Mathri / Mathi

Recently when we went to snack at an Indian restaurant in our neighborhood, I noticed that they had a good collection of sweets and snacks in the anticipation of Diwali customers. I thought of buying a mathri packet there and somehow backed out at the last minute after going through the ingredients. Mathia flour along with maida and sooji were being used. I had no idea what the first ingredient was and so after coming home, checked online to find what it was. In the process, I found out that many of our dear friends have prepared wonderful mathris without the mathia flour. I went ahead and so made these delicious savory snacks without it.  I prepared a spicier version and they turned out crispy, flaky and (some what) melt in mouth kind. They were literally a treat for our taste buds and were a hit even with my son's friends (read non Indian) at school.
Mathris are a great teatime snack or an opt one for a festive occasion like today. They are said to be originated in the state of Rajasthan. It is a mandatory food item prepared on all auspicious occasions there. Mathris are usually served with pickles.

Ingredients: (For about 15 mathris of about 2 & 1/2 inch diameter)
1 cup All purpose flour / Maida
2 Tbsp Semolina / Rava
1.5 tsp Chili powder or adjust
3 - 4 Tbsp hot oil
1 Tbsp Cumin seeds and / or Carom seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Mix all the ingredients except the oil to fry in a bowl. Add sufficient water and make a firm dough like poori / roti dough. Now comes the workout for your upper body. Take a small portion of the dough and roll out into a thin circle of about 2 & 1/2 to 3 inch diameter. Prick with a fork randomly, to avoid the mathris puffing up while frying. You can roll out and use a cookie cutter if you prefer your mathris to be of same size. Roll out some and keep aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide and deep-bottomed frying pan. Add the rolled out dough circles to the hot oil gently. Without crowding, fry as many mathris as the pan could fit. Keep turning them around and fry on low flame till they turn golden brown and crisp throughout. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on absorbent towels. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Store them in an airtight container.

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