MATHRI :Indian Tea Time Snack

Mathri is a deep fried crisp round disc like snack which is relished with pickle or tea.Mathri always take me to my childhood memoirs when maa prepared this savoury tea time snack during festivals and otherwise.Those days,we didn't snack on fancy wafers unlike today's children.All we had available were these and the famous glucose biscuits,which we loved dipping in our tea.There was a  joy in doing small things which is missing in today's fast pace life.Recalling back and paying a tribute to maa's mathri.

INGREDIENTS:

Maida/All purpose flour:                                         500 gms
Clarified Butter/Ghee:                                            5 tbsp-6 tbsp
Oil:                                                                       5 tbsp and for frying
Carom seeds/Ajwain:                                            1 tbsp
Coarsely ground Black pepper/Kali mirch:               2 tbsp
Red Chilli flakes/laal mirch dardari kuti:                  1tsp
Dried Fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi:                     2tbsp
Salt:                                                                     1tsp
Water:                                                                  1 glass approximately

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take maida in a wide flat dish.Dig a small hole in the centre of the flour.

Add all the spices and ingredients except water.

Mix them gently till it resembles like bread crumbs as shown in the picture.

Knead a stiff dough gradually adding  water ,do not add all water at once.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave the the dough to rest for 5-7 minutes .

Now make a tennis ball sized dough round.By using both the palms,spread it wide in a long cylindrical shape.As shown in the picture.

Now cut equal  1/2" rounds,which will be almost a bid marble sized ball.

With a rolling pin(belan) make small,thin round puri.Make incisions on both sides of puri with the help of a fork or a knife.This punctures the puri  and does not make it fluffy.

Once puri's are ready for the first batch,heat oil in a deep wok/kadai.Once the oil is hot enough,one by one add these puri in the wok.Put the flame between low to medium  and deep fry.

Once the mathri is fried from one side and turns light golden in colour,Flip the side and fry till they they change to light golden from both sides.Drain and remove on an absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Like the first batch,fry the remaining ones.

Cool the fried mathri and store in an air tight container.These mathri have a shelf life of 20 days.Enjoy them with tea or relish it as a snack with lime pickle(nimbu achaar)

RECIPE NOTES:

• Ideally, ghee as a softening agent(moyan) is added for better flavour but i have substituted it with part oil.You may use only oil for kneading and leave ghee.
• Black pepper and kasuri methi can be adjusted as per personal taste and preference.
• Children are not much fond of black pepper,u may omit black pepper,ajwain seasoning itself adds flavour  the flour.

****THE MEASUREMENT USED IN PARTICULAR RECIPE ARE FROM THE SPOONS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE,PLEASE USE THE SAME****,