Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Zeera aur Ajwain ki Mathri | Baked Mathri Recipe


With Holi just round the corner, I have been mulling over what treats to make! Holi in these parts is celebrated with a puja and sharing sweets. Holi colours are rarely available and some states like the one we live in have banned them for environmental and toxicity reasons. In the first few years we were here, I found that no Desi grocer carried these colours. However, in the last couple of years, some companies have started selling organic, environmentally friendly and non-toxic versions of the Holi colours. They may not have the brightness of the colours we grew up with but they serve the purpose!! Water colours and a wet Holi are out of the question with snow still on the ground and temperatures barely out of freezing.

So, I like to make lots of treats to make up for what we miss in playing Holi as we did in India. I make Mathri pretty much every year, just like my Mum did when we were kids. However this year, I decided to begin with a baked version of this delicious and crispy typically North Indian treat! I had made Baked Nimki during Diwali last year and they turned so good, I ended up make 2 more batches during the festive season. This Mathri too will do justice to your craving for a crispy, flaky treat at Holi!

Mathri Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup atta (Indian Chappati Flour)
1/2 cup oats (Old Fashioned)
1/2 cup sooji (semolina | cream of wheat)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp ajwain
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp oil
3 tbsp warm water
Water, as needed for kneading
Oil, as needed

Method:
  1. Grind the oats to a fine flour. Mix with the atta, sooji, salt, cumin, and ajwain.
  2. Mix the ghee and oil in the warm water and pour into the atta mix.
  3. Using your fingers blend this thoroughly into the atta until the atta begins to resemble breadcrumbs.
  4. Now use water one teaspoon at a time to bring the four mix together into a stiff dough.
  5. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.
  7. Brush the parchment paper with some oil.
  8. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll one part into a disc about 1/4 of an inch thick.
  9. Use a cookie cutter to cut out discs from the dough.
  10. Transfer these onto the baking tray.
  11. Repeat for the remaining dough.
  12. Brush the tops of the mathri discs on the baking tray with some oil.
  13. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the cookies using a spatula.
  14. Bake for another 10-12 minutes. Bake the remaining mathri the same way. Remove from the oven, cool completely, and store in an airtight box.

Vegan Substitute: Replace the ghee in this recipe with coconut oil.

Like this recipe. Tried it. Leave me a comment:)

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2014. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

2 comments:

  1. Guilt free mathri, am in love with this baked ones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Priya, that's exactly what I thought when I set out to make them!!

      Delete

Welcome to Annarasa! I hope you enjoyed visiting my virtual kitchen. As you savour your taste tour, leave me a note, post a query, share your thoughts. I will do my best to respond to every comment :)

Apu @ Annarasa