Baked Methi Muthia/Methi crackers

It was that time of the year when I was planning my yearly trip to Chennai and Bangalore where my mother and in-laws are residing currently. I have this habit of making a few snacks every time in order to impress them ;-). Since they all have diabetics and blood pressure complaint, I didn't really want to make something that was not ideal for their health conditions - which meant no fat content.

Here is the recipe for a great and a perfect tea-time snack which is not only delicious but healthy too and you need not feel guilty about it every time you have a bite! :-)

Ingredients:

Gram Flour (Besan) - 200 grams

Rice flour - 50 grams

Dry Fenugreek leaves - 1 cup

Asafoetida - a pinch

Jeera - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1/4th tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - few drops

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree centigrade for 10 mins.

2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except oil and knead it to form a soft and smooth dough (like a chapathi dough) using little warm water. Cover it with a lid and leave it to rest for 5 mins.

2. Divide the dough into small balls of equal size and with the help of a rolling pin, flatten them into small thin discs (less than 1/4 inch size).

3. Grease the baking tray with a few drops of oil so the methi muthias don't dry when it is getting baked. Place the rolled methi muthia discs on the greased baking tray. You can sprinkle a few more drops of oil on the other side as well if you would like to have a little bit of moisture on the muthias.

4. When the pre-heating is done, bake it in the oven in convection mode for 180 degrees centigrade for 12 mins approximately . Once done, remove from oven and flip it over. Reduce the temperature to 160 degree centigrade and bake for 10 more mins until the muthias become golden brown.

5. Once they cool, store them in air tight containers. This has a shelf life of upto 3 months without refrigeration.

Tips:

1. If fresh fenugreek leaves are available, finely chop them, wash thoroughly and drain. Slightly toss it in a pan with a little bit of salt and turmeric for about 2-3 mins and proceed as stated above.

2. To get the small thin discs, you can even roll the dough and use a round cookie cutter to get the shape.