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Sweet Diamond Cuts - Festive Crunch, Endless Munch

 


Christmas celebrations in Kerala are a grand, community-focused affair where the food is as central as the festivities. The true essence of these delicacies lies not just in their ingredients but in the tradition of their preparation. Kitchens in Kerala come alive with the collective effort of grandmothers, mothers, and children weeks before Christmas, preparing batches of these snacks and storing them in large airtight jars. 

While treats like Achappam require special molds and Unniyappam a specific pan, the beauty of Diamond Cuts lies in their simplicity, making them one of the most common homemade snacks in Kerala during the Christmas season. In some places it is also known as Pottiyappam and is available in most bakeries across Kerala. It is a diamond shaped deep fried snack coated with cardamom flavored sugar syrup. It used to be a regular snack at home when we were kids. Even without coating in sugar syrup it is a great snack.

Here’s the recipe 


Ingredients:

Maida/All Purpose Flour: 2 cups

Baking Powder: 1/4 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Egg: 1

Water: As needed to knead the dough

Oil: For deep frying 

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar: 1 cup

Water: 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp

Method:


Into a bowl, add in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well with a spoon and make a well in the center, add one egg and gently whisk it.

Add enough water to knead it into a smooth dough.

Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll out each one and cut into diamond shapes with a pizza cutter or knife. I used a pastry cutter to get patterned cuts. 

Heat oil in a pan, drop in the diamond cuts and fry until golden brown. Repeat the same with the rest.


To make the sugar syrup, add in 1 cup of sugar to a large kadai or pan and pour in 1/2 cup water and cardamom powder. Allow the sugar and water to come to a boil and simmer it until it reaches one string consistency. 

{One-string sugar syrup consistency means when you pull apart your thumb and forefinger after dipping them in slightly cooled syrup, a single, unbroken thread of sugar forms between them, indicating it's thickened but still liquid enough to coat the fried goodies}


Switch off the fire and allow the sugar syrup to cool down a little. Add in the fried diamond cuts and mix well. Allow it to cool down. Another alternative is to dust the warm diamond cuts in powdered sugar or icing sugar. Once cooled down, the cuts will be coated with sugar. 

There is also a savory variation. The diamond cuts can also be seasoned with chili powder, a pinch of turmeric, and salt after frying, providing a spicy, zesty bite that pairs perfectly with black tea or coffee.

Once done and cooled store in airtight container.

Diamond cuts are very easy to make that even beginners can try. These can be made anytime of the year. It’s great for munching. But for me it just feels extra special when it is made during the Christmas season and hoping to pass on this family Christmas tradition to my children. 



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