Mathari (salted snack)

Mathari is a very traditional North Indian snack.  It is usually made of white flour and is deep fried.  During winter evenings this goes perfectly with a cup of tea.  Once you start eating this it is very hard to stop yourself.  It was a must preparation in every household in those times when saltines or crackers were not available in India. In olden times parents of groom or bride used to hire a caterer just to make the mathari to be given to guests with other sweets. The best part of the mathari is, it can be preserved for a month when kept in an airtight container.

Mathari always reminds me of my childhood days when we took the train journeys and my parents always kept mathari to be eaten with tea sold in the terracota cups at the railway platforms.

Ingredients:

2 cups white flour, 1 cup semolina, 1 cup wheat flour, ½ cup cooking oil, 2 ½ tsp salt,

1 ½ tsp caraway seeds (ajwain), 1 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves(kasuri methi), 1 pinch of baking powder, pastry cutter or sharp knife,  oil for deep frying or oven for baking.

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a big bowl and make very stiff dough by adding a small amount of water at a time.

Divide the dough into large balls and with the rolling pin make a thick chapatti.

Cut into 2 inch wide and 3 to 4 inches long strips.

 Perforate every strip with a fork a few times. This perforation process stops them from fluffing while frying.  Fluffed up pieces tend to get soggy when cold.  On a warm day, keep these perforated pieces covered with damp muslin cloth.

Heat the oil to medium.  The trick to crispy mathari is to fry them slowly on medium heat.  When you put a mathari piece in the oil, it should sizzle and rise to top slowly not fast. That is when you can make sure that oil is ready for frying.

Fry in small batches till golden brown.  Take them out on a paper towel so excess oil is soaked.  It should be hard when cool.

Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee while watching your favorite TV show.

Note:

If you are not crazy about fried food, you may bake the mathari in a pre heated 

 Oven of 180 degree C (300degree F) for 20 -30 minutes till they turn golden brown.