Baked mathri recipe | Mathri recipe | Namkeen mathri recipe | How to make mathri

What is mathri?

Mathri is a Rajasthani snack recipe. It is also referred as Mathi or Mathhi in many regions. It is an Indian flaky biscuit recipe which is immensely popular in north-western part of India. It is almost impossible to get any sweet shop there who do not sell mathri.

There are huge ranges of Mathri available in market. It can be prepared in multiple ways using different combination of ingredients. Methi mathri, namkeen mathri, jeera mathri, meethi mathri are the few finest examples of it.

Rajasthani cuisine is a regal cuisine influenced by Rajputs. This cuisine has an expertise in long-lasting food which can be consumed without heating. This kind of food is suitable for the arid region as well as during long journeys especially for battles. That’s why, Rajasthani cuisine is rich with collections of myriad succulent pickles, chutneys, papad and snacks. Mathri is one of the asset recipes of this incredible cuisine.

Though now a days Mathri is readily available in sweet shops or as package food in supermarkets but still, I always prefer homemade mathri over the market bought ones. Especially, now during this pandemic of COVID19 while it’s not safe to have outside food at all. I highly recommend homemade snacks for now. Homemade Mathri not only tastes better but it is also much healthier than readymade ones. Though a small effort would be required to prepare it at home, but you can easily see the difference after making it at home. This baked mathri recipe is also quite healthier than the deep-fried version.

Mathri recipe is a wonderful option of Indian snacks recipes for evening. A cup of hot tea with some crispy and flaky mathri makes the teatime more interesting. Many people think that the preparation of mathri at home is quite complicated, but I believe that’s not true. It just requires little bit of time and patience to prepare it. If you have time, then it is always fun to prepare namkeen mathri at home.

Baked mathri recipe is very simple and easy to make. It requires minimal ingredients to get prepared. The best part of the recipe is that you don’t need to deep fry them which makes them low in calorie too. You can store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place for many days and have it during teatimes. It will be an asset for your evening snacks.

As I belong to a Bengali family, I never tasted mathri before my marriage. After getting married, when I shifted to Pune, I tasted mathri for the first time there in a sweet shop. I just loved the texture and flavour of it. After that, I used to buy mathri frequently from the sweet shops.

But after coming to the UK, I started craving for the Indian snacks after few days. Then I decided to prepare mathri at home. I have prepared mathri recipe in both ways at home, by deep frying and baking as well. Deep fried mathris are undoubtedly flakier in texture than the baked version. But there is hardly much difference in taste between the two. Today, I will share the baked mathri recipe with you which always give me guiltfree pleasure during teatime.

Baked mathri recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instruction’ section of the recipe. If you follow each step of my recipe precisely then you will get the perfectly crispy and flaky mathri like the market bought ones.

How to make mathri?

For a perfect baked mathri recipe, it is very important to prepare the dough perfectly. The dough should be stiff and not soft. It should require enough pressure to be applied to roll out. As the dough is stiff, so the sheet does not become too thin. The sheet should be slightly thicker than papdis to get the perfect texture. Please refer the picture to check the thickness.

For the baked mathri recipe dough, I have used whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oil, salt, carom seeds, chilli powder, dried fenugreek seeds, roasted cumin powder and the required amount of water.

Many people use only Ata (Wheat Flour) instead of Maida (All-purpose flour) for health consciousness. But I have used both in equal portions for the recipe. It gives better texture and taste to the baked mathri. Many people use multigrain atta too for the recipe.

I have added a pinch of baking soda too for the baked mathri recipe which you can skip for the deep-fried version. Baking soda helps to give perfect flake and crisp to the baked version of mathri. After making the dough, I have covered it with a damp cloth and allowed it to rest for half an hour.

To prepare the namkeen mathri recipe, I have made large size balls with the dough and flattened them with hands. Then I have rolled out the dough ball to a large chapati on a chapati board with rolling pin.

Then I have cut them to small discs with the help of a cookie cutter or small bowl. You can roll small chapatis too instead of it. But this process would be too lengthy and time consuming. I always prefer to roll large chapatis and then cut them into smaller discs. With this process, the mathris remain even in shape. Many people cut the mathri in different shapes, but I personally like them in small round shape.

After this, I have lined the baking tray with parchment paper and placed all the small discs on it. Make sure there is little gap in between two mathris.

Then I have pierced the flat discs with the help of a fork. It is one of the very important steps of preparing mathri. These holes resist the mathris to puff during the time of baking or deep frying.

I have preheated the oven for 10 minutes and then placed the baking tray in the centre of the oven. I have baked the mathri at 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4 for 20-22 minutes and flipped when its halfway done. If you like extra crispy mathri then you can bake it for 23-24 minutes. I have baked it for 22 minutes.

How to store mathri at home?

After baking the mathri, let them completely cool off on wired rack. Then store them in an airtight container. Keep the container in a cool and dry place. You can store the mathris for 4 weeks and enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Atta (Whole wheat flour)
• ½ cup Maida (All-purpose Flour)
• ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon roasted Cumin powder
• ¼ teaspoon Carom seeds (Ajwain)
• 1 and ½ tablespoons dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• 1 small pinch of Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 2 and ½ tablespoons Oil
• 6-7 tablespoons Water

1. Measure all the dry ingredients ingredients – Atta, Maida, Salt, red chilli powder, roasted Cumin powder, Carom seeds, dried Fenugreek leaves, baking soda and put them in a large mixing bowl.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Mix all the ingredients nicely with the help of a spoon.
   

3. Add oil into the mixing bowl.
   

4. Mix the oil nicely and evenly with the help of hand.
   

5. Add the required amount of water in small portions slowly into the mixture and mix it nicely to make a stiff dough. Knead it for 3-4 minutes.
   

6. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for half an hour.
   

7. Again, knead the dough for a minute and divide them to equal portions to make large chapati balls.
   

8. Put the chapati balls on a roller board.
   

9. Roll out a large chapati with the help of a rolling pin.
   

10. Cut the chapati to small discs with the help of a cookie cutter or small bowl or lid of any proper sized container.
    
    

11. Preheat the oven at 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 for 10 minutes.
12. Line the baking tray with parchment paper and place the small discs on it.
    

13. Prick on the small chapatis repeatedly to make small holes with the help of a fork.
    

14. Put the baking tray into the middle of the oven and bake the mathri for 20-22 minutes. Flip the mathri halfway.
    

    Note: If you like soft flaky mathri then bake it for 20 minutes. If you like extra crispy mathri then bake it for 23-24 minutes. I have baked it for exact 22 minutes.
    

15. Take out the tray from the oven.
    

16. Allow the mathri to cool off on wired rack and then store them in an airtight container.
    

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