Maida Matar/ Namkeen Mathari/matthi

Happiness lies in small things. To make me happy you can give me a bowl full of maida matar or namkeen mathari with mango pickle. Few years back, during my home visit, which used  to be every three months from Bangalore to Ambala, I would buy namkeen mathari for office colleagues and for off course for myself from Ambala.  The best thing about mathari/matar is that you can store them in an air tight container for at least 15 days.

When I was very young, every year before Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Birth day in December and before  Guru Gobin Singh ji's Jayanthi in January, sikh community in our locality would start prabhat feri's at least 10 days in advance and would go to different houses in wee hours of the morning. For prasad that we need to give to sangat  my parents and elder sisters would prepare small pink paper packets of balushai and namkeen mathari, so that they can serve it to sangat in the morning along with tea or milk. As prabaht feri goes to a number of houses in the morning and sangat obviously can not eat everything what is offered to them, so this small packet was an easy thing for them to take back home. Since, I have moved to Bangalore, till now  I  haven't got a single chance to see such prabhat feri and I miss it when ever these festivals come.

  Nameekn Mathari

OK, I told you a enough stories about my childhood, lets come to present :). Recently I came to know that B loves maida matar and this is his childhood favorite snack, as my MIL used to prepare it for him. The way to a man's heart is through his tummy :) so I thought why not prepare them at home . By doing this I will be sure about every thing that has been used for making this snack is healthy and of good quality...from flour to oil every thing.

I prepared a small batch of both maida matar and tinny namkeen  mathari as they are just different shapes and you can prepare then using same dough.

So here is the easy 30 minute recipe for madia matar and namkeen mathari:

Ingredients:

• 2 + 1/2 cup Maida/All purpose flour
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsb carom seeds
• 4 tsp ghee/dalda/vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• Oil for deep drying

                                                           Nameekn Mathari

Step by step process for preparing namkeen matar/mathari:

• Mix maida, carom seeds, salt, ghee in a bowl.
• Add very little water at a time and make very stiff dough.  Cover it and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
• NOTE: Use very less water while making dough.
• Divide this dough in small lemon size balls.
• Dip one ball in little bit of the oil and roll in round, oval any shape you like using rolling pin. Then cut them in long strips using a knife.
• For making tinny mathari, make one peanut size ball and press it with your figures tips to give it mathari shape.
• Heat oil in a kadhai/wok on low heat and start frying matar strips and mathari's on low - medium heat, until they are light brown in color. 
• NOTE: Be patient and do not be tempted to increase heat to High. Frying process should take 10-15 minutes for each batch to get evenly cooked and crispy matar/ mathari.
• Take them out on the tissue paper to remove excess oil.
• let them cool and come to room temperature. You can store them in air tight container and enjoy them with your evening cup of  tea and coffee Try them with mango/lemon pickle, I can assure you that  you will love this combination.
• Sprinkle little bit chat masala  if you like and this will take it to another level.

                                                                       Maida Matar