Podi Atta Crackers: A Tea-Time Snack You Can Bake

This podi crackers recipe is a small baking job with a very useful result: a tin of savoury bites for the next time you put the kettle on.

The dough uses atta, oil and water, with podi mixed right through it. There’s no need to build a long spice list. Thin rolling and a little patience with the oven matter more.

Ingredients

Makes: about 30 small crackers. Time: about 45 minutes, plus cooling.

• 1 cup whole wheat atta, about 130 g
• 2 teaspoons Rapidli Tamil Podi
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 4 to 6 tablespoons water, added gradually
• A small pinch of salt, only if needed
• A little extra atta for rolling

Start with 2 teaspoons of podi. A thick layer of seasoning can make a thin cracker taste too strong, especially once the moisture has baked away.

Make a firm dough

1. Mix the atta and podi in a bowl. Taste a tiny pinch of this dry mix and add salt only if needed.
2. Add the oil. Rub it through the flour with your fingers until there are no oily patches.
3. Add 4 tablespoons of water and bring the dough together. Add more water a teaspoon at a time if dry flour remains.
4. Knead briefly to make a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

Roll, cut and bake

1. Heat the oven to 170°C using the conventional top-and-bottom heat setting. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half on a lightly floured surface until roughly 2 mm thick. Try to keep the centre and edges equally thin.
3. Cut into small squares, about 3 cm across. Transfer them to the tray with a little space between pieces, then prick each one twice with a fork.
4. Bake for about 15 to 22 minutes, checking from 12 minutes onward. Rotate the tray if your oven browns one side faster.
5. Take the crackers out when the edges are lightly golden and the centres look dry. Cool completely on a rack before judging the crunch.

If the centres stay soft

A cracker that’s thick in the middle may brown around the edges while the centre stays soft. Roll the next batch more evenly.

If cooled crackers still bend, return them to the oven at 150°C for a few minutes. Watch closely and cool again. Small pieces can move from golden to dark quickly.

Which podi should you use?

Rapidli Tamil Podi is a useful starting point. Karnataka Podi gives a coconut-and-garlic direction. With Andhra Podi, start with less and taste the dry mix before adding more.

Keep the finished batch crisp

Let every piece cool before packing. Warm crackers trapped in a closed tin can lose their crunch. Use a clean, dry airtight container.

Serve with chai or a small bowl of podi hummus. For another snack, try our podi masala peanuts.