In a large bowl, add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, ajwain, salt and ghee.

Mix everything well. Continue to rub the flour mixture between your fingers or palm until it resembles breadcrumbs. This is done to ensure that the ghee is evenly distributed throughout the flour. And the mathris get a crisp and flaky texture.

To check that, take some flour mixture in your palm and squeeze it. If the flour mixture holds the shape then it ready. If not, keep mixing it.

Pour water, little at a time, and bring the dough together. Knead it for 1-2 minutes and form a firm dough. Avoid over kneading as it can make the mathris hard.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth. Keep it aside to rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and place it over the rolling surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough. It should be ¼ inch thick.

Place a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter over the dough. And cut out the mathris. Carefully remove them. Gather the leftover dough, roll it again and make more mathris.

Using a sharp knife, cut out eyes, nose and mouth. You can also make straight lines over a few of them. Watch the recipe video to know more.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium flame. Once it heats up, lower the flame and carefully drop a few of the mathris into the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry 3-4 mathris at a time.

Continue to cook them over a low flame until both sides of the mathris are cooked well and they become golden brown in colour. It may take around 6-8 minutes per batch.

Using a slotted spoon or ladle, lift them out and transfer them to a plate lined with absorbent paper. Deep fry the remaining mathris in the same manner.

Serve them with tea or coffee. Or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.