Black Cardamom Pastries

Mix the flour and baking soda together, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until well combined. 

Make a well in the center of the our mixture and pour in the egg, egg yolk, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, vodka, and salt, then mix well into a firm pastry dough. 

Flour your work surface really well and divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll one piece of dough out as thinly as you can. Slice the dough into 1-1/2-inch (4-cm) strips and then diagonally across so that you end up with 20 diamonds. Make a 1-1/4-inch (3-cm) slash in the center of each diamond and pull one of the ends through the slash. Repeat with the second piece of dough. 

Heat the sunflower oil in a medium saucepan until very hot – be very careful with hot oil, placing it at the back of the stove top if you have kids or crazy pets. Line a large plate with some paper towels. 

Drop the diamonds in carefully and fry them briefly until they float to the surface. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain them on the paper towels.

Mix the confectioners’ sugar with the cardamom and sprinkle over the pastries.I also like to treat these as nicely as I treat churros, dipping them into dulce de leche or chocolate sauce before devouring.