Puffed Lotus Seed /Phool Makhana Tossed

malayalam

That’s again a quick and easy recipe and perhaps most common too. So this is Phool makhana/fox nuts/puffed lotus seeds which is basically made from dried lotus seeds which is then puffed and sold.

I have to admit that I have never seen this in kerala and so in Tamilnadu before. but its very commonly available in Karnataka and North states. These are available  puffed in packets  and all that you need to roast /toss them in variations you like. I have seen many of the bloggers and others making several dishes out of this ranging from roasts to gravies to sweetened form and what not!

But I have not had courage to try anything else other than tossed form as the boys in my house like it that way. 😀  ( we already have many curries , and why not have it as a snack itself 😉 ) Also, the best replacement for popcorn . I also send this in little M’s snack box , it remains crisp if roasted well.

The seasoning options are endless.. I’m going to give you a basic idea on that, I don’t add black salt/chaat masala instead i try with various dried herbs available, also try to use ghee for roasting as it gives the best flavor.

You get it in Amazon grocery, Grofers , big basket etc. They are priced as 500/- for 1 kg, You wouldn’t need that much , you can start with 250 gm..that is well and good 🙂

so, this is how the makhanas/puffed lotus seeds look like when bought. These are available in Cochin, in Broadway  now 😀 , that’s the only place I could find out in Kerala..

Phool Makhana/Fox Nuts/ Puffed Lotus Seeds Tossed

	ingredients	qty
1	Phool Makhana/fox nuts	1 bowl/ 100gm
2	ghee	3-4 tbsp
3	rock salt/ ordinary salt	as required/ 1/2 tsp or less
4	turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
5	red chilli powder/paprika	1/2tsp
6	ginger-garlic powder	1/4tsp
7	Oregano/mixed herbs/Parsely/herbs of your choice	3/4- 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a dry bowl, mix together all the seasoning ingredients except salt and set aside.
2. Heat a pan , add 2 tbsp ghee initially and add the fox nuts and roast them till crisp and golden brown in medium flame.
3. Add salt in between. You can also add it to the ghee.
4. Do add 1-2 tbsp of ghee more as you keep roasting, if required.
5. It will take 15-20 minutes or more to roast it well.
6. Once roasted well, bring down the flame to lowest possible or even switch off and add the seasoning ingredients and mix well to coat.
7. Store in a air tight container .

Notes:

1. Fox nuts takes time to roast, so keep them in medium to low flame and keep tossing in between. 🙂
2. Do not add a lot of ghee/oil in the beginning to get it roasted fast,  start with 2tbsp and keep adding if necessary
3. It will turn golden brown and crisp as you toss. Also will turn transparent from white texture  . It should be  really crunch and crisp as you eat it 😉
4. Puffed lotus seed is said to be have low  fat/cholesterol /sodium.( do google to find more health benefits, you will be surprised  🙂 )
5. I recommend adding ghee itself to get the real flavor. But for adults , you can  do with olive oil /vegetable oil too
6. Add the seasoning ,just before switching off the flame to avoid burning. You can also add salt right after adding ghee, as it will help to get even coating of ghee.
7. If adding black salt/chat masala adjust the normal salt level accordingly
8. if you can get your hands on dried  parsley ,I recommend it! It tasted much better than any other seasoning..
9. You can use the left over packets from pizza seasoning for this 😉
10. Do not replace ginger -garlic powder with the paste, if you dont have it ,omit it..

 

 

 

until next time, happy cooking!!

lekshmi 🙂