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Masala Mathri - Spicy Crackers
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Masala Mathri - Spicy Crackers

Mathris are all time favorite crispy Indian crackers. This recipe goes back to two generation to my grand mother. This recipe is a delicious twist to traditional mathri filled with spicy besan.
Course snacks
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup all purpose flour/plain flour/maida
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • About 1/4 cup lukewarm water use as needed

Filling

  • 1 cup besan/gram flour available in Indian grocery stores
  • 2 tablespoons sooji/semolina available in Indian grocery stores
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ajwain/carom seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes, adjust to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon kalonji/nigella seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida/hing
  • About 3 tablespoons lukewarm water

Instructions

Crust

  • In a bowl mix flour oil and salt together.
  • Add water as needed to make firm dough and set aside. Do not knead the dough.

Filling

  • Mix all the dry ingredients together, besan, sooji, salt, ajwain, chili flakes, kalonji, and asafetida. Add oil and mix it well.
  • Add water as needed to make dough. Consistency of crust and filling dough should be the same. Set aside.

Making Mathri

  • Divide the crust and filling into about 24 equal size pieces.
  • Roll the crust one at a time into 1-1/2” diameter and put 1 piece of filling in the center. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the filling. Repeat with the rest. And set aside.
  • Set one filled ball on a dry clean surface with the seams facing up. Roll them into 3 inch circle. Repeat with the rest.
  • Prick each mathri with a fork in 5 to 6 places both sides, otherwise mathris will puff while frying.
  • Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Frying pan should have at least 1 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should make the oil sizzle and come up slowly.
  • Fry a few mathris at a time. Make sure to place just enough mathris to cover the frying oil.
  • Fry the mathris until both sides are a light golden-brown. This will take about 5 minutes of frying time.

Notes

Tips
  1. Mathris can be stored for a month in airtight containers.
  2. If the mathris are cooked on high heat, they will become soft.
 
Masala mathris makes great out door snack, especially for travelling.