Caramel Roasted Makhana, also known as Sweet Makhana with Jaggery (Gur), is a crunchy and delicious snack that's perfect for both kids and adults. It's a healthy treat, especially for those watching their diet. You can also enhance it by adding crushed peanuts or sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavor!
Phool Makhanas, are popularly known as lotus seeds, fox nuts, Euryale ferox, and gorgon nuts. In India, Foxnuts were commonly eaten during vrat or fasting. However, in recent years, makhanas have gained popularity as a healthy snack and are now considered a superfood. As a result, many health-conscious individuals have started incorporating them into their diets.
I have shared several makhana recipes on my blog, including spicy masala makhana, peanut butter makhana, makhana kheer, makhana bhel, and more. Today, I am sharing a healthy sweet snack recipe: Caramel Makhana.
This is a fantastic snack to offer kids when they're asking for sweet treats or chocolates. It's a healthier alternative, made with jaggery, and perfect for school snacks as well!
Ingredients for Jaggery Caramel Makhana
Only 3 simple ingredients are needed to make this gur makhana recipe.
- Makhana: Plain phool makhana (lotus seeds) is used. Makhanas are easily available in Indian grocery stores. Even though the package says roasted makhana, I highly recommend pre-roasting them before using them.
- Jaggery: I used powdered organic jaggery. You can also use brown sugar or regular sugar instead of jaggery.
- Ghee or oil: Ghee gives a nice flavor, but you can also replace it with coconut or vegetable oil.
How To Make Caramel Makhana
How to Roast Makhana
Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a heavy-bottom pan or kadai, add 1 cup of Makhana, and dry roast them on very low heat for 4-5 minutes until crisp. Keep stirring them in between so that the Makhana doesn't burn.
To check if they are correctly roasted, take one makhana in hand and crush it. If it breaks nicely with a crunching sound, that means they are done perfectly. Now transfer the makhanas to a plate and let them cool.
Then, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of ghee and ¼ cup of powdered jaggery to the same pan.
Heat it in the medium-low flame until the jaggery melts and bubbles up. If you cook caramelized jaggery for too long, it can crystallize.
Switch off the flame and add roasted phool makhana immediately at this stage. Then, mix it gently. Keep stirring continuously until the jaggery is well coated with makhana.
Once it's done, remove the pan from the stove, cool it down. At first, it may feel sticky, but it sets perfectly as it cools down. Store the gur makhana in an airtight container.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the caramel makhana in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. If sweet makhana is exposed to air, it gets soggy and does not taste good.
Variations
- You can also use brown sugar or regular sugar.
- Add 2 tablespoons of shredded or desiccated coconut to the jaggery mixture for extra taste.
- You can also add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds to the jaggery mixture.
- I also like to add crushed nuts like roasted peanuts, almonds, and pistachios.
- You can replace ghee with coconut or olive oil if you are vegan.
- For additional flavor, you may add ⅛ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to roast makhanas before adding them to jaggery. Makhanas should be crispy.
- Cook everything in low flame to get the perfect texture and taste.
- If you're making gur makhana in bulk, prepare it in batches to ensure even coating and proper caramelization.
- You can add a pinch of baking soda to the caramelized jaggery to help prevent crystallization and create a smoother, crunchier coating.
More Indian Snack Recipes
Caramel Makhana Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted makhana /foxnut/lotus seed
- 2 teaspoons ghee (or coconut oil, olive oil)
- ¼ cup jaggery powdered
Instructions
- How to Roast Makhana:- Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan or kadai, add 1 cup of Makhana, and dry roast them on very low heat for 4-5 minutes until they are crisp. Keep stirring them in between so that Makhana doesn't burn.To check if they are correctly roasted, take one Makhana in hand and crush it. If it breaks nicely with a crunching sound, that means they are done perfectly. Now transfer makhanas to a plate and let them cool.
- Then add the remaining one teaspoon of ghee and powdered jaggery to the same pan.
- Heat it in the medium-low flame until the jaggery melts and bubbles up. If you cook caramelized jaggery for too long, it can crystallize.
- Switch off the flame immediately and add in roasted phool makhana at this stage. Then mix it gently. Keep stirring continuously until the jaggery is well coated with makhana.
- Once it's done, remove the pan from the stove, cool it down. At first, it may feel sticky, but it sets perfectly as it cools down. Store the gur makhana in an airtight container.
Notes
Variations
- You can also use brown sugar or regular sugar.
- Add 2 tablespoons of shredded or desiccated coconut to the jaggery mixture for extra taste.
- You can also add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds to the jaggery mixture.
- I also like to add crushed nuts like roasted peanuts, almonds, and pistachios.
- You can replace ghee with coconut or olive oil if you are vegan.
- For additional flavor, you may add ⅛ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
Tips
- Make sure to roast makhanas before adding them to jaggery. Makhanas should be crispy.
- Cook everything in low flame to get the perfect texture and taste.
- If you're making gur makhana in bulk, prepare it in batches to ensure even coating and proper caramelization.
- You can add a pinch of baking soda to the caramelized jaggery to help prevent crystallization and create a smoother, crunchier coating.
Nutrition
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