Khapli Atta In Your Mathri

? The Ingredient Swap That's Quietly Changing Chai Snacking

Picture this scene. You have a cup of hot tea, with the aroma of cardamom lingering in the air. You take a sip, and immediately bite into a crispy mathri. That’s what you call the right start to any day or evening. One of the most traditional and most popular Indian snacks, mathri is usually made from all-purpose flour. But what if you used ancient khapli wheat instead, like Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta? You get a nuttier mathri with a rustic base – perfect for rainy evenings or slow mornings. From classic ajwain and jeera mathris to modern variations, khapli atta can be used to create more than a dozen distinct mathri styles. Here are 7 different khapli atta mathri recipes to try. 

The most basic version, this is the one where the earthy, nutty flavour of the khapli atta will be most apparent. If you’re used to the flavour and like it, try this. Otherwise, go for other recipes that add different spices and herbs to the mix. To make this version, mix 2 cups of Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta with 4 tbsp of ghee and ¾ tsp of salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually and knead into a stiff dough. Rest for 20 minutes. Roll out to about ¼-inch thickness and cut into small discs. Prick with a fork and fry on low-medium heat until golden and crisp.

This follows the same recipe as the plain salted mathri, but 1 tsp of ajwain is added to the mix right at the start. The ajwain not only aids in digestion but also gives off a strong, earthy, and herbal scent, similar to thyme and fresh oregano. When bitten into, it delivers a sharp, slightly pungent, and peppery flavour with a subtle bitter undertone. A quick tip to enhance the flavour is to slightly crush the ajwain seeds before adding them. This releases the essential oils, ensuring the flavour permeates the entire snack.

In this version, various spices are added to the mix to make for a more flavourful snack. You can use spices of your choice, but the standard mix asks for 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, and ½ tsp cumin powder. All these are mixed with Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta, ghee and salt. The rest of the process remains the same. 

Palak khapli mathri adds fresh spinach purée and spices such as ajwain and sesame seeds to the plain, salted mathri recipe. Because it uses spinach puree (blend the spinach to obtain a smooth puree), the recipe requires little water. You can use the spinach puree to form a stiff dough, adding very little water only if needed. Once the dough is ready, rest, roll, cut, and fry like the rest. The khapli elevates the earthy flavour of the spinach. 

A cheesy twist on the standard khapli mathri, the cheese khapli mathri recipe includes ½ cup grated cheddar or processed cheese in the ingredient list. In this case, don’t turn the flour mix into a breadcrumb-like texture. Simply combine the Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta, cheese, pepper, salt, and ghee in a bowl. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Rest for 20 minutes, but roll slightly thicker than usual. You can cut different shapes from the dough or keep them the same. Fry until golden.

The most striking mathri on the list, beetroot khapli mathri, is made by mixing beetroot puree (½ cup) with flour, ghee, salt, and cumin. The beetroot adds colour and a mild sweetness to the mix. While you can deep-fry these, air-frying will better preserve their colour. Because beetroot's natural colour is sensitive to pH changes and high temperatures, baking or air-frying at moderate temperatures preserves the vibrant pink better than deep-frying.

The sweet jaggery khapli mathri, as the name suggests, is a sweet take on a savoury snack. If you have a sweet tooth or simply want to experiment with basic sweet crackers, try this recipe. Dissolve ¾ cup of grated jaggery in warm water and strain if necessary. Mix Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta, cardamom powder (½ tsp), and ghee. Add the jaggery liquid gradually to make a firm dough. Rest for 20 minutes. Roll slightly thicker than savoury mathris, cut into shapes, and fry on low heat until golden brown. The low temperature prevents the jaggery from caramelising too quickly and burning.

When stored in a completely airtight container after cooling fully, khapli atta mathris typically stay crisp and fresh for 2–3 weeks at room temperature, making them ideal for batch preparation and festive gifting. However, since you’re working with khapli atta to make mathris, always fry on low heat and allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes. Also, keep the dough stiff rather than soft. Khapli atta absorbs moisture gradually, but a soft dough can cause the mathris to puff excessively and lose their signature flaky, crisp texture. Start with plain salted one and make your way through various mathris one by one!