Baked Methi Mathri (Crispy Fenugreek Crackers)
Crispy oven-baked methi mathri with kasuri methi and ajwain. Whole wheat and besan dough, fork-pricked and baked until snap-crisp. Makes about 40 pieces; stores two weeks in a jar.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1½ cups atta whole wheat flour; about 195 g
- ½ cup besan gram flour; about 52 g
- 2 tbsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves; slightly crushed
- ¼ tsp red chili powder or to taste
- ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
- ¾ tsp ajwain carom seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup ghee or olive oil about 80 ml
- Water, as needed, a little more than ½ cup total
For baking
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Combine atta, besan, kasuri methi, red chili powder, turmeric, ajwain, sesame seeds, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Add ghee or oil. Rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds a clump when squeezed.
- Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. It should be semi-stiff, not soft like chapati dough.
- Knead on the counter about 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Roll, cut, and prick
- Divide dough in two. Roll one portion on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut into rounds (about 2 inches) or squares (about 1¾ inches). Re-roll scraps once and cut again.
- Prick each mathri several times with a fork on both sides. Arrange on prepared baking sheets with space between pieces. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake until golden and crisp
- Bake 10 to 11 minutes, flip each mathri, then bake 10 to 13 minutes more until edges are golden and centers feel firm. Total bake time is usually 20 to 24 minutes for extra-crisp mathri.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Do not reduce the fat too much; it gives mathri its short, flaky crumble. About ⅓ cup for the batch is the tested amount.
Roll to ¼ inch thick. Thicker rounds stay soft in the center; thinner pieces brown faster.
Cool completely on a rack before jarring. Warm mathri steams and softens in storage.
Vegan swap: use olive oil or neutral oil instead of ghee; keep the same fat quantity.
Re-crisp softened mathri at 300°F for 5 to 8 minutes on a baking sheet; cool before sealing again.
Air fryer: 350°F (175°C), single layer, 8 minutes, flip, then 6 to 8 minutes more until golden. Work in batches.
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