Monsoon is a time when everyone wants to indulge in snacks with a cup of hot tea/coffee. During this season, one of the most popular snacks that people enjoy with tea is Mathri. However, most of these snacks are made with maida (all-purpose flour), which is difficult to digest. How about making it nutritionally richer with khapli wheat, using a quality brand like Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta, which provides iron and vitamin B1? Both of which are important for energy metabolism; a deficiency in either is linked to fatigue and weakness. It is also a good source of dietary fibre and protein, despite the structure of the latter being weaker. It is perfect for snacks like mathri that do not need the rise associated with bread or cakes. This snack is also perfect for the monsoon season, when the hankering for chai and snacks skyrocket.
The mathri recipe starts with rubbing the khapli atta with some ghee to create the shortening or moyan. This shortening, or moyan, is important, so take your time with it for the snack to turn out flaky and crispy. Take a full three to four minutes to rub the ghee into the flour until the moyan retains its shape when squeezed. Khapli atta is also coarser, because of its bran content, than refined flour, and thorough fat incorporation is what produces the characteristic short and snappy texture of a good mathri.
What makes this khapli atta methi mathri special is the addition of kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves, which adds a mild bitterness, not to mention the irresistible flavour and aroma to this tea-time snack. The flavour blooms in hot oil, as does the flavour of the ajwain or carom seeds and black pepper, both of which are good digestive spices, making the deep-fried snack easier on the stomach than it might otherwise be. The fork-pricking also helps in evenly frying and prevents the mathri from puffing up, contributing to crunchy results that keep for several days.
Sift the khapli atta, kasuri methi, carom seeds, black pepper, salt, and ghee in a large bowl. Mix the ghee into a small amount of the flour until you have the moyan. It should be soft and hold its shape when squeezed in your palm.
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Step 2: Rest the dough
Roll the dough into a smooth ball, cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. A khapli dough needs a bit of resting time to hydrate well.
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Step 3: Shape the mathris
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls to make 20-25 of them. Flour a flat surface and press each ball into a flat round disc approximately ½ cm thick. Using your thumb, make a shallow indentation in the centre of each mathri. Then prick the entire surface with a fork to keep the mathris from puffing up during frying.
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Step 4: Fry the mathris
Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat. Test the temperature by dropping a mathri into the oil; it should rise slowly after a moment. If it rises too fast, the oil is too hot; lower the heat and wait. Slide the mathris into the oil in batches, without crowding. Fry on medium-to-medium-low heat, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes per batch, until all are golden. Khapli atta browns faster, so be careful. Remove and drain on paper towels.
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Step 5: Cool and store
Let the mathris cool completely before serving or storing. They will be firm and crisp up only once cooled. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
Whole wheat flour is coarser with more fibre, and khapli atta is even coarser, with a nutty and earthy flavour. Its gluten is weaker than that of typical wheat flour, because of which some adjustments are needed for mathris.
Yes. Brush the shaped mathris with oil or ghee and bake at 180°C for 18-22 minutes, making sure to flip once halfway, until they are golden. You can also choose to air fry them for a healthier batch of mathris.
Soft mathris are almost always the result of storing before they have cooled completely. The residual steam from a warm mathri creates condensation in the container, making it soggy. Always cool fully on a rack before transferring to an airtight tin.
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, khapli atta methi mathri keeps well for 7-10 days. Avoid refrigerating them as the moisture in the fridge softens the texture.