45 Min

NF

Mathi

The colorful festival of Holi arrives with a wild flourish during the middle of March this year. It’s an auspicious full moon day to mark the end of a dark winter and the invocation for a good spring harvest season. The sprouting of fresh buds on trees with the changing of the season is welcomed with song and dance. Throwing colored powder on each other and squeezing colored water on the streets all over India is mingled with snacking and devouring ice cream and snow cones. Community gatherings, music and food are a big part of Holi celebration throughout the country. During my childhood, my mother would start preparing for Holi a few days before by making savory and sweet snacks. Crackers with crushed spices, crispy lentil snacks along with sweets like mithai, a fudge like Indian sweet and laddus, little spherical balls usually made from milk, sugar and dry fruit and nuts. My brothers and I were not allowed to touch these snacks until the day of Holi and the anticipation would build up. One of my favorite snacks was mathi, a salty deep-fried cracker usually spiced with black pepper. However, if the fat content is increased, you can also bake the mathi. Mathis can be eaten on their or with a pickle or a chutney.

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Cook Time

45 minutes + refrigeration time

Serves

6

Directions

Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the all-purpose flour with sugar and salt. Cut the butter into small ½-inch pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Turn the mixture on medium and let it mix until the butter has reduced to smaller pieces.

Step 2

Add the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. Cover the dough in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Step 3

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 4

Using a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle, crush the peppercorns until they are in smaller pieces.

Step 5

Roll out the entire dough into a large piece with 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle the peppercorns over the entire surface and roll just a little, pressing them on to the dough.

Step 6

Using a cutter, cut out small 3-inch circles. Place the circles on a baking pan next to each other. Bake them at 350°F for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 250°F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the crackers are crisp all the way. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

Notes & Variations

Dried herbs like chives or parsley can be added to the spices on the mathi. You could also add crushed cloves and coriander to the spices.
For a plant-exclusive version, replace the butter with coconut oil.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups | 360g all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 sticks | 227g butter, unsalted cold

1/2 cup ice water

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Step 1

Step 2

Add the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. Cover the dough in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Step 3

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 4

Using a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle, crush the peppercorns until they are in smaller pieces.

Step 5

Roll out the entire dough into a large piece with 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle the peppercorns over the entire surface and roll just a little, pressing them on to the dough.

Step 6

3 1/2 cups | 360g all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 sticks | 227g butter, unsalted cold

1/2 cup ice water

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Notes & Variations

Dried herbs like chives or parsley can be added to the spices on the mathi. You could also add crushed cloves and coriander to the spices.
For a plant-exclusive version, replace the butter with coconut oil.

Tags:

45 Min

Tags:

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