Two Recipes for Makhane ki Namkeen

Fox nuts, known as Makhane in Hindi, are the seeds of the water lily plant. These are high in protein and fibre content and are full of antioxidants. Today, these seeds are extensively marketed as a superfood and are sold at a high price in fancy packaging, but these humble seeds have been consumed in India for generations. These seeds come to the forefront on fasting days when people don’t eat any cereals. Fox nuts give the feeling of being full for a long time and are hence a preferred food during fasting and, these days, are also being eaten by Weight Watchers for the same reason.

Fox nuts are made in many different ways. The most common method is to roast them in ghee and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Apart from this, Makhane ki kheer, which is a dessert made by combining fox nuts with milk and sugar, is also a popular dish.

The two recipes I am sharing today are both Namkeen recipes, which means that they are savoury and can be eaten as a snack. Both are delicious and are easy to make.

Recipe 1 for Makhane ki Namkeen

Ingredients needed:

1. Fox Nuts: 100 gm
2. Ghee: 4 teaspoons
3. Salt: 1 teaspoon; add extra according to taste
4. Sugar Powder: 1 teaspoon
5. Red Chili Powder: 1 teaspoon
6. Curry leaves: 2 tablespoons
7. Fresh Green chillies: 1 tablespoon (very finely chopped)
8. Dry coconut: 1/2 cup (Cut into thin slices)
9. Peanuts: 1/2 cup
10. Cashews: 8-10

Method:

1. In a pan, take one teaspoon of ghee. On very low heat, add red chilli powder and salt. Roast for 15 seconds. Then add fox nuts. Roast in low heat for 10-12 minutes till the fox nuts become crispy. The fox nuts will get nicely coated with ghee and spices in this step.
   
   
   
2. Take it out and transfer it to a big mixing bowl.
   
   
   
3. In the same pan, add another teaspoon of ghee and fry peanuts and cashews on low heat. When done, take them out and add them to the roasted foxnuts.
   
   
   
4. Now, put a teaspoon of ghee in the same pan, and fry dry coconut on low heat. When it turns slightly brown, add curry leaves. Transfer this mixture also into the mixing bowl.
   
   
   
5. Now take another teaspoon of ghee in the same pan and, on low heat, fry finely chopped green chillies. Ensure no moisture is left in the chills, or it will make the namkeen soggy. Transfer to the mixing bowl.
   
   
   
6. In the mixing bowl, mix everything and add powdered sugar and some more salt if needed.
   
   
7. Mix everything and store in an air-tight jar.
   
   

A quick and easy snack made with fox nuts is ready!

Recipe 2 for Makhane ki Namkeen

Ingredients needed:

1. Fox Nuts: 100 gm
2. Salt: 1 tsp
3. Pepper: 1 tsp
4. Ghee: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat Ghee in a pan.
   
   
   
2. Add the foxnuts along with salt and pepper.
   
   
   
3. Roast on low heat till the fox nuts turn crispy. You can press between your fingers and check. It breaks easily, leaving a few crumbs on breaking; it is ready.
   
   
   
4. When the fox nuts are well roasted, turn off the heat and let them cool completely. Then transfer to an air-tight container to store.
   
   

Makhane ki Namkeen is a healthy and tasty snack alternative to shop-bought chips and biscuits. So, do try these recipes at home.

If you looking for other Dry Snack recipes, check out the recipes for Aalu Bhujiya ( A spicy tanfy snack made with potatoes and gram flour), Poha Chivda ( A dry snack made using flattened rice), and Mathri ( a wheat flour snack with spices).

About Ingredient sourcing in Germany:
While you will get some of the ingredients needed for this recipe from a German Supermarket, you can get all the ingredients from any Indian shop near you or Spicelands. They are a big store in Frankfurt, delivering all across Germany.

Alternatively, you can even buy these ingredients from amazon.de. Links are given below:

Fox Nuts: https://amzn.to/43m4Xrd
Ghee: https://amzn.to/3IidB1E
Red Chilli Powder: https://amzn.to/3IGmCC3
Curry Leaves: https://amzn.to/3M8Regl
Peanuts:https://amzn.to/3MfLNME
Cashews: https://amzn.to/45aSWGq
Salt: https://amzn.to/3ACstDM
Sugar: https://amzn.to/3AGfTDC

Equipment needed for the recipe:
Pan: https://amzn.to/3MgmNEK
Mixing Bowl: https://amzn.to/3V8ZPU
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/3n9IXjM
Knife Set: https://amzn.to/3Lg64Bj

Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

For information about identifying and understanding products in German supermarkets, click here.

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