Roasted Makhana Recipe is a crispy, crunchy, easy-to-make Indian trail mix or evening snack prepared in less than 20 minutes. This masala makhana recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
Don't miss to check makhane ki kheer and traditional navaratri vrat recipes for 9 days.
Roasted Makhana with Dry Fruits & Nuts
- Since makhana namkeen travels well, these are some of the best portable snacks for picnics.
- Lotus seed is great at room temperature and, thus, the best mid-day snack for your kid's lunch box or make-ahead evening snack with a cup of coffee or tea.
- Phool Makhana is a very good falahari recipe to try during Navratri, karwa chauth fasting, upvas, and vrat days.
- I have added dry fruits and nuts available in my pantry to make this a wholesome snack. The options are endless.
Ingredients
Makhana: Also known as foxnuts, lotus seeds, or phool makhane is the key ingredient.
Coconut oil: Use any cooking oil to roast the makhana.
Dried fruits and nuts: Anything that is available in your pantry, from almonds, cashews, peanuts, raisins, etc.
Flavor: Curry leaves, chat masala, pepper powder.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to roast makhana?
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add makhana and roast it for 7 to 10 minutes on medium to medium-low flame until crispy and crunchy. Transfer it to a plate.
- In the same pan, add another 1 tablespoon of oil. Add almonds, cashews, and curry leaves and roast until crisp and aromatic.
- Add roasted peanuts (if peanuts are not roasted, add them with cashews and almonds and roast together), raisins roasted makhana. Switch off the flame. Check out my video on making of makhana namkeen.
- Now add salt, sugar, chat masala, pepper powder, and toss till flavors are well combined.
- Let it cool down completely. Store it in an airtight container. Use as and when required.
Tips and Substitutes
- Never roast on high flame. This will only burn the makhana. For perfect crispy and crunchy makhana always roast on medium to medium-low flame.
- On fasting days like Navaratri vrat, use rock salt or sendha namak.
- Vary all the ingredients and spices to taste.
- You can also add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or any roasted lentils if desired.
- For spices, you can add red chile powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, etc.
Variations to makhana recipe
The above recipe is good during fasting days like Navratri, Karwa Chauth, etc. But if you want to prepare this and make makhana namkeen special during festivals like Diwali, try-
- Peri-peri makhana by simply adding peri peri mix to roasted Makhana.
- Cheese makhana by adding parmesan or any cheese powder of your choice.
- Caramel makhana, just like you make any caramel popcorn.
- Pizza-flavored Makhana by adding pizza seasonings.
- Schezwan Makhana, Mint or Pudina makhana, Cream & Onion Makhana, Barbecue flavored Makhana, Thai-flavored Makhana, etc.
- You can also add some onion, tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt and make a quick chaat. This gets soft over time, like churumuri. So just toss before serving and enjoy.
- You can also use it on your chaat recipes and garnish it with sev.
Which flavor of lotus seed would you like me to do on my blog next? I would be happy to share.
Air Fryer roasted makhana
- Preheat the air fryer at 180 degrees F or 350 degrees C for 2 minutes.
- Coat lotus seed in 1 tablespoon of oil in one bowl and nuts in another tablespoon of oil in a separate bowl.
- On a cooking tray inside the air fryer, pour makhana and let them roast for 5 to 7 minutes. Halfway through, give a good toss. In an air fryer, do it in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer this to the plate.
- Place the nuts in the air fryer and air fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Halfway through, give a good toss to the nuts. Air fry for an additional 2 minutes if you want a darker color.
- Transfer this to the same bowl and add makhana. While it is still warm, combine all the spices needed, raisins, and toss.
- Once the mixture cools down, store it in an airtight conatiner.
Recipe FAQ
The perfectly roasted makhana will be crispy and crunchy and will not be chewy or stick to your teeth. Suppose you feel it's still sticky; roast it for a few more minutes. See that the entire roasting should be done on medium-low flame. The time may vary depending on the intensity of the flame and pan used.
Roasted makhana tastes the best when it is fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for ten days. But I always feel the crunchiness reduces over time. In this case, you can warm it up or roast it again just before serving.
More snacks for vrat, upvas
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Recipe card
Roasted Makhana Recipe | Indian Phool Makhana Snack
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups Makhana (Foxnuts or Lotus Seeds)
- 2 tablespoon Coconut oil (or any cooking oil)
- 2 tablespoon Almonds
- 2 tablespoon Cashews
- 8 to 10 Curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon Roasted Peanuts
- 2 tablespoon Raisins
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- Salt , to taste
- ½ teaspoon Chat masala or Amchur powder
- ½ teaspoon Pepper powder
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add makhana and roast it for 7 to 10 minutes on medium to medium-low flame until crispy and crunchy. Transfer it to a plate.2 tablespoon Coconut oil, 3 cups Makhana
- In the same pan, add another 1 tablespoon of oil. Add almonds, cashews, and curry leaves and roast until crisp and aromatic. Check out my video on the making of makhana namkeen2 tablespoon Coconut oil, 2 tablespoon Almonds, 2 tablespoon Cashews, 8 to 10 Curry leaves
- Add roasted peanuts (if peanuts are not roasted, add them with cashews and almonds and roast together), raisins, roasted makhana. Switch off the flame.2 tablespoon Roasted Peanuts, 2 tablespoon Raisins
- Now add salt, sugar, chat masala, pepper powder, and toss till flavors are well combined.½ teaspoon Sugar, Salt, ½ teaspoon Chat masala, ½ teaspoon Pepper powder
- Let it cool down completely. Store it in an airtight container. Use as and when required.
Air Fryer Makhana with Dry Fruits
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 degrees F or 350 degrees C for 2 minutes. Coat makhana in 1 tablespoon of oil in one bowl and nuts in another tablespoon of oil in a separate bowl.
- On a cooking tray inside the air fryer, pour makhana and let them roast for 5 to 7 minutes. Halfway through, give a good toss. In an air fryer, do it in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer this to the plate.
- Place the nuts in the air fryer and air fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Halfway through, give a good toss to the nuts. Air fry for additional 2 minutes if you want a darker color.
- Transfer this to the same bowl and add makhana. While it is still warm, add all the spices needed, including raisins, and toss to combine. Once the mixture cools down, store it in an airtight conatiner.
Video
Notes
- The perfectly roasted makhana will be crispy and crunchy and will not be chewy or stick to your teeth. Suppose you feel it’s still sticky; roast it for a few more minutes. See that the entire roasting should be done on medium-low flame. The time may vary depending on the intensity of the flame and pan used.
- Never roast on high flame. This will only burn the makhana. For perfect crispy and crunchy makhana always roast on medium to medium-low flame.
- On fasting days like Navaratri, Karwa Chauth, use rock salt or sendha namak.
- Vary all the ingredients and spices to taste.
- You can also add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or any roasted lentils if desired.
- For spices, you can add red chile powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, etc.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this roasted makhana recipe for vrat, fasting, upvas in Aug 2021. It has now been modified in Oct 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Tara
This looks fantastic! Such an amazing combination of textures. I especially love how easily the Roasted Makhana comes together.
Hemlata
It was a great versatile snack, different and tasty!