is doubled in size.
8.  Brush braids evenly with 1 large egg beaten with water and bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes till the loaf is golden .
9. Transfer bread to wire racks and while warm drizzle with lemon glaze.

Let it cool to room temperature slice and serve.

Pavakka Achar ( Bitter Gourd Pickle)

Overview
If you like Bitter gourd you will definitely love this pickle. This pickle has a combination of different flavors like hot, sour, bitter and sweet which makes it very unique. This pickle can be served as a condiment with any rice dish or Indian breads.

Bitter Gourd Pickle (Pavakka Achar)

Ingredients
Bitter gourd - 4 medium size cut into 2 inch long thin slices
Chilly powder - 2 -3 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Garlic 8 - 10 cloves finely chopped
Ginger 3 inch piece finely chopped
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon roasted and powdered
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Dry whole red chilly - 4 - 5 broken into pieces for garnish
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Vinegar about 1/4 cup
Brown sugar 1 - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil about 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Heat a non stick pan and add the sliced bitter gourd melon and keep stirring till all the water evaporates. Add 2 tablespoon of oil to this and stir the bitter gourd till it gets  crispy and brown. Keep this aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the dry chilly pieces and curry leaves to this and saute few minutes.
3. Add the finely chopped garlic and ginger to this and saute well till it is lightly brown. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder to this and saute well. Add the fried Bitter gourd to this and mix well.
4. Add the vinegar  and salt to this and mix well. Add asafoetida, fengreek powder and brown sugar to this and mix well and bring it to boil. Turn off heat.
5. Let the pickle cool to room temperature. Store in a clean jar.

Onion Pakoda

Overview
Pakoda's are spicy crispy Indian fritters served as a snack or appetizer. These are quick and easy to make. Onion Pakoda is the most common pakoda served through out India but pakodas can be made with any vegetables. Common vegetables used for pakoda are eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes. Chickpea flour is used to make the pakoda, a little rice flour is added to this to make the pakoda crispy.

Onion Pakoda

Ingredients
Onions  - 4 medium sized thin sliced
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Chick pea flour 1 1/2 cups
Rice flour - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Chilly powder 1 -2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying the pakodas

Steps
1. Add the sliced onions in a big bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt and mix well and keep it aside for about 5 - 10 minutes. Squeeze out the water
2. Mix all the dry ingredients. Add water little at a time to make a thick batter. Add the prepared onions and curry leaves to this and mix well.
3. Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottom pan, When the oil gets hot add the prepared pakoda batter a teaspoon at a time. Deep fry till golden brown

Serve hot with tomato sauce or tamarind chutney

Fruit Cake

Overview
Fruit cake is a must to have treat in Kerala for Christmas. This is my mothers recipe for fruit cake. Each region in Kerala has its own recipe. The caramelized sugar syrup added to the cake batter adds a unique color and flavor to this cake. You can add any dried fruits and nuts of your choice to this cake to give it your own unique touch.

Fruit Cake

Ingredients
Flour 3 cups  + 6 tablespoons for dried fruits
Sugar 3 cups
Unsalted butter softened 4 sticks
Eggs 8 large
Vanilla essence 2 tablespoon
Baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1 teaspoon
Sugar  1/4 cup for caramelizing
Candied cherries red and green, citron, raisins and cashews finely chopped 3 cups total -  1 cup nuts and 2 cups chopped dried fruits. You can adjust the amount of fruits and nuts to your taste.

Steps
1. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of water to 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy bottom pan and bring it to  a boil. Keep stirring it till the sugar turns golden brown. Add 4 - 6 tablespoon water to this and bring to boil. Turn off heat and let this caramelized sugar syrup come to room temperature.
2. In another bowl mix the  flour with baking powder and salt and mix well and keep aside.
3. In a bowl mix all the chopped dried fruits and nuts with about 6 tablespoons flour and mix well so that each piece is coated with flour.
4. In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar well till it is fluffy
5. Add one egg at a  time and mix well  till it is well blended and all eggs mixed well.
6. Add the flour mixture little at a time and mix well to make a smooth batter.
7. Add the vanilla essence and the caramelized syrup at room temperature to this and mix well. Mix in the flour coated dried fruits and nuts to the batter .
8. Pour the batter into two 10 inch round pans which are coated with butter.
9. Bake at 350 for about 30 - 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Almond Cookies

Overview
Simple cookie covered with thin slices of almonds and sugar to give an extra crunch. These cookies are easy to make and cut in the shape of diamonds to make an elegant presentation. My boys love these cookies and this is another cookie I love to make  during Christmas.

Almond Cookies

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter softened
1 cup sugar
 2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 cups flour

 To decorate cookies
White from one large egg lightly beaten
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar

Steps
1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except the flour till it is fluffy. Add flour little at a time and mix till well blended. Divide dough in half and wrap separately and refrigerate 1 hour  until firm.
2. Heat oven to 325 F. Have cookie sheet ready.
3. On a lightly floured  surface roll dough into 12 inch square.
4. Cut dough with a pizza cutter into 8 strips and then diagonally to form diamonds. Place on cookie sheet 1inch apart. repeat with remaining dough.
5. Brush the surface of the dough with egg white, gently press the almond slices on it and sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake 8 - 10 minutes till edges are light brown.

Christmas Tree Cookies

Overview
These Christmas tree cookies are made with honey and spices and are cute enough to hang on  your Christmas tree as decorations. I found this recipe in a magazine long time back and have been making these cookies for every Christmas.  Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves gives these cookies a distinctive aroma and flavor.

Christmas Tree Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

To decorate cookies
white from one egg beaten with fork
Red hot cinnamon candies
Green sugar
Multi colored nonpareils

Steps
1. Bring honey, sugar and butter to a boil in a small sauce pan. Boil stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature and keep aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Stir in cooled honey mixture and knead until smooth. Divide dough in half. Warp one half and refrigerate
3. Heat oven to 350 F.
4. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll unwrapped dough 1/4 inch
thick. Cut out cookies using cookie cutter and place the cut cookies on a cookie tray.
5. Brush each cookie with egg white and place cinnamon candy on top. decorate with green sugar and nonpariels.
6. Bake 6 - 8 minutes till the sides are light brown. Remove the cookies from tray and let them cool. Repeat with the other half of dough.