The ultimate caramel-roasted makhana is here! A perfect munching snack for festive get-togethers or movie nights. Be sure to watch the video!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
- Foxnuts (Lotus Seeds)
- The CHEAT Caramel
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- My Tried and True Tips
- Caramel Roasted Makhana Recipe
Foxnuts (Lotus Seeds)
The Phool Makhana is also known as lotus seeds or foxnuts. It is produced in India, Korea, and Japan. Today, foxnuts are considered an excellent low-calorie, anti-oxidant, gluten-free, vegan superfood.
The caramel-coated roasted makhana is my newfound obsession! I am sure you will ditch the caramel popcorn for this roasted makhana.
I make it for:
- snacking: it is perfect for munching or nibbling throughout the year
- festive parties: it makes an excellent snack for festive get-togethers
- movie night: whether it is a Netflix marathon or a romantic movie night, it has become one of our favourite bowls of snacks to share.
More Reasons To LOVE Caramel Makhana
- 5 ingredient recipe
- gluten-free snack
- zero prep work is required
- no syrup or artificial flavour
- takes minimal time to get ready
The CHEAT Caramel
I like to call it CHEAT caramel. Why? Because it is a quick caramel made with unrefined, raw sugar also known as jaggery.
The raw sugar has a natural, caramel-like nutty taste. All you need to do is melt it, get a caramel-like consistency using water, and season with a pinch of salt.
You do not need pro-level cooking skills, tons of ingredients, a cooking thermometer, or any syrup/glucose to make this quick and easy caramel sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Foxnut (lotus seed or Phool Makhana): You can get packets of it in grocery stores selling Indian ingredients.
- Ghee is used for roasting the foxnut. You can use butter or coconut oil (for the vegan version).
- Jaggery Powder is the USP of this CHEAT caramel sauce. The unrefined, raw sugar gives a nutty taste and a beautiful colour to the sauce.
- Water to liquefy the caramel. You can use milk as well instead of water to make this caramel for roasted makhana.
- A pinch of sea salt balances the sweetness of caramel and makes it savoury.
Watch Caramel Makhana Video
My Tried and True Tips
- Roast makhana till they turn crisp . If the foxnuts are not crunchy, after caramel coating they will become soggy.
- Continuously stir the caramel after adding water to make sure the jaggery is nicely dissolved and there are no lumps.
- Allow the caramel-coated makhana to cool down completely on a tray before serving or storing.
- You can store caramel roasted makhana for 1 – 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature. I suggest serving or enjoying them within a few hours of making them.
More Ways To Eat Foxnut
- Phool Makhana Curry
- Kesar Makhana Phirni
- Dry Fruits Makhana Kheer
- Masala Roasted Makhana
Ingredients
- ▢ ¼ Cup ghee (clarified butter)
- ▢ 2 Cup foxnut (makhana)
- ▢ ½ Cup jaggery powder
- ▢ ¼ Cup water
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a frying pan. Add foxnut and fry till nuts are crispy and crunchy. Keep stirring them while roasting. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add jaggery powder. Spread it into a thin layer. Over low heat, melt the jaggery powder. If required, stir gently at regular intervals.
- Once jaggery powder is melted, add water. Continuously stir the caramel in the clockwise direction to dissolve jaggery lumps. Let the caramel bubble till it turns into a smooth liquid.
- Add salt. Stir to combine.
- Once the caramel is turned into a silky, smooth liquid, add ghee roasted foxnut. Quickly coat them with caramel.
- Transfer to a large tray. Spread evenly. Allow to cool down for 15 minutes.
- Serve caramel roasted makhana.
Recipe Notes:
- Roast makhana till they turn crisp . You can use butter as well instead of ghee.
- Continuously stir the caramel after adding water to make sure jaggery is nicely dissolved and there are no lumps.
- Allow the caramel-coated makhana to cool down completely on a tray before serving or storing.
Nutrition
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Caramel Roasted Makhana Recipe
Equipment
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 Cup foxnut (makhana)
- ½ Cup jaggery powder
- ¼ Cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a frying pan. Add foxnut and fry till nuts are crispy and crunchy. Keep stirring them while roasting. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add jaggery powder. Spread it into a thin layer. Over low heat, melt the jaggery powder. If required, stir gently at regular intervals.
- Once jaggery powder is melted, add water. Continuously stir the caramel in the clockwise direction to dissolve jaggery lumps. Let the caramel bubble till it turns into a smooth liquid.
- Add salt. Stir to combine.
- Once the caramel is turned into a silky, smooth liquid, add ghee roasted foxnut. Quickly coat them with caramel.
- Transfer to a large tray. Spread evenly. Allow to cool down for 15 minutes.
- Serve caramel roasted makhana.
Video
Notes
- Roast makhana till they turn crisp . You can use butter as well instead of ghee.
- Continuously stir the caramel after adding water to make sure jaggery is nicely dissolved and there are no lumps.
- Allow the caramel-coated makhana to cool down completely on a tray before serving or storing.
Nutrition
Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi is a healthy and tasty Kumaoni-style stir fry of a local variety of red mustard greens. It is a sattvic sabzi made without onion, garlic, ginger or tomato.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- About Pahadi Mustard Greens
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make
- Serving Suggestion
- Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi
About Pahadi Mustard Greens
Uttarakhand, nestled in the Himalayas, boasts a cuisine that is simple, rustic, and highly nutritious. One such humble yet flavorful dish is Lai ki Sabzi, a stir-fry made from a local variety of mustard leaves.
The colour of Pahadi mustard leaves has shades of red, crimson, and dark green. The broad and curled leaves look very similar to Kale and have a peculiarly sharp aroma like mustard seeds/oil.
In the local Kumaoni dialect, we call this variety of mustard greens Lai or Lai Ki Sabzi or Lai Ka Saag. It is available from autumn to winter season. And disappears with the spring.
Known for its earthy flavours and packed with nutrients, this lai ki sabzi perfectly reflects the essence of Pahadi (mountain) cuisine, which focuses on fresh ingredients and minimal spices.
Why You’ll Love Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi
- low-calorie but nutrition-dense
- vegan, plant-based dish
- easy, healthy and tasty
- gluten and nut-free
- sattvic recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pahadi Lai or mustard greens are the key ingredients in this Kumaoni recipe. You can make it with regular sarson leaves but the taste is way different.
- Mustard Oil is used to cook lai ki sabzi. You can substitute it with neutral-tasting vegetable refined oil.
- Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Hing (Asafoetida), Dried Red Chillies
How To Make
Prep Greens:
- Remove the tough stem from the base of the greens. Wash the leaves in water twice or thrice to make sure they are clean and free of dirt.
- Chop the greens into fine threads. The finer they are cut the better they taste.
Cooking Lai :
- Heat oil in a thick bottom wok over high heat. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, reduce the heat to low.
- Add the dry red chillies and asafoetida. Cook for a few seconds.
- Now add the chopped mustard greens, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder. Mix well, and cover the wok with a lid.
- Allow the greens to cook on low flame. It takes 10 -12 minutes. Stir the sabzi at regular intervals to avoid scorching.
- Do not cook the greens for too long otherwise, they will become bitter.
Serving Suggestion
There is a kind of unsaid comfort in relishing lai ki sabzi with pahadi gahat ki dal or arhar ki dal and bhaat (rice). It’s fresh, filling, flavoursome, and a nourishing winter meal.
At my home, we enjoy Pahadi lai ki sabzi with paratha for breakfast or a quick lunch at times.
More Uttarakhand Recipes
- Pahadi Pua
- Aloo Ke Gutke
- Kheere Ka Raita
- Pahadi Badi Bhaat
- Pahadi Aloo Paani
- Kumaoni Dal Bada
- Pahadi Gahat Ki Dal
- Pahadi Mooli Ki Jholi
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 bunch Pahadi mustard leaves (lai)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon mustard oil
- ▢ 2 dried red chillies, broken
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Remove the tough stem from the base of the greens. Wash the leaves in water twice or thrice to make sure they are clean and dirt-free.
- Chop the greens into fine threads. The finer they are cut the better they taste.
- Heat oil in a thick bottom wok over high heat. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, reduce the heat to low.
- Add the dry red chillies and asafoetida. Cook for a few 10 seconds.
- Now add the chopped mustard greens with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Mix nicely and cover the wok with a lid.
- Allow the greens to cook on low flame. It takes 10 -12 minutes. Stir the sabzi at regular intervals to avoid scorching.
- Do not cook the greens for too long otherwise, they will become bitter.
- There should not remain any liquid of the greens in the kadhai.
- Serve Lai Ki Sabzi warm with arhar ki dal and rice.
Recipe Notes:
- Red Mustard Greens already have some sort of saltiness to them. It is recommended to use less than usual salt to season the vegetables.
- Best taste the vegetable while cooking and add more salt if required.
- You can season the oil with cumin seeds, or finely minced garlic.
- There should not remain any liquid of the greens in the kadhai.
Nutrition
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