These will go great with your charcuterie board or brunch table or even just with cocktails! You know that hungry feeling when its way past dinner and you are only going to be up for a few more minutes – these would do the job! They have oats and some spicy ingredients to provide enough tongue tingle to satisfy your pangs. This is the 2021 Christmas Treat – Spicy Oat, Curry Leaf and Mustard Seed Crackers. Something savory before the meal!
I should emphasize (or so my wife tells me 🙂) this is a hot cracker/biscuit. This biscuit/cracker derives its heat from dried Arbol chilies and its spice from the curry leaves, mustard seed and mild curry powder. It is a delightful bite! It is almost like a spicy biscuit – lovely texture. Most grocery stores sell fresh curry leaves in plastic bags for a couple of dollars and you will have more than enough in one bag for this recipe – way more. But that’s okay, throw the bag in the freezer and every time you want to add a nice taste (no heat to this) to a dish – roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice etc, you can grab a handful and toss it in the marinade or cooking liquid.
Make the curry leaf mixture first. You will have extra left over – lucky you, use it to sprinkle over fish, meat, rice, potatoes etc. before serving. It has a beautiful green color and will stand out for a visually lovely presentation on your table. Keep the extra in an airtight jar on the pantry shelf. After you have cut the cookies, put about 4 tbsp of the curry leaf mixture into a small strainer and dust over the biscuits before baking. Do the same just as it comes out of the oven. I made mine small – better for nibbling with drinks – one bite and it’s done.
I know you will enjoy this lovely cracker/biscuit. I have given alternatives in the “Well Why Not” section below. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash your hands, socialize responsibly and above all, stay safe. As always – enjoy!
Ingredients
200g plain flour
150g oat flour (this is the same oats just ground in a spice grinder or blender)
60g rolled oats, plus extra for sprinkling
70g caster sugar
1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp curry leaf mixture – see below
150g cold butter, diced
100ml milk (plus maybe a dash more, if needed)
Curry Leaf Mixture
1 cup fresh curry leaves
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp crushed chili flakes or 10 whole dried Arbol chillies (yes, you may cut back on the heat – but why?, you could also use more 🙂)
3 tsp mild curry powder
Instructions
1. Make the Curry Leaf mixture:
To a medium size non-stick pan, add 1 tsp olive oil – swirl around on medium-high heat
2. When shimmering, carefully add the fresh curry leaves, mustard seeds and the whole chillies – there will be some sputtering
3. Toss in the pan to crisp up the leaves and allow the mustard seeds to start to pop – should be very fragrant
4. Remove from the frying pan to a bowl and allow to cool
5. When cool, empty the contents to a spice grinder and pulse to a fine texture – set aside
6. Make the Cracker:
If you have a food processor handy, use it – to make the dough – add all the ingredients except for the milk to the processor and pulse to a coarse texture (otherwise use the best tool ever – your hands)
7. Add the milk slowly and continue to pulse until the dough clumps together – test it by squeezing a little and seeing if it holds its shape. You shouldn’t need more than the specified amount of milk if you have measured properly – in any event, you just want it to come together
8. At this point, empty the contents onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into one mass
At this stage you can either roll the dough to about ½ cm thickness between two sheets of parchment and cut shapes
9. Or do what I did and roll into logs – square, round, triangular – all work well
10. Cut the dough into thin – I did about ½ cm or 1/8th inch and place on the parchment lined tray
11. Using a small strainer dust the curry leaf mixture over the just cut crackers and bake at 375 for 15 – 17 minutes – rotate the pan from middle to bottom rack half way through – around the 8 minute mark
12. When done, remove from the oven and immediately dust with additional curry leaf mixture
13. Let cool completely before storing in and airtight container or freezing
Well Why Not (alternatives)
– You can use a similar amount of Togarashi (that lovely fragrant Japanese condiment) to flavor the crackers
– Want to get really adventurous, add 1 tsp of cayenne pepper to the dough
– Remove all the heat by using fresh herbs to make the dough – a combination of rosemary and thyme or some other favorite flavors (but do try the curry leaf mixture puhlease)
– Make your own “everything bagel mix” with black/white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, some dried garlic powder, and onion powder – maybe a touch of cayenne or paprika, smoked or regular – use it instead of the curry leaf mix
– Mix some of the spice mix with sour cream or yogurt or on top of hummus or baba ghanoush and have a flavor burst with every dip (but no double dipping!)
