Caramel Makhana Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Caramel Makhana (Sweet Makhana with Jaggery) is crunchy, deeply caramelized and healthy snack for kids & adults who are on diet.

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword caramel makhana, gur makhana, sweet makhana

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 203kcal

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.

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.

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.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.