Spinach and sesame Mathri

A healthy alternative to store bought fried snacks. The taste of spinach is completely hidden and it adds a lovely color to the mathris. I made a batch with different shapes, some round pooris, few sticks, a couple of hearts and some diamonds. 

2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup spinach purée

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/3 cup oil (any oil is fine)*

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

Salt

Water

Peanut oil for frying*

Make a well in the dough and add the oil, black pepper, cumin powder, sesame seeds and salt. Mix well with fingers to incorporate the oil all through the flour. It should make a stiff ball when pressed in a fist. Add the purée to form a tight dough, like a parantha. Add water if needed to bind the dough.

Put the cooking oil to heat.

Roll out the dough into thin and small pooris, about 2 inches in diameter and 1 mm thick. Prick with a fork or make gashes with a knife to prevent it from puffing up while frying. Alternatively you can roll the dough into about 2 mm thick rotis and cut into diamonds. Prick these with a fork as well. Discard the uneven edges. With this type of thick roti, you can make sticks, batons or even use a cookie cutter to make different shapes. The slimmer shapes do not puff up much but all the broader shapes need to be pricked to avoid puffing. 

To check if the oil is done, put a small pinch of dough in the oil. If it rises to the top along with bubbles in the oil, you are ready to fry. Do not overheat the oil, if it is smoking, switch off the heat and let the oil cool a little before frying. 

After putting a batch in to fry, lower the heat. Frying on medium - low heat will result in a crispier Mathri. 

When they turn brownish, remove from heat. These will be darker than the plain AP flour ones but they are healthier! 

Serve as a snack in the tiffin or at home when hungry. 

*You can use ghee instead of oil as well