Friday 17 July 2015

Mathri

We all get cravings from time to time...Burger cravings, sweet cravings ( my favourite!!! :)), cheesy cravings, specialty cuisine cravings and then there are tea-time cravings, midnight cravings... The list goes on.. But i always wonder how most of our cravings are related to food, like we don't get a shopping craving at midnight or a craving to read a book one fine day!!! Isn't it? Well, i still remember when we were kids and it was summer vacations, we cousins or friends used to get together for night-sessions of playing games or watching movies or just chit-chats and the next day Mom would find the buiscuits dabba half empty!!! Yes, we would always feel hungry at nights and would hunt down buiscuits or namkeen  from the kitchen :)



I no more get midnight cravings. Maybe because i am not awake so late nights these days or maybe because my eating habits have matured enough to eat right at right time! Or i am just getting old ;) But yes, i do get sweet cravings, so even if it is just a small bite of chocolate or a mini bite of some mithai, i need it after my meals. Thankfully, my mother-in-law keeps sending some homemade stuff and some from my favourite sweet shop "Chitale Bandhu" in Pune, like these "Mango burfi" and "badam burfi" that she sent last month!!!



Also, the last time she came here, she got a huge slab of what is called "Gul-Patti". I specially wanted to mention it in the blog. This is a specialty of Akola, the Vidarba region of Maharashtra in India - My hubby's hometown! It is made with a special type of jaggery that is available there, peanuts and water! That's it! It tastes so so awesome that just writing about it has got me drooling :) It made a perfect in-between snack for us and what more? Healthy too! 


Tea-time cravings or rather coffee-time (since i am a coffee-drinker) have always stayed with me, since the time i have started drinking coffee. So, a piece of Cake ( Chocolate nut cakeYogurt cakeFruity sponge cake ) or some Nankhatai or just a small Peanut ladoo is good enough for me. Sometimes snacks such as wafola or Paatvadya tastes awesome and is filling enough till dinner time too. But this time, when my mother-in-law visited us, she taught me one awesome snack that goes so well with tea or coffee. My husband has grown up eating these and now they are my favourites too. I would always have it when we visited Pune, but never really learnt the method of making it. This time, though, i made them along with my mother-in-law. Its so easy that now i always make them and store them in air tight containers. 



There is a different type of Mathri that i see in stores here in Delhi, but they are solid, heavy and stuffy. These, on the other hand, are crunchy, light and super tasty.



Ingredients:

Maida (All purpose flour)- 2 cups
Atta (Wheat flour) - 1 cup
Suji (Rava) - 2 tbsp (optional but helps in making the mathris crisp)
Cornflour - 2 tbsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Cumin powder - 1 tsp or more as per taste
Pepper (crushed) - 1 tsp or more as per taste
Oil - 1/4 cup


Recipe:

In a mixing bowl, mix maida, atta, rava, cornflour, salt, cumin powder, and crushed pepper. 

Heat 1/4 cup oil and mix it in the mixing bowl with the help of a spoon. Dont mix it with hand as the oil is too hot.

Now warm some water (Not too hot) and knead a dough adding water little by little. The dough should not be too soft and sticky niether too hard. So use water little by little to knead.

Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Now make equal sized balls of the dough. The balls should be of size of a puri.

Try not to apply flour while rolling the balls. Use only if necessary. Or you can apply some oil on your hands while making the balls from the dough. That way, you won't require to use flour.

Roll the balls into small puris. Now make small cuts on the puri along with a knife. This is to prevent the puri from fluffing up and for the mathri to be crisp. Make sure the cuts are just small and all over the puri.

Heat oil in a kadhai for frying. Now, add the mathris one by one both sides and fry till golden on low flame. Don't fry the mathris too brown.

Let the mathris cool down. They become crisp only when they are cool. If you eat it immediately, they will be soft. Once the mathris have cooled down, store them in air tight containers and enjoy along with tea or coffee :)



Happy cooking!!! :)

25 comments:

  1. These look so good!
    I have not had midnight cravings in years. Not since I was feeding infant twins.

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    1. Ahh yes, a complete change of lifestyle when you have kids :)

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  2. I crave for food during day time. Can't possibly crave at midnight. Otherwise my shape and size will expand. These crispy mathri is loveable though never of before. Crispy indeed for the crunchy bite.

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    1. You are one-of-a-hell in shape Nava :) Now i know your secret :))

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  3. Yes! I do get midnight cravings every other day! ;-) And I so miss my Mom's Mathris! These beauties are making me nostalgic, Gauri! Fabulous share! I will have to make these ASAP! :-)

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    1. Oh, so glad you liked them Anu... Please do make them :)

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  4. Yes! I do get midnight cravings every other day! ;-) And I so miss my Mom's Mathris! These beauties are making me nostalgic, Gauri! Fabulous share! I will have to make these ASAP! :-)

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  5. me too...midnight cravings but for sweets;-)....Loved the mathris...can feel the crunch Gauri..just need a coffee to go with them:)...I'm also a coffer drinker...no no addict!!

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    1. Haha... me too, not an addict, but yes, one a day brightens up my day :)

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  6. mm yummy. .this is looking so lovely mathri.. thanks for sharing it dear

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    1. So happy you liked it Monu :) Thanks :)

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  7. Did my comment went thru? OR your webpage playing tricks with me?? :)

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    1. Ahhh this comment came through, not the other :)

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  8. Get the tea pot ready and brew some... I'm on my way for a chit chat, sorry just kidding! Coming over to enjoy those crispy mathris.

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    1. Absolutely welcome Mullai :) Anytime :)

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  9. Thank goodness I'm usually asleep at midnight too. I satisfy my sweet tooth daily. Now it's iced coffee and something sweet. Hmmm. What will it be today? Yesterday it was Chocolate Babka.

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    1. Chocolate Babka? Is that some sort of a cake? Sounds nice :)

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  10. North Indians normally call Mathris to the bar-sort-of versions; but whatever, it looks tempting.

    I too eat often, especially snacks and sweets...but now thinking of cutting down so as not to have problems later in life.

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    1. Yeah, i have seen the north indian mathri... More of a triangular shape, is it?

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  11. Mathri is one of my favorites, it was on one of my college food production exams many moons back:) Thanks for bringing back memories, Gauri, great recipe...

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    1. Oh that's so nice to hear Peri :) Its one of my favourites too :)

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Appreciate your comments, Thank you so much for for dropping by :)!!!