Chetna Makan’s cumin masala crackers recipe
Not your ordinary crackers, these have layers of flavour from the earthy cumin to the slightly sour chaat masala and the hot chilli powder. They are dangerously moreish, and even though they go perfectly with cheese and chutney, don’t try them on their own because you will not be able to stop at one. The best bit is that you can make them a few days in advance as they keep very well in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks, that is if there are any left.
Makes enough for 4 people
cumin seeds 1 tbsp
plain flour 300g
salt ½ tsp
chilli powder 1 tsp
chaat masala 1 tsp
sunflower oil 3 tbsp
water 120ml
sunflower oil for deep frying
Dry roast the cumin seeds in a pan for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and roughly crush so the seeds open but don’t make a powder of it.
Put this in a bowl with the flour, salt, chilli powder, chaat masala and oil and mix well Slowly add the water to form a soft dough and knead for 2 minutes. Cover and leave it aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan for deep frying or use a deep fat fryer and get it to 170C.
Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll each portion to a thin sheet (any shape you like) roughly 3mm. Cut them into diamond shapes or squares. Fry them for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium heat until golden and crispy. Leave them aside to cool before serving or storing them for another day.
Chetna Makan’s latest book is Chetna’s Indian Feasts (Hamlyn, £26)
