punjabi mathri – fried and baked mathri recipe

punjabi mathri recipe – mathri or mathiya is a popular snack in north india and there are many versions of making mathri.

i have already shared a crisp mathri recipe. this recipe is for punjabi style mathri which is flaky and is spiced with ajwain (carom seeds), kali mirch (black pepper) kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and jeera (cumin seeds).

many people like to have these spiced flour crackers with tea or as a snack. once made in bulk you can store them in an air tight container and enjoy it for the next few weeks. so the shelf life is long.

i made both fried and baked mathri. texture wise, of course the fried mathri is definitely better, but the baked mathri is good too. they a little less golden than the fried ones and have a faint denseness. but good for a low calorie option. the first pic above is of the baked mathri and the last pic below is of the fried mathri. the baked mathris are flaky but not as compared to the fried ones.

i usually make mathris for the occasion of karwa chauth vrat. in punjabi families, the ladies break the rigorous vrat or fasting by eating mathri. you can check more about this vrat in this detailed post of karwa chauth vrat recipes.

lets start step by step punjabi mathri recipe:

1. first heat the ghee or oil. take the hot ghee or oil (known as “moyen” in punjabi language) and the dry ingredients in a bowl – maida or all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, all the spices and baking soda in a mixing bowl.

2. mix everything well and rub the fat evenly in the flour with your fingertips. the whole mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. the more you do this, the more better texture the mathris will have.

3. you will see the mixture can be gathered together like shown in the pic below.

4. just add 1 or 2 tbsp of water each time and only mix the dough. don’t knead like a roti or poori dough. only mix the water in the dough. i used 6 tbsp water and this amount was enough to bind all the dough together and gather into one ball. if the dough is kneaded than the flaky texture is lost. cover the dough and keep aside for 30 mins.

5. heat oil for frying in a kadai or pan. pinch small balls from the dough. just roll them lightly in your palms to even them. no need to give them a proper round shape etc.

6. flatten each ball with a rolling pin or belan to medium thickness. prick each mathri with a fork. the jagged uneven edges are alright and this is how they are meant to be. in case you want a smooth finish, then use a biscuit or cookie cutter. roll a large piece of dough and cut with a cookie cutter.

7. fry about 4-6 mathris is medium hot oil till crisp and golden…. tips mentioned on the hotness of oil in the recipe details below.

8. drain the mathris on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. fry the mathris in batches. when cooled then store mathri in an air tight box. the shelf life for mathri is long. i think its more than few weeks. i can not tell you how many weeks or months the mathri stays well because it does not last that long in our house. for baking method, please check the recipe note at the bottom of post.