Masala Mathri | Holi Snacking is on...

Holi or Basant Panchami celebrated throughout India is a festival I love and also hate. I love watching others getting drenched in colours but hate to do so myself. I also love seeing people getting high on Thandaai. Its a n alcoholic drink traditionally prepared on Holi. You can find the non alcoholic version here.  

But I am definitely interested in Holi snacks and preparations. There are even specific foods that are made on Holi. Atleast thats what Google aunty showed me. Well its definitely an occasion worth celebrating with thandai and  snacks. Eventually after playing holi and getting messy and colourful, hunger is something thaty needs to be taken care of and what better than mathris.

Mathris/ Mathis are flaky crunchy Rajasthani snacks made using flour, ghee and cumin seeds. They are tea time snacks and also prepared during weddings or festivals. When prepared during wedding they are also called 'suhaali'. A spicy version or Masala Mathri has spices added to it. I tried the spicier version I found here and they turned awesome. 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour: 2 cup

Wheat Flour: 1/2 cup

Salt: to taste

Hot Ghee/Clarified Butter: 2 tbsp

Warm water: just enough to knead

Oil: for deep frying

Spices:

Black Pepper powder: 1 tsp 

Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves ) : 1 tsp hand crushed

Hing/asafetida: 1/4 tsp

Coarsely Powder:

Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds: 1 tsp

Preparation:

Sift all purpose flour in a bowl and mix well with wheat flour and salt. 

Add in hing and coarsely powdered spices, crushed kasuri methi and fresh grated pepper and mix well.I coarsely powder all the spices together except hing which is in powder form with me.

Add hot ghee to it and mix well till it resembles coarse sand.Add in just enough water and knead into a tight dough. Rest the dough for about 15 minutes.

When ready turn the dough onto a counter and roll it out into a thin sheet. Normally or rather traditionally, the dough is divided into small pieces and each piece is rolled out into a thick small disc or poories. I rolled out into a  thick rectangle and cut these into rounds using a cookie cutter.

Pierce each round with a fork so that they turn crunchy after frying. 

Deep fry each in oil on  medium-high heat. Serve with hot tea or coffee.

Yum yum and yum. I know you will think of oil and calories, but sometime we should foresake these. Afterall you are running and jumping and getting all worked up during celebrations. For the very health conscious fellas out there, do try baking these.