Monday, March 2, 2015

Mixed Whole Grain Crackers


Easy to make, healthy for your body and a recipe that uses ingredients that are easily found in any kitchen, these crackers are surely getting added to our repertoire of home made snack supplies. The spices used in here can be easily substituted with what your family prefers. I think any nut meal can also go in place of one of the flours. 

These days, "Mama, I am hungry!" echos through the house at any hour of the day. The five year old is off school for a week due to swine flu outbreak. Any time I ask her to do something, she says "Mama, I am hungry!". She loves gulping down gallons of milk and the minute she has a glass of it, claims to have gotten rid of some imaginary body ache. Of course, it goes without saying that she never feels hungry if I let her watch TV!! LOL…the other day, she said I don't feed her enough and so her knee hurts! The same day my husband said, "Spare her, don't stuff her like a twenty five year old, she is only five!!" What a day full of such comedy conversations!! After a pretty rough patch, I am finally loving being a SAHM. Would be missing so much of innocent humor in my day, had I been unlucky enough to sit in front of the computer at work all day long! 


So after one such "I am hungry" episode, I set out to make these crunchy crackers. Prep done half hour before the kids went down for a nap, these crackers were a breeze!! It took me a bit long to complete the task as I own only one cookie sheet. But if you have more than one and can fit them in your oven, then in thirty minutes you can sit down to savor these delicious crackers!! I did plan on a creamy veggie dip originally but that never happened!! Just blame the younger one, he woke up earlier than expected!!!


Mixed Whole Grain Crackers

Ingredients:

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup amaranth flour
2/3 cup oats
1 TBS kasoori methi, crushed between the palms of your hands
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt
3 TBS oil (I used filtered groundnut oil but olive, sunflower, canola oil would do as well)
Water, as needed
1 TBS Onion seeds or sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients up to salt. Add oil and gently mix it with the dry ingredients. Now slowly add water as needed to form a soft yet firm dough.

Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Then divide into four equal parts. With the help of a rolling pin, roll each part in to a thin disc (about 1-2mm thickness). Sprinkle some onion or sesame seeds on top and then gently roll again to firmly press the seeds on the disc. Cut in to 12 equal parts with the help of a knife.

Preheat oven to 150 Deg C. Till the oven pre heats, arrange the cut crackers on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 min until golden brown. Remove from oven, flip the crackers and bake for another 5 minutes until crisp. Leave on the cookie sheet for another 5 min, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Once cooled, immediately transfer to an air tight container.

Makes about 4 dozen crackers.

Serving:

Serve with your favorite dip. Should stay crisp in an air tight container for about 4-5 days, if they last that long!