Indian & South Asian · Snack
Roasted Spiced Makhana
मखाना (Masala Makhana)
Light, crunchy puffed lotus seeds slowly toasted until crisp, then tossed in a little oil with turmeric, chilli and cumin for a moreish, air-light snack.
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Total
- 17 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 55% · Fat 33% · Protein 12%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 4 cups60 gMakhana (puffed lotus seeds / fox nuts)
- 2 tsp9 gOlive oil
- 1/4 tspGround turmeric
- 1/2 tspKashmiri or mild chilli powder
- 1/2 tspGround cumin
- 1/4 tspGround black pepper
- 1/2 tspSalt
Steps
- 1
Put the makhana in a wide, dry frying pan over low heat.
- 2
Dry-roast, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until the seeds are crisp right through; one should crush easily between your fingers.
- 3
Tip the roasted makhana into a bowl.
- 4
Mix the turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, black pepper and salt in a small dish.
- 5
Add the oil to the same pan over low heat.
- 6
Stir in the spice mix and cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- 7
Return the makhana to the pan and toss for 2–3 minutes until evenly coated.
- 8
Turn off the heat and let the makhana cool completely so it stays crunchy.
- 9
Serve, or store in an airtight jar for up to a week.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use ghee instead of olive oil for a richer, traditional flavour, though it will no longer be vegan or dairy-free.
- Swap the chilli powder for smoked paprika if you want a smoky, milder heat.
- Replace the turmeric, cumin and chilli with 1 tsp of chaat masala for an easy one-jar seasoning, choosing one labelled gluten-free if you need it to be.
- Use avocado or sunflower oil instead of olive oil if that is what you have on hand.
Storage
Once completely cool, keep the makhana in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to a week; do not refrigerate or freeze, as moisture makes it soft. If it loses its crunch, re-crisp it in a dry pan over low heat for a couple of minutes.
Make ahead
You can roast and season a batch up to a week ahead and store it airtight once fully cool. The spice mix can also be stirred together days in advance and kept in a small jar.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (19 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 73 kcal | 384 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g | 12.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.2 g | 53.7 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0.2 g | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g | 14.2 g |
| of which saturated | 0.4 g | 2.1 g |
| Sodium | 293 mg | 1,542 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
