Jewish White bread

This bread is SO good that I am strongly thinking of not buying any more from the store here on.

Water (room temperature) - 1 1/2 cup

Active instant Yeast - 1/2 tbsp

Honey - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp 

Oil (olive or vegetable) - 2 tbsp + more 

Egg - 1 large

Salt - 1/4 tsp

All purpose flour / Maida - 4 cups

Strong liquid coffee - 2 tbsp

(opt) Til seed - 2 tbsp

Mix the water with yeast, honey, sugar, oil, egg and salt. Beat well.

Into this add 3 cups of flour and start kneading.

Add more flour and make a soft, elastic non-sticky dough.

Coat the dough with oil on all sides and leave covered for minimum 2 hours to double. ( I left it for 3)

Cut the dough into 3.

Make each piece of dough into a thin long rope.

Pinch the 3 ropes at one end together firmly and start braiding.

Cut into 2 loaves or make a large loaf.

Grease 2 loaf tins and arrange the braided loaves in it.

Leave aside for an hour.

Paint the loaf top with the strong coffee and sprinkle some til seeds on top.

Preheat oven to 190C and bake loaves for 30 - 40 minutes.

Leave to cool for an hour and then cut into slices with a serrated knife.

There are different ways to braid this bread .
I have done a three braid and then a four braid. The photo of the four braid dough has taken just before it was put inside the oven.

Toasted salt and pepper

Peppercorn - 4 tbsp
Sea salt - 2 tbsp

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and fry the salt and pepper together till the pepper pops.
Cool and pound coarsely.

Star Fruit Gateau

Sponge cake - 2
Whipping cream - 1 cup
Star fruit - 2 ( Chop 1 finely and the other one into stars)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Rum / Whisky - 1 tbsp (opt)

Boil the water with the sugar and mix until dissolved. Turn off flame and add the rum / whisky.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Line a serving dish with a baking sheet and keep a sponge cake on it.
Drizzle half the cooled sugar syrup over this.
Layer 1/3 of the whipped cream over this cake and add the chopped star fruit evenly.
Arrange the second sponge cake on top and drizzle this with rest of the sugar syrup.
Spread 1/3rd of the cream on top and the rest over the sides.
Decorate with the star slices.
Chill for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegetable cutlet Sandwich / Burger

Vegetable Cutlet - 1
Bread slices -2
Cheese Slice - 1
Onion - 1 small - cut into thin half moons
Lettuce or Chinese cabbage - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 2 slices
Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
English Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp (opt)
Eggless mayo - 1 tsp

My daughter added Barbecue sauce (No idea why!)

Mix the onion and cabbage with a little pepper and salt.
Arrange all the above as in picture over the bread slices and enjoy.

Vegetable cutlet

Who does not love Cutlets!!

It is an all-time favorite snack at home and I just love it that all these vegetables are ingested by the kids!!
Usually I make a large batch and freeze the bulk.

How to freeze: Just before the deep frying step, shape each cutlet, crumb it and store in a freeze-proof vessel. Between each layer of non-fried cutlet, lay a sheet of aluminium foil.
About 4 hours before you are ready to fry, take it out of the freezer and keep in the lower compartment of the fridge to thaw.

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 kg  - steamed,  peeled and mashed
Carrot - 2 large -  grated
(opt) Beetroot - 1 large - boiled , peeled and grated
Green peas - 1 cup - boiled and mashed
Onion - 3 large - chopped fine
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
(opt) Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli paste - 3 tbsp
Coriander leaf - chopped fine - 6 tbsp
Mint leaf - chopped fine - 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Oil - 4 tbsp

Corn flour (or a mixture of maida and corn flour) - 100 gms
Bread crumbs - 2 cups (May need more)

Oil for deep frying

Method:
For making cutlets NEVER immerse the potato in water, just steam them. You can pressure them, but see to it that the water does not touch the vegetables.
Heat oil and add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.
After a minute add the onion and saute till golden brown.
Reduce flame and add the salt, chilli powder , garam masala and turmeric powder.

Mix well and when the raw smell goes, add the coriander leaf and mint leaf.

Add the grated carrot and saute for 1 minute.
Then add the mashed potato, green peas and beetroot (if using).
Mix well. Turn off flame and allow to cool.

Make a slurry with the corn flour and keep the bread crumbs ready in another plate.

Make small balls and flatten them into cutlets and coat them with the corn flour slurry
If you feel that the patties are not holding shape add some bread crumbs into the vegetable mixture and mix well.
And you may have to first roll them in bread crumbs , then in cornflour and then re-coat with bread crumbs.

Dipping into the cornflour slurry

 Roll them in the bread crumbs.

Repeat with the rest of the vegetable base.

You can freeze the cutlets at this point.
Place one layer cutlets on a freezer proof vessel.

Spread a sheet of aluminium foil, and place another layer of cutlets.

Spread another sheet of aluminium foil and repeat if your vessel is large, or just cover with lid and place inside the freezer.

How to proceed:
About 3 - 4 hours before serving, take out the required quantity out of the freezer.
Otherwise, place the required numbers in the lower compartment of the fridge to thaw.

Frozen cutlets

Cutlet after thawing

Deep fry in hot oil and enjoy with tea.