Roasted Makhana

Roasted Makhana is a healthy and divine snack made with fox nuts or lotus seeds, a little bit of ghee/oil, and some aromatic spices.

Flavored with Indian spices, this roasted makhana makes a crunchy, addictive, yet healthy evening snack or mid-lunch snack. Pair them up with some piping hot tea or coffee, and your toothsome brunch is sorted.

Made with only a handful of ingredients, these flavourful roasted makhanas are ready in under 10 minutes and stay fresh for up to 30 days when stored in an airtight container.

About Roasted Makhana

Loaded with rich nutrients, fiber, protein, calcium, and iron, this roasted makhana (roasted fox nuts) makes a wholesome and delightful instant snack to satisfy your salty snack cravings.

You can just season them with salt or salt and pepper. I generally like to spice them up, they just taste like a spicy namkeen or bhujia. The great thing about this snack is that you can alter the spices based on your taste preference. If you love munching on any type of namkeens, then you would definitely enjoy relishing this roasted Makhana (roasted fox nuts).

They are one of the best crispy, crunchy, tasteful, and healthy snacks when you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle and trying to stay away from junk food. They not only satisfy your salty snack cravings but also keep your hunger pangs at bay for a few hours.

Makhana (Lotus Seeds) is a great snack to munch on between your meals or to enjoy with your evening cup of tea. They are tasty and very rich in protein, calcium, and iron. This makes them extremely healthy too.

Makhanas are chewy when they are raw but when you roast them with a bit of ghee or oil they turn into a crispy and crunchy popcorn-like snack which is way healthier than regular popcorn.

In India, Makhana or fox nut is typically used during fasting because they are very light, and the fasting recipes made with this ingredient taste so scrumptious. It is also light on the stomach and rich in nutrients.

Makhana is a pretty versatile ingredient. Besides roasting makhanas, we can make many other dishes using phool makhana such as makhana kheer, makhana curry, makhana raita, makhana burfi, makhana chivda, makhana laddu and many more.

On this page, I have shared all the tips, tricks, and variations to make the best-roasted makhana.

What is Makhana?

Makhana or phool makhana is known by many names such as fox nut, lotus seeds, or Euryale Ferox. These are starchy white seeds that come from a floating plant called Euryale Fox which is a species of water lily.

This plant is found in India, China, and Japan (basically in southern and eastern Asia).

The plant has white edible seeds. When the seeds are dried they become edible and called makhana or fox nuts. It is also widely used in Ayurveda and is also traditional Chinese medicine.

You can find these seeds in stores — they are sold shelled and dried.

Makhana is loaded with the goodness of nutrients. They are a good source of fiber, protein, calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates, iron, and zinc. It has been consumed in the Indian subcontinent for centuries.

After roasting or frying, they just pop like popcorn, and taste super delicious. Plus, makhana has a very neutral taste and thus you can season them up the way you want.

Simply roast them in a pan and season with your favorite spice blend. After roasting they are cooled and stored in an air-tight container to make a light and nutritious snack.

Similar to this roasted fox nuts recipe, there are some other homemade mid-day or tea-time snacks such as makhana namkeen, aloo> bhujia, namak para, mathri, masala peanuts, cornflakes chivda, and murmura chivda.

This Roasted Makhana:

✔ is easy and simple to make

✔ is super yummy and addictive

✔ make a healthy and crunchy snack

✔ is also customizable

✔ can be made with your favorite spice blend

✔ is gluten-free, and can also be made vegan

✔ makes a wonderful snack for picnic and road trips

✔ can also be carried to the office as a snack

Variations:

I have made my own spice blend for this roasted makhana recipe. But you can also make your own favorite spice blend. Below are some other flavors that taste incredible in roasted makhana or roasted fox nuts.

Below are some seasoning options which taste great in this roasted makhana recipe:

• Salt & Pepper 

• Sour cream & onion 

• Cheese powder 

• French fry seasoning

• Garlic powder

Roasted Makhana Ingredients

These roasted makhanas aka roasted fox nuts are made with very simple and basic ingredients which are easily available in any kitchen.

Makhana: You will need a good variety of makhanas (Lotus Seeds or Fox Nuts).

Ghee: This recipe calls for some fat for roasting. I used ghee in this recipe because it adds a nice flavor and also gives it a nice aroma. But you can also use butter or ghee for roasting.

Seasoning: I have made my own spice blend of rock salt, pepper, red chili powder, dry mint powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala powder, and dry mango powder.

Health Benefits of Makhana

• Makhana is a really good source of protein and fiber.

• They are low in cholesterol, sodium, and fat, which makes them an ideal guilt-free snack for any time of the day.

• They are also rich in antioxidants and fight against inflammation.

• Makhanas is also good for heart diseases and high blood pressure.

• They are also diabetic-friendly because they are low in glycemic index and keep the sugar level in control.

• In Ayurveda medicines, it is used to reduce kidney problems.

• Makhana is rich in calcium, carbohydrates, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, and zinc.

• Fox Nuts are low in calories, which makes a lovely snack for people who want to lose weight.

How to make Roasted Makhana:

Roasted makhanas are simple and easy to make. This is how you can roast them in 3 simple steps. Here is how to make these at home:

Step 1: Heat ghee in a pan, and roast makhanas in the ghee until they are browned, crisp and crunchy.

Step 2: Drizzle roasted makhana with ghee and add seasonings. Toss until they are nicely coated in spices.

Step 3: Let them cool, and store, and enjoy whenever you want.

Detailed instructions on how to make Roasted Makhana are included in the recipe card on this page.

Storage

Roasted makhanas have a good shelf life. They last for up to a month when stored in an air-tight glass container at room temperature. However, I am sure that they won’t last that long.  They are super addictive, and they get finished in just  2-3 days in our home.

Yeah, we do love to gobble them up. 

Serving Suggestion

Roasted makhanas taste good as they are — you really don’t need anything else with them. But if you want to have them for brunch then you can serve them with some masala chai, coffee, or even milk. Basically, you can have them as a healthy snack anytime you want.

Tips, tricks, and variations to make the best tasting crispy roasted makhanas

1. Always roast makahans on low heat, and keep stirring often to ensure even roasting.

2. I have roasted makhanas in ghee, because they add a nice buttery flavor to this roasted makhana. But you can also roast them in coconut oil or any other vegetable oil.

3. Feel free to double or triple this recipe. 

4. After roasting makhanas, I like to drizzle hot makhanas with ghee. The addition of the ghee at the end helps the makhanas in coating well with the seasoning.

5. If you don’t want to roast them in a pan, then you can also air fry them, or roast them in the oven.  

FAQs

How to make roasted makhanas vegan?

This roasted makhana can easily be made vegan by swapping ghee with coconut oil or any neutral oil.

Is roasted makhana gluten-free?

Yes, these makhanas are completely gluten-free.

How long can you store Roasted Makhana?

Roasted makhanas are perfectly crispy when they are roasted. You can store them for up to 1 month in an air-tight glass jar. After that, they will start losing the flavors and crispness. 

How do you know that Makhana is roasted properly?

There’s a way to check the doneness. Break the makhana between your index finger and thumb. If it is crunchy and breaks easily then the makhanas are roasted. Or, you can also test it by taking a bite, if they are crunchy and don’t stick to your teeth then they are well roasted.

If they are not roasted, then toast them for a couple of more minutes or until they are crisp.

Roasted Makhana [Recipe]

Roasted Makhana is a healthy and divine snack made with fox nuts or lotus seeds, a little bit of ghee/oil, and some aromatic spices.

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★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 4 reviews)

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Prep time 🕐	Cook time 🕐	Total time 🕐
2 mins	10 mins	12 mins
Category ☶	Cuisine ♨	Serves ☺
Snacks	Indian	6
Nutrition Info ⊛		Serving size ⊚
71 calories		1

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INGREDIENTS

For roasted makhana

• 3 cups phool makhana (fox nuts)
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter), or oil
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
• Black salt or regular salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder, or as required (amchur)
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala, or as required
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (kali mirch)
• 1 teaspoon dry mint (pudina) powder

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INSTRUCTIONS:

For making Roasted Makhana

1. In a wide flat pan heat ghee/oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the ghee melts, switch the heat to low and add makhanas (foxnuts).
2. Roast makhanas on low heat for 7-8 minutes or until they turn slightly browned, crunchy and crispy. Keep on stirring often to ensure that makhanas are evenly roasted. To check, take a roasted makhana and try to break it between thumb and index finger. If it breaks easily into crumbs then it is ready. Also, you can test the doneness by eating a makhana, if it is crunchy then it is ready.
3. Drizzle roasted makhanas with 1/2 teaspoon ghee, adding ghee to the hot roasted makhanas helps them in coating with spices. Also add chaat masala powder, salt, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, dry mango powder, mint powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Turn off the heat, and toss everything well until combined. Also, add sugar and toss well again until all the spices are coated well.
5. Let the makhanas cool down completely before storing them in an air-tight container. Spicy, tangy, and crunchy roasted phool makhana is ready. Serve roasted makhana along with a cup of chai or coffee.

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NOTES:

1. Always roast makahans on low heat, and keep stirring often to ensure even roasting.
2. I have roasted makhanas in ghee, because they add a nice buttery flavor to this roasted makhana. But you can also roast them in coconut oil or any other vegetable oil.

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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/roasted-makhana/