Crispy roasted masala makaha is a perfect evening or packed snack for children and adults. While being extremely easy to make, it's also high in protein. Puffed lotus seeds are a much better alternative than packaged snacks.
A super-easy recipe of roasted masala makhana that you can make at home. Nothing can beat a crunchy snack that's ready within 10 minutes!
If you have ever met me outside my house, there is a high chance I shared my roasted makhana with you! I always carry a zip lock bag of makhana with me. It's a go-to snack for my son and me. This recipe has really taken me through parks, beaches, aeroplane rides, school lunches, and whatnot!
While makhana and roasted pumpkin seeds are great crunchy snacks, my dates snickers, chocolate bliss balls and millet laddos are perfect soft, sweet, healthy snacks.
Why this recipe works
1. Crispy healthy snack, perfect for kids and an accompaniment with chai
2. Cheap and healthier to make at home
3. Extremely simple to make- both on the stovetop and in the air fryer.
What is makhana or foxnut?
If you are new to makhana, let me explain what it is.
It is the seed from the lotus flower pod. In Hindi, it's called fool makhana. Makhana is also called foxnut or Gorgan nut or lotus seeds. It's a very traditional, often-used ingredient in North India. It's used in making offerings to god(prashad).
"Makhana", the word is often used as "yummy snack" in colloquial Hindi in North India. Besides roasting it, you can make curries with it, such as kheer and porridge for kids.
In fact, I have grown up eating makhana. Two of my mom's famous dishes were khoya mmatar makhana and makhana kheer.
Calories in roasted makhana
Dry-roasted makhana is very healthy. It has very few calories. One hundred grams of plain makhana has 106 calories with 5 grams of protein! That's almost as much as one whole egg!
I don't think any chips or namkeens can have this kind of nutrient content. You get a lot of packaged roasted makhana everywhere. I love the tomato-flavored crispy makhana, but for everyday, I prefer making it at home. Not only is it healthier, but it is also cheaper.
Flavors & variations for roasted makhana
Besides the spicy masala makhana, you can flavor the puffed lotus seeds in many ways. Here are my tried and tested versions.
- Garlic makhana- use garlic powder in the seasoning. Not only does it taste amazing, but garlic powder also sticks very well to makhana.
- Peri Peri makhana - this spicy seasoning is a favourite of mine.
- Mint Makhana - Use dried, crushed mint leaves and pepper in the seasoning.
- Curry leaves and peanuts makhana - You can also add roasted peanuts and curry leaves to the makhana to the ghee at the spice roasting stage.
- Namkeen or Makhana chiwda- Add roasted gram dal, nuts, peanuts, curry leaves, and puffed rice to make an easy homemade munching snack.
How to roast makhana on the stovetop
Roasting makhana is definitely a test of patience. It takes 12-15 minutes of roasting makhana on low heat for the insides to cook enough to get crunchy.Here are the steps
Step 1: Choose the pan
The pan should be able to withstand high heat- a cast iron pan, a kadai, or a heavy-bottomed steel pan works. I don't like using tawa for this because you need high sides; otherwise, the makhana will keep popping out of it.
I have used my newly acquired le creuset wok.I love it!
Step 2: Dry roasting lotus seeds
Heat the pan you are using on low-medium heat. Add the makhana(called lotus seeds in English) and keep moving them around.
High heat will only make the makhana burn on the outside, while the inside will stay soft. It's no use. As I said earlier, roasting makhana in a pan tests patience. Check if the makhana is crispy before moving to the next step.They should be crisp all through the center.
Step 3: Add seasoning
Mix the dry spices- salt, turmeric, chat masala, ground cumin,n and chili powder.
You can either remove the makhana or make a small space in the middle like I did. Add the ghee, and once it melts, add all the spices. Working fast, mix the makhana with ghee and spices.
Pro Tips & Tricks
Makhana roasting fails- Makhana can burn quickly. If the heat is too high, the outside burns while the inside stays soft.
Another issue with roasted makhana is that the flavors do not stick to it easily. You can either make a tadka and then mix the makhana or use fine ground condiments and spices like dry mango powder, garlic powder or chaat masala to make it stick to the makhana.
Roasted Masala Makhana
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Makhanas about 50 grams
- 1 Teaspoon Ghee
- ½ Teaspoon Ground cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Ground red chili powder reduce or omit for children
- ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ Teaspoon Chaat masala
- Salt to taste fine salt sticks better
Instructions
Air fryer Method
- Preheat the makhana for 5 minutes at 400F or 200C.
- Mix the ghee, salt, turmeric,coriander and chili powder.
- Using your fingers, rub the mix on the makhanas
- Add the makhana to the air fryer basket and air fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Let the makhana cool completely before you store it in an air tight container.
Stove top, pan roasted method
- Take a heavy bottomed pan. Heat it on low- medium heat.
- Add the makhana and keep moving them around the hot pan. This will take 812-15 minutes on medium low flame.
- Mix the salt, turmeric, ground cumin, chaat masala and chili powder.
- Make space in the middle, add the ghee. Once the ghee melts, add the mixed spices.
- Mix the makhana by moving it around.
- Roast for another 30 seconds so that spices get cooked.
- Let the makhana cool completely before you store it in an air tight container.
Notes
Tips for raosted masala makhana
Here are some tips and tricks that help get that perfect crunch on the stovetop.-
- Makhanas take 15-20 minutes to roast. The slower you go, the better, all the while stirring the makahanas.
- Do not roast peanuts and other nuts with it. They will invariably get burnt way before the makhanas are crispy.
- After the makhanas have cooled down, transfer them into an air-tight jar. They become soggy very fast.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Makhanas are called fox nuts in English.They are the seeds from the lotus flower pods.
Foxnut is completely vegan, naturally occurring seed from the lotus plant.
Yes.It does not have any gluten in it.
Makhanas by themselves are paleo and Whole30 approved, but not all flavourings and fats are paleo and Whole30 approved.
Yes. 100 gms of makhanas have only 102 calories with a whopping 5 grams of protein and very little fat.
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