A jar of roasted makhana on the counter gets most households through nine days of fasting. Lotus seeds straight from the bag are pleasant enough, but roasted slowly in ghee they turn properly crisp, like a lighter, airier popcorn, and take seasoning beautifully.
Black pepper and rock salt is the classic vrat version, because pepper is one of the spices nearly every family allows during the fast. Customs differ, though, and some homes add a pinch of red chilli powder or roasted cumin while others keep to salt alone.
Ingredients
- 1 bag Soghaat phool makhana (100g)
- 1 and a half tbsp KTC pure butter ghee (500g)
- Three quarters tsp Heera white rock salt (400g), finely ground
- 1 tsp TRS black pepper coarse (100g)
- A pinch of turmeric (optional)
Method
- Tip the makhana onto a tray and pick out any that are dark, shrivelled or still have a hard black shell. Break the very large ones in half so everything roasts at the same rate.
- Put the ghee in a wide, heavy pan over a low flame. When it has melted, add the makhana and stir until every piece has a thin coat of ghee.
- Roast on the lowest heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. The makhana should colour only very slightly at the edges. A high flame browns the outside while the middle stays chewy.
- Test one at the end: press it between your fingers and it should break with a crunch, then taste it and it should not stick to your teeth. If it does, keep roasting for another 2 minutes and test again.
- Take the pan off the heat. While the makhana are still warm, sprinkle over the rock salt, black pepper and turmeric, if using, and toss well so the seasoning clings to the ghee.
- Leave to cool completely in the pan, then store in an airtight jar.
Cook's notes
Rock salt crystals are large, so grind them fine in a pestle and mortar first or the seasoning falls straight to the bottom of the jar. Coarse pepper gives a better crunch and heat than finely ground. The makhana stay crisp for about a week in a sealed jar. If they soften on a humid day, warm them in a dry pan for 2 minutes and let them cool again.
For a sweet version for the children, roast in the same way, then toss with a spoon of powdered sugar and a pinch of crushed cardamom in place of the salt and pepper.
A 100g bag roasts comfortably in a 28cm pan. For a bigger batch, roast in two lots: crowded makhana steam in the pan and never go properly crisp. Leftover peppery makhana are also very good stirred into a bowl of plain yoghurt just before eating, or scattered over vrat aloo for crunch.
