Makhana Recipes: Crispy Roasted Makhana, 3 Masala Flavours and Makhana Kheer
CHAKKI PEESINGMakhana looks simple, a light white puff that weighs almost nothing. But every single one has been hand-collected from the bottom of a pond, sun-dried, roasted and cracked open with a wooden mallet. Once you know that, a bowl of ghee-roasted makhana feels a lot more special. Here is how to roast it so it stays crisp, three quick flavours, and a creamy makhana kheer.
Quick answer: Dry-roast 60 g makhana in a heavy pan on low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until one crushes with a clean snap between your fingers. Add 2 tsp ghee, salt and black pepper, toss for 1 minute and switch off the heat. Cool completely before storing in an airtight jar.
| Recipe | Time | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Roasted makhana | 12 minutes | 3–4 as a snack |
| Makhana kheer | 35 minutes | 4 |
From Pond to Plate: How Makhana Is Made
Makhana is the seed of Euryale ferox, a prickly water lily. According to a NIFTEM processing guide (source):
- Seeds fall to the bottom of ponds and are collected by hand, usually between August and October. Harvesters dive repeatedly to sweep them into heaps.
- The seeds are washed, sun-dried, graded by size, pre-heated and rested for two to three days to loosen the kernel inside the hard shell.
- They are then roasted in small batches. At the moment they crackle, each seed is struck with a wooden mallet, and the kernel pops out as the white puff we know.
- Only about 35–40% of the raw seed weight ends up as popped makhana.
Did you know? Bihar produces more than 80% of India's makhana. Mithila Makhana received a GI tag in April 2022 (source), and a national Makhana Board for Bihar was announced in the Union Budget 2025–26 (source). Despite the common name "lotus seeds", makhana comes from a different water plant than the lotus.
Recipe 1: Crispy Ghee-Roasted Makhana
Ingredients
- 60 g (about 3 cups) Large Size Makhana
- 2 tsp A2 Desi Cow Ghee
- ½ tsp salt or black salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Dry-roast first. Put the makhana in a heavy pan on low heat, without any ghee. Stir every 30 seconds for 8–10 minutes.
- Do the crunch test. Press one between your fingers. If it crushes with a clean snap, it is done. If it squashes or feels chewy in the centre, keep roasting.
- Add ghee and spices. Push the makhana to one side, add the ghee, then toss everything with salt and pepper for 1 minute.
- Cool completely. Spread on a plate. Store only once fully cool, or the steam will make it soft.
Three Masala Flavours
| Flavour | Add with the ghee (for 60 g makhana) |
|---|---|
| Chatpata chaat | 1 tsp chaat masala, ½ tsp amchur, ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli |
| Pudina | 1 tsp dried mint powder, ½ tsp black salt, a pinch of roasted jeera powder |
| Haldi-hing | ¼ tsp haldi, a pinch of hing, a few curry leaves fried in the ghee |
Recipe 2: Creamy Makhana Kheer
Ingredients
- 1 litre full-cream milk
- 50 g makhana
- 1 tsp ghee
- 4–5 tbsp sugar, or to taste
- ½ tsp cardamom powder and a few saffron strands
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds and cashews
Method
- Roast the makhana in the ghee on low heat for 5 minutes. Crush half of it coarsely and keep the rest whole.
- Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy pan, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add all the makhana and simmer for 15 minutes until the milk thickens and the makhana softens.
- Stir in the sugar, cardamom, saffron and nuts and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve warm or chilled. The kheer thickens further as it cools.
Makhana Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Chewy, not crisp | Under-roasted, or ghee added too early | Dry-roast until it snaps, then add ghee |
| Went soft in the jar | Stored while warm, or jar not airtight | Re-roast for 2–3 minutes, cool fully, store airtight |
| Spices don't stick | Too little ghee | Add ½ tsp more ghee and toss again |
| Burnt brown spots | Heat too high | Keep the flame low; makhana browns quickly |
Makhana Nutrition
The NIFTEM guide lists popped makhana at about 358 kcal, 8.7 g protein, 79.8 g carbohydrate and 0.5 g fat per 100 g. A 30 g snack bowl therefore has roughly 107 kcal and 2.6 g protein, plus about 45 kcal for each teaspoon of ghee. Makhana is light and low in fat on its own; the ghee and masala are what change the numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I roast makhana so it stays crispy?
Dry-roast it on low heat for 8–10 minutes until it snaps when pressed, add ghee only at the end, and cool it completely before storing airtight.
How long does roasted makhana stay crisp?
About 1–2 weeks in an airtight jar. If it softens, re-roast it in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes.
Can I roast makhana without ghee?
Yes. Dry-roasted makhana is crisp on its own; a little ghee or oil just helps the spices stick.
Is makhana the same as lotus seeds?
Not exactly. Makhana is the popped seed of Euryale ferox, a prickly water lily. It is often sold as lotus seeds, but it comes from a different plant.
How many calories are in a bowl of makhana?
About 107 kcal in 30 g of plain popped makhana, before ghee.
Where does most of India's makhana come from?
Bihar, which produces more than 80% of India's makhana, mostly from the Mithila region.
Snack on Bihar's Finest Makhana
Chakki Peesing Large Size Makhana is sourced from the traditional makhana-growing regions of Bihar and handpicked for size. Roast it in our bilona-made A2 Desi Cow Ghee. Using makhana in sweets? Try our gond ke laddu.
Nutrition values are approximate. Makhana is naturally gluten-free and is packed in a shared facility handling nuts, seeds and grains. The kheer contains dairy and tree nuts.