🎉 Festive Snacks · Diwali
Mathri
Rajasthan's flaky tea-time biscuit — maida, ajwain and kasuri methi. Crunchier than namak pare, more layered.
Rajasthan's flaky tea-time biscuit — maida, ajwain and kasuri methi. Crunchier than namak pare, more layered.
Mathri is Rajasthan's quintessential tea-time snack — a flaky, crumbly, layered fried biscuit made with maida, a generous amount of fat (moyan), ajwain and dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). It is crunchier and more layered than namak pare because of the higher fat ratio. Mathri keeps for weeks and is the classic accompaniment to Rajasthani achaar (pickle).
Mix maida with all dry spices. Add ghee — more than you think necessary. Rub in very thoroughly until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. The fat ratio should be higher than other snacks — about 2 tbsp per cup of flour. Add minimal water for a very firm dough.
The high fat content (moyan) in mathri produces the characteristic flaky layers — fat coats flour particles, creates air pockets during frying, and produces a crumbly, multi-layered texture when bitten. Higher fat = more flaky. Lower fat = harder and more biscuit-like. Traditional Rajasthani mathri uses ghee specifically for the flavour it adds.
Roll dough 5–6mm thick — thicker than other snacks. Prick all over with a fork. Cut into rounds or squares. Deep fry at 150°C for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown throughout.
Pricking prevents the mathri from puffing up unevenly. 150°C is lower than other snacks because mathri is thicker — it requires more time for heat to penetrate to the centre before the exterior over-browns. The lower temperature produces the characteristic evenly golden, completely crispy result.