Amaranth Crackers

Ever since I had made my first batch of crackers using wheat flour, I have been in the look out for various types of crackers. It is such a guilt free snack and very simple to make too. We have a small vegetable garden in our balcony and have been growing amaranth since few weeks. I have been contemplating to bake a bread with these leaves in it, which somehow hasn’t materialised till now. So decided to try some healthy whole wheat-maize flour crackers. And surprisingly it has turned out really well. It is super crunchy and flavourful too.

Amaranth leaves is very rich in iron, minerals and vitamins. Its seeds are used as a super health food, being gluten free. The  leaves prevents premature greying of hair and reduces hair loss. It is good for the skin and is used to help in treating gum disorders. Please do try these at home. Perfect to munch with your mid morning or evening tea. Try to incorporate more millets and other greens to make it more healthy. Adding fenugreek/methi leaves is also a good option. Remember to knead the dough a bit tightly, so that the crackers remain crunchy and crispy. Pat the leaves till it is dry to prevent your crackers from getting soggy.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour 100 gm
• Maize flour 50 gm
• Amaranth leaves a handful
• Salt to taste
• Powdered sugar 1 tbsp
• Cold butter 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds 1 tsp
• Chilli powder 1 tsp
• Curd 1 tbsp

Method:

• Clean and wash the amaranth leaves. Pat it gently with a towel to dry it.

• Chop it finely and keep aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, chilli powder, cumin seeds and sesame seeds till everything is combined well.
• Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and rub it with your finger tips.
• Add the chopped amaranth leaves and the curd and knead gently to form a dough. If the mix is too dry, sprinkle a spoon of water or milk or oil.
• The dough should resemble a thick version of methi paratha.

• Allow the dough to rest for atleast 10-15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius for 10-12 minutes.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it ready.
• Pinch a portion of the dough and roll it on a lightly floured counter into a big disk. Roll it as thin as possible.

• Cut it into desired shapes using a cookie cutter.

• Arrange them neatly on the baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or till it looks golden.
• Take care not to overbake the crackers, being very thin it tends to get overbaked too soon.
• Remove from the oven and leave it in the tray for 2-3 minutes.
• Allow them to cool on a wire rack. Store them in airtight containers when they are fully cooled.
• Enjoy them without any guilt during your choti choti bhook.
• Can even dip it in cold hung curd dip or simply enjoy it with tea.

Notes:

• You can replace maize flour with ragi or any other millet or simply skip it and use whole wheat flour.
• Try using other leafy vegetables like drumstick leaves or spinach.
• The best part is with the above measurements, I got 85 crackers 🙂