Malai Matthi

Subtly Sweet, Crunchy, Crumbly, Whole Wheat Flour Snack

Ingredient list

Written recipe

Recipe video

Malai Matthi is a subtly sweet, crunchy snack with a crumbly texture. It makes for a delicious teatime snack. If you are looking for a prasad that is not sweet or heavy like the traditional ones such as laddoo or halwa, you can offer malai matthi. 

Instead of ghee / oil, this recipe uses malai (fresh cream skimmed off boiled and cooled milk) as shortening and the dough is kneaded using milk. This is what makes malai matthi slightly chewy and beautifully crumbly. These whole wheat flour goodies are laced with the aromatic flavours of spices like fennel seeds, cloves, nut meg, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. Whenever I make these, my kitchen smells absolutely delicious for the aroma lingers for the day or two. You can skip any of the spices if you don’t have/like them; but I recommend not skipping fennel seeds, cardamom and black pepper corns. The sweet aromas of fennel and cardamom with a hint of peppery heat from black pepper is a flavour combination that enhances the taste of these matthis and takes it to a whole new level.

Malai matthi is darker in colour compared to the traditional maida (plain flour) matthi as it is made of whole wheat flour. The recipe uses powdered sugar; you can also use jaggery powder but it will make the matthis even darker. Using jaggery might also alter the texture of the matthis by making them softer.

These matthis are very lightly sweet. I use about 5 Tbsps of sugar for 2 cups of flour. You can increase the quantity of sugar if you want them sweeter.

I prefer deep frying malai matthi in oil. You can use ghee, but the matthis will develop a greasy layer upon cooling down. To get the perfect texture, it is important to fry the matthis on low heat. Do not judge by the colour. They turn dark due to the whole wheat flour. Fry them till they turn hard.

Here’s the recipe. It makes 25 – 30 small (marie biscuit sized) matthis.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
• Malai – ½ cup
• Milk – 4 to 5 Tbsps
• Sugar – 5 Tbsps (a little less then 1/3^rd of a cup)
• Saunf /fennel seeds – 2 Tbsps
• Black pepper corns – 1 tsp
• Cloves – 8 to 10
• Cinnamon – 1” piece
• Green cardamom – 4 or 5
• Nutmeg – a pinch (ground or grated)
• Oil – for deep frying

Method:

1. Remove seeds from cardamoms and discard the shells.
2. Break cinnamon into tiny pieces (for ease of grinding).
3. In a spice grinder / mixer-grinder jar, combine sugar and all the spices except nutmeg.
4. Grind to a fine powder.
5. In a large bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar + spices.
6. Grate in a pinch of nutmeg. You can also use nutmeg powder.
7. Mix everything well.
8. Add malai.
9. Mix thoroughly till malai is well incorporated into the flour and the flour has a crumb-like texture.
10. Add milk (as required) to knead a firm dough.
11. Knead it well for about 5 minutes.
12. The dough will not be very smooth; it will have cracked edges because of malai and milk.
13. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 – 20 minutes.
14. Divide the dough into 25 – 30 equal sized, small portions.
15. Roll each portion between your palms to make a ball, then press it with your palms to flatten it slightly.
16. Prepare all the dough-portions likewise.
17. Place a dough ball on the rolling board / surface and spread it a little by pressing with your fingers.
18. Roll out into a thick circle of about 2” – 2.5” diameter.
19. Keep the matthis about quarter of a centimeter thick. If rolled out too thin, they will turn hard and crisp instead of crunchy and crumbly.
20. Place cuts on the matthis using a knife or poke them through with a fork. Make sure to cut/poke all over. Also, cut / poke the matthis on both sides so that they are cut/poked through. This is necessary to prevent them from puffing up on frying.
21. Heat oil till it is moderately hot. drop a small piece of dough into hot oil. If it rises slowly without making too many bubbles, the oil is ready.
22. Add matthis to the oil. Do not crowd the pan.
23. Fry on low heat till matthis turn brown and crunchy.
24. Wait for the matthis to float on top and change colour before flipping for the first time.
25. Flip occasionally and keep stirring.
26. When ready, remove form oil and drain on an absorbent kitchen towel.
27. Cool completely before serving / storing.
28. They can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to a week.

Recipe video: