This Methi Mathri is an Indian-style savory cracker that is perfectly crispy and flaky and tastes divine as an evening snack with a cup of hot tea. Made with everyday pantry staples, these delicious methi ki mathris are full of textures and irresistibly flavorful. You can make them ahead of time and bite into them at any time.

During winters, a jar full of plain or flavored mathris sitting in the kitchen pantry makes a convenient resort when hunger pangs strike!

What is Methi Mathri

Methi is the Hindi name for fenugreek leaves, and mathri is the name given to a cracker-like snack prepared by deep-frying the specially prepared stiff dough using all-purpose flour, spices, and flavorings.

This Masala Methi Mathri recipe is a quintessential tea-time snack throughout the country, and being homemade, these mathris are healthier and tastier than the store-bought ones and can be served with chutney or pickle to enhance the detectability.

They can be deep-fried or baked in an oven or even in an Air-fryer for the healthier option.

Although preparing mathris is easy, the success of the crispiest and flakiest mathris that taste just wonderful depends on the preparation of the dough and the best temperature for frying them.

Reasons You’ll ♡ Methi ki Mathri recipe

This masala methi mathri is one of India’s most loved tea-time snacks for many reasons. A few are listed as —

A simple make-ahead recipe
Perfectly crisp and flaky and purely delicious
Can be made in a large batch and stored in a jar to relish anytime
Keep fresh for days at room temperature
Loved by kids and adults alike!

Easy to make and more accessible to grab when you are looking for something delicious and enjoyable, these mathris are simply incomparable!

The best part is that this vegan methi mathri also makes the best snack to carry along when traveling, as these are fuss-free and easy to pack.

Methi Mathri Ingredient List

All-purpose flour — This is the base ingredient of the methi mathri recipe that delivers flavor and structure to the mathris. Use fresh all-purpose flour for optimum flavor.

Semolina — Added to the mathris dough for crispiness and flavor.

Neutral oil — Oil is used for frying the mathris. You can use any neutral oil that does not overshadow the flavors of other ingredients.

Carom seeds — Carom seeds boost the recipe’s flavoring and aid digestion.

Dried Ginger — Added for more flavor and spiciness.

Black pepper — The warm, spicy flavor of black pepper adds more taste to the mathris.

Red chili powder — Adds more heat to the methi mathris.

Turmeric powder — Turmeric powder adds a hint of yellow color to the mathris, making them look irresistible.

Lukewarm water — This is required when kneading the dough.

Recipe Tips and Variations

For the mathris — To achieve the desired flakiness, the moyen content (oil content) in the mathris should be correct. Follow the recipe precisely for the flakiest and crispiest mathris that is completely irresistible.

Alternative for oil — Ghee is an excellent alternative to oil in this recipe that does wonders to its flavor. You can use melted ghee in place of oil and make the mathris ravishingly flavorsome!

An essential step — After adding oil to the flour, rub the mixture between your fingers to let the oil incorporate into the flour. After the two (flour +oil) have been mixed properly, the mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs. This step is essential to make flaky methi mathris and should not be missed.

Make stiff dough for the flakiest mathris — Always add water slowly and gradually to the flour and oil mix when preparing the dough. Never add all the water at once because the water should go in just as much as required to make a stiff and tight dough. Stop adding more water if your methi mathri dough starts to come together and you are still left with the water, as mentioned in the recipe. Adding more water will make the dough runny, and you will end up with soft puris instead of flaky methi ki mathris.

Resting time is critical — Resting the dough after kneading is essential as this time allows the gluten in the dough to absorb water and make it easier to handle. When resting the methi mathri dough, cover it with a wet piece of cloth and leave it for 30 minutes.

Alter the spice level easily — You can vary the addition of spices according to your taste and make the mathris more or less spicier.

Importance of oil — Oil is essential in making the best mathris. Please do not cut back on oil, as the flakiness of the mathris depends on the correct amount of oil added to the mathris mixture.

The best temperature for frying — Low to medium heat is ideal for frying the methi mathris, as this will allow them to cook until deep inside and turn flaky outside. Drop a small piece of dough in the oil to check if the oil is perfectly hot. If it floats to the surface gradually, the oil is ideal for frying.

But if it floats to the surface right away, the oil is too hot and needs to be cooled slightly; otherwise, the outer layer of the mathris will brown, while the center will stay uncooked. Similarly, if the oil is not hot enough, the mathris will soak in a lot of oil and result in densely textured Fenugreek leaves mathris.

Fresh methi leaves — I have used dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi) in this recipe, but you can use fresh methi leaves, too, if you want. To use fresh methi leaves, sauté them well to dry out their moisture content and reduce the water quantity in the recipe.

The exciting variations — Feel free to improvise this methi mathri recipe, as it is easily customizable. You can bring the following variations:

Add achari masala to bring in the magic of achari flavors!
Add fresh spinach leaves (after sautéing them) to make this recipe nutrient-rich.
Make simple mathris without adding any flavoring, and it will taste just awesome!

Shape them as desired — You can shape the mathris however you like. Make them square, diamond-shaped, or any of your desired shapes using a cookie cutter.

Let me know what you think!

Are you craving to bite into the perfectly cooked and flaky Masala Methi Mathris? Here is the recipe that helps you make your tastiest mathris ever!

Make a fresh batch of this mouthwatering methi mathris and serve them with masala tea. I am sure your family will love these delightful little crackers, and you will soon run out of your stock!

But no worries, you can look into the recipe instructions any time and make a fresh batch again to impress them!

Should you make this Methi Mathri recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.