A little while ago a client asked me for an Ayurvedic perspective on her fermented dough recipe. I let her know that fermentation is generally not recommended because it increases pitta (and pitta problems like acne, rashes, difficult menstruation, hypertension, anger and frustration are no fun for anyone).
The idea behind fermentation is a richer flavour, so I got to thinking about how to apply the principles of Ayurveda and create a bread with a more wholesome savoury taste.
Rye came to mind, which led me to imagine pretzels, Ayurveda style. Originally from Germany, pretzels are a fun shape, they’re satisfying, and portable. They’re ideal to include in a lunchbox, especially for children who need more sweet taste to fuel their growth.
Rye is more dense, heating, and drying than other grains, so combining it with another flour makes the bread a bit lighter, sweeter, and more digestible. For this recipe we’ve used part rye and part spelt (spelt also helps the bread stick together).
We think these pretzels are delicious — especially when paired with our Avocado Wasabi dip. They’re a great choice for summer picnics, or with a meal!).
Enjoy!
Seeded Soft Rye Pretzels
Makes 6 pretzels
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Augmenting
You'll need
For the dough:
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1 ½ cup rye flour - freshly milled is best because it has the most prana
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1 ½ cup spelt flour - freshly milled is best because it has the most prana
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3 tbsp raw carob powder
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1 tsp mineral salt
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2 tbsp ghee
Seeds & spices:
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1 tbsp caraway seeds
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1 tbsp sesame seeds
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1 tbsp fennel or coriander seeds
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1 tbsp ghee
Here's how
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Mix all of the dough ingredients with your hand or a fork.
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To prepare the seeds, melt the ghee in a small saucepan and add the caraway, sesame and fennel seeds. Toast them gently on low heat until the aroma comes up and the sesame seeds are slightly golden. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Add them to the bowl with the flour and combine.
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Gradually add boiling water, using a fork, until the mixture becomes wet crumbs.
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Cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
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Now, using your hands, combine the crumbs into a soft ball. If the mixture is a bit dry and crumbly, add a little water to bind it into soft dough. If it sticks to your hands, add a little more flour.
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Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each one into about 40 cm/16inches long tube shape, about 2.5cm or one inch thick.
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Form the pretzels as shown in the pictures below:
8. Optionally, if you want to achieve a shiny crust, boil each pretzel for 30 seconds in a saucepan of hot water. Use a straining spoon to lift the bread out of the pan
9. Place each pretzel in a baking dish or a preheated baking stone with a little ghee.
10. Bake in a preheated 220 C / 425 F oven (subtract 20 degrees for a convection oven) for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, use a preheated cast iron pan, coated with 2 tsp ghee to cook the pretzels on the stove with a lid. They take about 7-8 minutes on each side
11. Enjoy with a soup or a dip (hummus, pesto, guacamole, or our avocado-wasabi dip are great options).
Tips
Experiment with other spices for variety: kalonji, poppy seeds and aniseed are particularly good.
Before placing the baking dish in the oven, you might want to brush the pretzels with a little melted ghee and sprinkle each with more seeds.
Visit our Ayurveda Lifestyle page for kitchen essentials