Singhara atta mathri is a savory Indian snack that is made with water chestnut flour (singhara atta), potatoes, and spices. Singhara atta is a type of flour made from dried and ground water chestnuts, which is a popular ingredient in Indian cuisine, especially during fasting periods.
Mathri (also known as mathi) is a savory cracker or biscuit that is usually made with atta (Indian whole wheat flour). You need very basic ingredients to make these easy-to-make crackers. Since atta or whole wheat is not consumed during Navratri, this popular snack is made with singhara atta or water chestnut flour.
Traditionally, mathris are deep-fried but I prefer to use an air fryer to make them. They turn out just as crispy and crunchy as the deep-fried ones. I make this delicious snack by combining singhara atta, boiled and mashed potato, salt, and ghee into a stiff dough, rolling out thick discs, and air frying them.
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Why you will love this recipe?
- Healthier: These singhara mathris made in an air fryer are much healthier than deep-fried mathri. They are just as delicious and crunchy as deep-fried mathris, but without the extra grease and calories.
- Quick and Easy: Making singhara atta mathri in an air fryer is quick and easy. Simply preheat the air fryer and cook the mathris in a few minutes.
- Suitable for fasting: This mathri recipe does not contain any grain and is suitable for fasting like Navratri.
What is singhara?
Singhara, also known as water chestnut, is an aquatic plant that grows in freshwater ponds, marshes, and shallow lakes. It has a nutty and sweet flavor, and it is commonly used in Indian cuisine during fasting periods. The fruit of the singhara plant is a small, greenish-brown, and spiny nut-like fruit, which contains starchy, white flesh inside.
Flour made with this water chestnut fruit is called singhara atta (or singhare ka atta) and is commonly used during Indian festivals like Navratri. Navratri translates to "nine nights" and is an Indian festival celebrating nine Goddesses.
People celebrating Navratri refrain from eating meat, onion, garlic, and grains during these nine days. 'Vrat ka khana' is commonly prepared and eaten during this time and made with grain-free flours like singhara (water chestnut), kuttu (buckwheat), rajgira (amaranth), sabudana (tapioca pearls), and sama (barnyard millet).
Ingredients
Singhara atta flour: Chestnut flour is the main ingredient for this dish.
Potatoes: I use boiled and mashed potatoes to add body to the dough.
Ghee: Using ghee makes the mathri crunchier so I highly recommend not replacing it with oil.
Step-by-step instructions to make singhara mathri
Step 1: Combine singhara atta, potato, and salt in a bowl (image 1).
Step 2: Add ghee. Rub it well to make a crumbly mixture (images 2 and 3).
Step 3: Slowly add water and knead it to form a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 25-30 minutes (image 4).
Step 4: Pinch out a lemon-sized dough and place it between two baking sheets. Roll into a thick disc. Prick the rolled dough using a fork (image 5).
Step 5: Use a cookie cutter or sharp bowl and cut out small circular discs (image 6).
Step 6: Place the mathris on the air fryer tray. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping once at the 5-minute mark (images 7 and 8).
Useful tips
Add water gradually: When kneading the dough for mathris, add water gradually to ensure that the dough is not too soft or too hard. The dough should be firm and smooth to make the mathris crispy.
Use ghee to make the dough: Ghee adds a rich, nutty flavor to the mathris. Ghee also helps to make the mathris crispy.
Roll out the mathris evenly: Roll out the mathris evenly to ensure that they cook uniformly. Uneven thickness can lead to uneven cooking.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer: Make sure you don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Leave some space between the mathris to ensure that they cook evenly.
Let them cool down: Let the singhara atta mathri cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. This will help to retain their crispiness.
More fasting recipes
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Recipe card
Singhara Atta Mathri (Air Fryer)
Ingredients
- 2 cups singhara atta (water chestnut flour)
- 1 large potato boiled, peeled, and mashed
- ¼ cup ghee
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust as per taste
- Cold water to knead the dough
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine singhara atta, mashed potato, and salt.
- Add ghee and rub it well to make a crumbly mixture.
- Slowly add cold water and knead it to form a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 25-30 minutes.
- Pinch out a lemon-sized dough and place it between two baking sheets. Roll into a thick disc.
- Prick the rolled dough using a fork. Use a cookie cutter or sharp bowl and cut out small circular discs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 F (180 C) for 2 minutes.
- Place the mathris on the air fryer tray and air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping once at the 5-minute mark.
- Let the mathris cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.
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