Makhana Raita / Puffed Lotus Seeds Raita

Makhana Raita is a delicious Indian side dish made from yogurt and puffed lotus seeds (phool makhana). This raita has a creamy texture and a mild crunch from the toasted makhana. With a very easy recipe you can make this cooling makhana raita within 20 minutes . Flavored with roasted cumin powder and rock salt, this raita can be served as a fasting food (vrat ka khana) as well. Makhana raita is one of the best ways to include the nutrient dense fox nuts seeds / lotus seeds into our regular diet. Ghee roasting imparts a lovely nutty flavor to the makhana which have neutral taste.

Makhana /Phool Makhana commonly known as lotus seeds or Fox nut (Gorgon nuts) seeds belong to the Lily family which are generally cultivated in low land areas of India , China and Japan for their starchy white seeds which are edible. Lotus seeds are rich in calcium and protein.They regulate blood pressure , have rich anti oxidant properties and benefit spleen kidney and heart. Source

I have been using makhana in my kitchen regularly from last 4 years. My family loves the ghee toasted makhana as a mid-day snack. We can make a variety of dishes ranging from desserts to savouries to main course curries using makahan. Check out the following links from this blog for more ways to add makahan to ones diet. Falhari Makhana Chiwada, Caramelized Fox Nut seeds, Makhane Ki Kheer, Khoya Matar Makhana.

Raita is a yogurt based side dish which forms an essential part of Indian meals. Every Indian regional platter, thali will have a curd based dish for sure. Raita is often paired with dishes like paratha, biryani and pulao. Whisked curd is seasoned with spices and herbs to make a basic raita. often vegetables and fruits are added to the raita which makes it filling and wholesome. Raita is the current theme on Facebook group, Healthy Wellthy Cuisines. I am a part of this group and here we post recipes every fortnight depending on the pre-decided theme. 

For this week it was Vanitha di who suggested the theme as raita. She blogs at Curryandvanilla.com,where she shares her culinary skills. I love all her recipes especially the healthy baked treats and her wonderful photography. Do hop on to her blog for some amazing recipes both from Indian and International Cuisine. 
 This cooling and nutritious makhana raita is my contribution towards the theme. Here are some more raita recipes from my fellow bloggers.

• Tomato Onion Raita by Vanitha
• Capsicum Raita by Narmada
• Achari Aloo Raita by Sasmita
• Spinach and Pomegranate Raita by Swaty

                                                     

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup curd
• 1/2 cup phool makhana / fox nut seeds
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• Rock Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pan and toast the lotus seeds on low flame for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring intermittently to ensure the makhana do not catch the bottom of the pan. Perfectly toasted makhana should be crisp and crunchy like popcorn.

2. In a bowl whisk the curd and season it with rock salt, roasted cumin powder and sugar (if using). Stir everything well and keep aside until use.

3. Now crush 1/2 of the toasted makhana with your hands or you can add them to a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add the crushed and whole makhana to the seasoned whisked curd and mix well.

4. Lastly, add pomegranate arils and coriander and serve the healthy and delicious makhana raita immediately.

Recipe Notes:

• Add the toasted makhana to the seasoned curd just before serving as it may become soggy if kept for long time.
• Ghee toasting adds a lovely nutty flavor to the bland makhana so, i would highly recommend it. However you may dry roast the makhana if you do not want to use ghee.
• Do not hurry while roasting the makhana . A perfectly roasted makhana should be crisp and crunchy like popcorn. 
• As i made this makhana raita as a fasting food fo ekadashi vrat i kept it simple and just added roasted cumin powder and rock salt. You may add chaat masala, red chili powder, chopped green chilies, powdered dry mint etc also to spice the raita if desired.

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For more raita recipes from this blog, check out the following.

• Boondi Raita

                                   

• Beetroot Pachadi

                               

• Kakdichi Koshimbir / Cucumber Raita

                                  

• Strawberry Raita

                                   

• Bottle Gourd Raita

                               

• Pomegranate Raita