Festive season is around the corner and my kitchen is all set to prepare sweet delicacies and savory snacks for Diwali. Namkeen mathri, Gur pare, Kaju katli, gulab jamun were the common ones prepared in my mom’s place and the tradition still continues. Today I am preparing this crispy and flaky salted crackers also referred to as mathiya or mathri for Karwa chouth – a must have for the fast. Other than that, I relish mathris with a cup of hot tea and achar….yum!! RECIPE DETAIL – My mom used to make the most khasta and kurkuri mathri at this time of the year. Her secret to khasta mathri was the moen/ moyen (oil) in the dough and that what decides how flaky mathri will turn out to be. The trick – pour warm oil/ghee in the center, gradually work on the flour till mixture is crumbly. Use fingertips to rub oil evenly into flour. Now, take some mixture in your fist, squeeze it tight. If it binds well and forms a shape then the dough is ready to work on. But if the dough crumbles and falls off your fingers than it needs more oil. Add enough water to form a dough.
Knead a soft pliable dough. Shape it like small puris and poke holes in each mathri before frying. This way it will not puff up and will turn out crispy. Deep fry the mathris. Maintain the oil temperature and make sure the oil is medium hot and not smoky. Mathris should float and cook in oil until crisp and golden brown in color. This way they will end up crispy and khasta. If fried in smoky hot oil, mathris will not be thoroughly cooked and may end up soft like puris. Remove from oil and set it on a paper napkin to drain off excess oil. Allow it to cool down and store it in airtight container. DUE TO LOW LIGHTING CONDITIONS, PLEASE EXCUSE THE STEP BY STEP PHOTOGRAPHY.
FOLLOW LINK FOR KARWA CHOUTH THALI AND FOLLOW LINK FOR KARWA CHAUTH KATHA IN HINDI HOW TO PREPARE KARWA CHOUTH DIYA?
