Into a large mixing bowl, sift the wholewheat flour.

Add the salt, dried fenugreek leaves and crushed black pepper.

Crush the carom seeds in the palm of your hand to release the aroma and add that as well.

Mix gently and add the hot oil a tsp at a time and cover it with the flour using a spoon.

Once all the oil has been added and the oil sizzled and cooled rub it into the dough forming a flaky dough. (check the step by step images in the post)

Now add a tbsp of water at a time and knead the dough just enough to come together like cookie dough. use just enough water as needed for the dough to come together. Don't over knead the dough as the mathris will become chewy and hard.

Cover the dough and leave it aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, set up a heavy bottomed wok or your deep fryer ( temp 130 degrees) with enough oil to fry this mathris.

From the prepared dough pinch-off small bits of dough, gently roll on your palms and press it down before dropping it in the hot oil. ( check the image in the step-by-step section of the post)

Keep the rest of the dough covered as you work through so they will not dry up ( lesson learnt by multiple mathri experiences)

The doughbits will sizzle, turn them over as necessary and the steam bubbling will slowly reduce and stop( check recipe image in the post)

Now, these golden-brown bits are ready and cooked, remove from oil onto an absorbent paper.

Cool them thoroughly before storing them.