spicy oat crackers

Whenever I am grocery shopping at the Indian store, I try to be as efficient as possible.  List in hand, I know exactly what I need and what brand to pick up.  Winding my cart through the narrow aisles, I grab the packets of dals and rice and flours, simultaneously checking them off my list.  I might linger an extra minute or two by the sweets in the refrigerated section but never long enough to reach in.  And feeling pleased at having resisted their lure, I turn the corner into the snack aisle where my resolve crumbles within seconds.  The grazer in me lights up as I move in slow-motion past brightly colored packets of chivdas, sev, murrukkus, chips and other salty snacks, all begging to be picked up.  And all deep-fried and not exactly fresh off the stove 🙂

I soon find myself picking a packet or two or a few, knowing fully well that I would be tearing into them in the car itself, my snack on the drive back home.  But as I bite into the greasy, often stale chivda or Mathri (savory crackers), I tell myself that I really should be looking for a substitute that is halfway healthy, even if it means making it myself.  Not that I haven’t tried in the past.  I make chivda with cereal that isn’t quite the real thing but good enough to satisfy.  Mathris are a different matter.  I had tried baking them a few times and always resulted in something that looked and tasted more like cardboard.

Then I tasted oatcakes that my husband brought back from a trip to England and I thought this was just like a plain and somewhat bland Mathri! The flaky and crumbly texture however was spot on.  And I knew immediately that I was going to try and make it at home……with loads of spices 🙂

I must say that these surpassed my wildest dreams and I ended up liking them even more than the deep-fried ones.  The bite of the black pepper, aroma of the carom seeds and fenugreek, and the crispness from the oats.  This one’s a winner.

The dough is surprisingly easy to work with and made from whole grain oats and wheat flour.  It soaks up the water pretty quicky giving rise to a firm but craggy dough.  You don’t have to work it too much either.  Just enough so that it comes together well, roll, cut with the cookie cutter and bake.  A very simple recipe.

Since Mathri and Achaar (pickle) are a classic combination, I was inspired to make a relish of turnips and carrots with some pickle spices.  But I bet they would be just as wonderful with your favorite cheese!

Oat Mathris

Makes approx. 45 of 5 1/2 cm crackers

Print recipe

3 cups rolled/old fashioned oats, powdered in a blender
3/4 cup sprouted whole-wheat flour (or white whole-wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed (kasoori methi)
1 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
2-3 tsp coarsely groud black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup water
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the powdered oats, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, fenugreek leaves and carom seeds in a large bowl.

Add the melted butter/coconut oil and olive oil and mix well until the mixture has a sandy texture.

Add the water and mix well.  The dough will feel a bit wet but come together, and break into craggy pieces when pinched off.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into two and roll each part to approx. 4 mm thickness.

Cut with a cookie cutter and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Collect the scraps and reroll, adding a tsp or so or water if needed.  Cut with the cookie cutter and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Bake for about 20-30 mins until the edges and bottom of the crackers are golden brown.  The baking time will depend on your oven and its best to start watching them from about 20 mins.

Cool completely on wire rack before storing them in an airtight container.