Name: Crispy Lentil Snack (Oada Mathia)
Yield: Makes 20-25
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp sugar; 3 tbsp water; 200 g/7 oz/1¼ cup mathia flour (readily available at Indian supermarkets); 4 tbsp whole-wheat/wholemeal flour; 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain seeds), slightly crushed; 1½ tsp sesame seeds, slightly crushed; 4 tbsp oil, divided; 1½ tsp chili powder; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 500 ml/l7 fl oz/2 cups oil, for deep frying, plus extra to grease your hands; 1¼ tsp salt

Preparation info

Makes
20-25

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Spice Collector’s Cookbook

By Vina Patel

Published 2024

About

This is a beloved Diwali snack; you will find it in every Gujarati kitchen. This recipe comes from my elder sister, so it is 100% authentic. This crunchy, golden snack has distinctive sweet and spicy flavors - my husband can feast on them 24/7. It is always in my kitchen, keeping me in touch with my roots.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Water

3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp water

Method

To make the sugar water, heat the water in a small pan and bring to the boil. Add the sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved, then set aside.

Combine all the remaining ingredients and 3 tablespoons of the oil in a mixing bowl and mix well. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar water and knead the dough. Add the remaining water to make a tight dough. If the dough is dry, add 1-2