Mathri recipe with step by step photos – mathri or mathiya or mathari is a popular snack in north India and there Are many versions of making mathari.
This recipe is for Punjabi style mathri which is flaky and is spiced with ajwain (carom seeds), kali mirch (black pepper), kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and jeera (cumin seeds).
Many people like to have these spiced flour crackers with tea or as a snack. Once made in bulk you can store them in an airtight container and enjoy it for the next few weeks. So the shelf life is long.
I made both fried and baked mathari. texture wise, of course, the fried mathri is definitely better, but the baked one is good too. They are a little less golden than the fried ones and have a faint denseness. But good for a low-calorie option. The first pic above is of the baked mathiya and the last pic below is of the fried mathiya. The baked mathiya are flaky but not as compared to the fried ones.
I usually make mathri for the occasion of Karwa Chauth vrat. In Punjabi families, the ladies break the rigorous vrat or fasting by eating mathri. You can check more about this vrat in this detailed post of Karwa Chauth vrat recipes.
How to make mathri recipe
Making dough
1. first heat the ghee or oil. Take the hot ghee or oil (known as “Moyen” in Punjabi language) and the dry ingredients in a bowl – Maida or all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, all the spices and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
2. mix everything well and rub the fat evenly in the flour with your fingertips. The whole mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. The more you do this, the more better texture the mathris will have.
3. you will see the mixture can be gathered together like shown in the pic below.
4. just add 1 or 2 tbsp of water each time and only mix the dough. Don’t knead like a roti or poori dough. Only mix the water in the dough. I used 6 tbsp water and this amount was enough to bind all the dough together and gather into one ball. If the dough is kneaded than the flaky texture is lost. Cover the dough and keep aside for 30 mins.
Making mathari
5. heat oil for frying in a kadai or pan. Pinch small balls from the dough. Just roll them lightly in your palms to even them. No need to give them a proper round shape etc.
6. flatten each ball with a rolling pin or Belan to medium thickness. Prick each mathari with a fork. The jagged uneven edges are alright and this is how they are meant to be. In case you want a smooth finish, then use a biscuit or cookie cutter. Roll a large piece of dough and cut with a cookie cutter.
7. fry about 4-6 mathri is medium hot oil till crisp and golden…. Tips mentioned on the hotness of oil in the recipe card above.
8. Drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. Fry the mathri in batches. when cooled then store them in an airtight box. The shelf life for mathiya is long. I think its more than a few weeks. I cannot tell you how many weeks or months the mathari stays well because it does not last that long in our house. For baking method, please check the recipe card above.
Serve Punjabi mathri with tea or as a snack.
Some more Diwali snacks
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Mathri
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
- 2 cups maida (all purpose flour) + ½ cup atta (whole wheat flour) or 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon ghee or 3 tablespoon oil
- 5 to 6 tablespoon water or as required
- 2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
- 2 teaspoon black pepper - crushed coarsely or kept whole if you prefer
- 2 teaspoon kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
- 1 pinch baking soda, optional for frying but do add if baking the mathris
- salt as required
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
making dough for mathri
- First heat the ghee or oil. Take the hot ghee or oil and maida, whole wheat flour, all the spices, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
- Mix everything well and rub the fat evenly in the flour with your fingertips. The whole mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. The more you do this, the more better texture the mathris will have.
- Just add 1 or 2 tbsp of water each time and only mix the dough. Don't knead like a roti or poori dough.
- Only mix the water in the dough.
- When the whole mixture can be easily clumped or gathered together into a ball, cover and keep aside for 30 mins.
rolling mathari
- Heat oil for frying in a kadai or pan. pinch small balls from the dough. Just roll them lightly in your palms to even them. No need to give them a proper round shape etc.
- Keep the balls covered so that they do not dry out.
- Flatten each ball with a rolling pin or belan to medium thickness.
- Prick each mathari with a fork. The jagged uneven edges are alright.
- In case you want a smooth finish, then use a biscuit or cookie cutter. Roll a large piece of dough and cut with a cookie cutter.
frying method to make mathri
- Check the hotness of oil before frying the mathris.
- Drop a small piece and if comes to the surface gradually, then the oil is ready.
- If it comes to quickly, then the oil is very hot and the mathris will brown from out but remain uncooked from inside and will become soft.
- If it comes slowly, then the oil is cold. Result would be the mathris would absorb a lot of oil and become dense due to over frying.
- Fry them in medium hot oil till crisp and golden.
- Regulate the flame between low to medium if required.
- Drain on kitchen paper towels and when cooled store them in an airtight box.
- Prepare and fry them in batches.
- Serve these flaky spiced punjabi mathri with ginger tea or masala tea as an evening snack.
baking method to make mathri
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c.
- Prepare the circular mathri as mentioned above.
- Place in a pan or tray and bake for 20-30 mins or till light golden.
- After 10-12 minutes, turn over the mathri for even baking and browning.
- If even after 20-30 minutes the mathri are not baked, then bake for some more minutes.
- Please keep an eye on the baking as oven temperatures differ in various models and brands.
- Remove and cool on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, store the baked mathiya in an airtight container.
Notes
- You can increase or decrease the spices as per your taste buds.
- If you plan to bake the whole dough, then consider adding 1 to 2 tbsp more oil or ghee in the flours.
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I liked your recipe. I am a 70 year young man. I have never done any cooking except for making tea in omelet. Now I want to do some light cooking to help my wife. First I want to make simple but tasty veg biryani & mathris. Will I be able to do this?
Thanks.
Of course you can cook delish dishes. Age is never a bar for learning and this includes cooking too. May be the first few times things may go wrong, but you will get the knack later. Thanks and happy cooking.
Amazing …loved it. My mother was missing mathri and I tried this recipe and it was just superb so crisp. I deep fried the mathri. Thank you for such amazing recipes. Will be trying the mango ice cream next.
Thanks for the feedback on the mathri recipe and glad to know that your mother also liked it. I hope you like the mango ice cream too. Most welcome and happy cooking.