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    Home » Appetisers

    Roasted Makhana Recipe - 2 Ways { Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy}

    Published: Sep 29, 2022 · Modified: Oct 9, 2022 by Deepti · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This elegant recipe of Roasted Makhana or Phool Makhana involves slow roasting of makhana dunked in desi ghee for a quick healthy snack! Made in two ways- salted and caramelized with sugar, these crunchy makhanas are going to be your favorite ones soon!

    roasted makhana

    Roasted Makhanas or lotus seeds (or fox nuts) are loved by everyone at home. This recipe of roasting makhana in ghee using a pan or a iron wok/ Kadai is a breeze to make. When my daughter started pre-school, I wanted her to have a healthy snack during her break times. Learn to make these crispy Phool makhanas that gather in 5 minutes with minimum effort.

    These flavorless white lotus seeds adapt easily the flavor of the dish. Made in two ways- the classic salted and crunchy caramelized with sugar, these makhanas taste heavenly. Flavored with Salt (Kala Namak) and Black pepper, the salted makhanas are not spicy, though can be made by adding red chili powder. They are amazingly crispy and have a melt-in-mouth flavor of ghee. Though any oil can be used, I highly recommend roasting them in ghee for perfect taste!

    For people on low fat diet can skip ghee and simply dry roast the makahans in a pan. Roasting them is essential as otherwise they may be chewy and not crisp.

    A popular and traditional Indian snack, makhana can be used to make variety of recipes- Makhana Kheer, Makhana gravy, Makhana Aloo, etc.

    Team these healthy snacks with tea on a fasting day or any day as well.

    Jump to:
    • Why Would You Love This Recipe?
    • Ingredients
    • What is Makhana?
    • Nutrition In Makhana
    • Variations
    • Storage Suggestions
    • What To Team With Makhana?
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ
    • Detailed Recipe
    • Salted Makhana
    • Sweet Makhana
    • Roasted Makhana Recipe- 2 Ways {Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy}

    Why Would You Love This Recipe?

    • Healthy Snack Recipe.
    • Recipe with very few ingredients.
    • Make Ahead Recipe.
    • Gluten-Free.
    • Can be made Vegan.
    • Has both sweet and savory versions.
    • Quick Recipe that gathers in 5 min.
    • Kid's Friendly.
    • Weight-Loss Friendly.
    • A perfect energy snack for people who fast on Navratri, Ekadashi or Monday. (Pls Note those who have salt once a day during the fast may follow sweet recipe of makhanas or just roast makhanas in ghee without salt).
    • The Best Makhana Recipe Ever!
    ghee roasted makhana

    Ingredients

    This recipe uses easy ingredients that may be already in your pantry or can be easily procured from the local grocery stores. For measurements, please refer to the recipe card.

    • Makhana- Any good quality brand works well for this recipe. You may use fresh pack from any local; store. Make sure to store them in a dry container for future storage.
    • Desi Ghee- Roasting anything in ghee makes my kitchen so nicely aromatic. Gheeadds a crisp layer to them when roasted on a slow flame. Their color changes from white to light yellow after absorbing ghee. You may use any oil, though they taste best in ghee.

    Salted Makhanas

    • Salt- I have used Indian Black salt (Kala namak), though normal salt would work well too.
    • Black Pepper- You may use black pepper powder for adding depth to the flavor of these makhanas.

    Sweet Makhanas

    • Sugar- Granulated sugar works well. You may use Gud (jaggery) too.
    ingredients for makhana

    What is Makhana?

    Makhana or fox nut or lotus seeds are seeds derived from Euryale ferox plant. Easily available in Asia, it is now a popular edible seed across the world too. They have no flavor or aroma of their own and easily blend in the flavor of any dish.

    Nutrition In Makhana

    Rich in calcium, carbs, iron, potassium, fiber, Makhanas are bundle packed with nutrition. Being low in sodium levels and cholesterol and high in healthy fats and amino acids, they become a good choice for all age groups.

    Variations

    Feel free to add any flavor to these makhanas.

    • Mint Makhana- Add dried and crushed mint/ pudina leaves to the roasted makhans when hot.
    • Spicy Makhana- Make them hot and spicy by flavoring them with red chili powder, garm masala and Amchur (Dried mango powder).
    • Add Caramel or chocolate flavors- You may add caramel or chocolate to the makhanas while roasting till they melt and combine.

    Storage Suggestions

    If there are any leftovers, both salted and sweet makhana can be stored in a dry container with a lid at room temperature for about 1-2 days.

    The non-roasted makhanas remain good in dry container for about few months. Make sure to soak them in sun before using.

    What To Team With Makhana?

    Have these flavored makhanas with tea or coffee or simply have them as is.

    Expert Tips

    • Makhana can be roasted without ghee or oil. Make sure to use a heavy bottomed wok or pan and roast them on slow flame throughout as they get burnt-up very quickly.
    • If you are roasting makhana in ghee, add ghee to the wok and let it heat first. Gradually, add makhana and keep sauteeing for uniform blending of ghee and spices.
    • For making salted makhana, add salt and black pepper after switching off the flame.
    • Transfer the roasted makhana to a steel bowl so that it doesn't get any extra heat.
    • For making sweet makhana, add sugar after roasting them for a min. Let sugar melt and caramelize and switch off the flame when sugar is completely coated on makhana and is melted fully.

    FAQ

    Is roasted makhana good for health?

    Yes, makhana are packed with nutrients and are a rich source of calcium, potassium, fiber with almost zero cholesterol.

    What is the best way to eat makhana?

    The best way is to dry roast them and have as is. You may add little ghee while roasting. The other ways are to have them mixed in milk as kheer or make a vegetable curry using them.

    How many makhana can be eaten in a day?

    A handful can be easily eaten using this recipe. Eating more my cause bloating or constipation.

    Detailed Recipe

    Salted Makhana

    Step 1 Heat Ghee

    In a large Kadai or wok, add ghee and gradullay add makhana. Roast them on slow flame for about 2-3 minutes. They would absorb ghee and become light yellow. Switch off the flame immediately and keep sauteing for uniform roasting.

    You may make keep half of the roasted makhana aside for making sweet.

    ghee in iron wok/ kadai
    add makhana to kadai
    makhana have absorbed ghee

    Step 2 Mix Salt

    Take a steel bowl and transfer roasted makhana to it. Sprinkle salt and black pepper and mix well. Enjoy it with tea.

    salted makhana

    Sweet Makhana

    After Step 1 from above,

    Step 3 Add Sugar

    On simmer flame, add sugar and let it melt. It will start getting coated on makhana. Once it caramelizes, switch off and enjoy.

    You may add cardamom power for flavor.

    suagr to makhana
    roasting on simmer

    Step 4 Serve It

    Serve both the flavor sweet and salted roasted makhana!

    sugary caramelized makhana

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    Roasted Makhana Recipe- 2 Ways {Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy}

    This elegant recipe of Roasted Makhana or Phool Makhana involves slow roasting of makhana dunked in desi ghee for a quick healthy snack! Made in two ways- salted and caramelized with sugar, these crunchy makhana are going to be your favorite ones soon!
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 1 min
    Cook Time 4 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Appetisers, Indian Fast Snacks, Indian Snacks
    Cuisine Indian, indian traditional
    Servings 3
    Calories 50 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 wok/ kadai heavy-bottomed. I have used iron kadai
    • 1 Mixing bowl

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups Makhana (60 gm) dried
    • 1.5 tablespoon Desi Ghee
    • 1 teaspoon Kala Namak
    • 1 teaspoon Black pepper
    • 2 tablespoon sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Taka a large wok and add ghee to it.
    • Once the ghee is hot, add all makhana and roast on slow flame for about -3 min. Keep a close watch as they might get burnt up quickly.
    • Take half of them in a steel bowl to make salted. Keep another half in wok for making sweet.
    • For making salted, add salt and black pepper to makhana in the steel bowl
    • For making sweet, add sugar to the wok on slow flame.
    • Sugar would start melting. Once it melts and carmelizes, switch off the flame.
    • Both the salted and sweet makhana are ready! Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Makhana can be roasted without ghee or oil. Make sure to use a heavy-bottomed wok or pan and roast them on slow flame throughout as they get burnt up very quickly.
    • If you are roasting makhana in ghee, add ghee to the wok and let it heat first. Gradually, add makhana and keep sauteeing for a uniform blending of ghee and spices.
    • For making salted makhana, add salt and black pepper after switching off the flame.
    • Transfer the roasted makhana to a steel bowl so that it doesn’t get any extra heat.
    • For making sweet makhana, add sugar after roasting them for a min. Let the sugar melt and caramelize and switch off the flame when sugar is completely coated on makhana and is melted fully.
    Salted Makhana
    Nutrition Facts
    Serving size: 1 bowl
    Servings: 3
    Amount per serving  
    Calories 50
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 1.9g 2%
    Saturated Fat 1g 5%
    Cholesterol 3mg 1%
    Sodium 51mg 2%
    Total Carbohydrate 6.9g 3%
    Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
    Total Sugars 0g  
    Protein 1.6g  
    Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
    Calcium 17mg 1%
    Iron 0mg 2%
    Potassium 146mg 3%
    *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
    Sweet Makhana have approx 82 calories per serving.
    Keyword 5 min vrat recipe, easy navratri vrat recipes, Healthy Snack, High Calcium Food, Makhana recipe, Phool makhana roasted, Weight Loss Friendly

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    About Deepti

    Warm Welcome to my blog!
    This blog is created by a former Assistant Professor, mother, and Netflix Binge watcher who is passionate about food! This blog is my collection of homemade healthy vegetarian (egg-free too) recipes that are tested and approved by my family before they are finally posted here. A variety of Indian and World recipes that are made in a simple way!
    I am so glad to have you as a part of my journey in this online world.
    Thanks for stopping by!

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    Hi, I'm Deepti!

    Warm Welcome to my blog!
    This blog is created by a former Assistant Professor, mother, and Netflix Binge watcher who is passionate about food! Here, I am sharing homemade healthy vegetarian (egg-free too) recipes that are tested and approved by my family before they are finally posted.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    More about me →

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