PASTRY CRACKERS WITH BLACK PEPPER AND CAROM SEEDS

I have discussed it before, my love for Matri. I somehow cannot stop raving about this snack whenever I eat them. These days I have been eating the store bought one and somehow I forgot how the homemade ones tastes like. Nah! I was just kidding, how can I forget homemade taste like that! ;-) That was just another excuse for me to make them at  home ;-D

I am like a peacock. I get so happy and excited when I see the skies darken because of rain clouds. It reminds me of monsoons back in Kannur. I used to hate monsoons then because we used to get drenched completely when we went to school. But that was the only time we were allowed to wear sandals to school though.So, no complaints ;-)

So today, as I write this post...it's very dark outside and I am listening to Mozart. I love piano. I  have been planning to take piano classes since forever! It's never happened though.Today while we were having lunch, I was asking Jobin about the pottery classes that we might be having here. I love doing creative stuff, especially hand embroidery. That reminds me of the piece I started to stitch for our kitchen. I went wrong somewhere in between and I am in no mood to trace the mistake and get back . Been keeping away that work for more than a week now.

So while I get back to my work of searching for pottery classes, finishing or rather re-starting my embroidery work, at the same time getting excited because it's Friday tomorrow and lots of planning needs to be done as our friends will be coming over to our place for a game of Sequence and UNO and also plan out the dinner and getting back to the book I was reading...let me leave you all with the recipe for one of my favourite favourite all time snack...Matri.

PASTRY CRACKERS WITH BLACK PEPPER AND CAROM SEEDS
Recipe source : 1000 Indian recipes by Neelam Batra

Ingredients:
All purpose flour/Maida- 2 cups
Semolina/Rava-1/4 cup (not roasted)
Oil-1/4 cup (not coconut/peanut/olive)
Melted Ghee/Clarified butter-2 tbsp
Carom seeds/Ajwain- 1 tsp, coarsely ground
Pepper-1/2 to 1 tsp coarsely ground
Peppercorns-16 nos.
Salt- 1tsp or to taste
Warm water-1/2 cup
Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Place flour,semolina,oil, ghee, ajwain ,pepper, salt in a bowl and mix well with fingers.
• Add in the warm water little by little and mix well to for a semi-firm dough.
• Divide the dough into 16 portions and roll it out into 3-4" circles of 1/8" thickness.If the dough is sticky, use oil and not flour to help in rolling them.
• Pork holes all over the rolled out matri using the tines of a fork
• Stick one peppercorn each into the centre of each matri and press firmly.
• Heat oil on medium hight to 300-325 F and deep fry the matri's until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels, let cool completely and store in airtight containers.
• Will stay fresh for 2 months.

Verdict: I heart it! I can eat it plain or even better, dipped in some spicy Stuffed Green Chilli Pickle.
 I think it was the first time that Jobin ever had one and I must say he mentioned about 'Matri' to everyone whom he met yesterday evening! :)