Makhana Kheer. Lotus seeds & Rice Pudding

Auspicious and Delicious!

Makhana ki kheer

The first time I  set eyes on “makhana” –some call it lotus seeds—was when I was gifted some “Prasad” by friends who had prayed at Vaishnodevi's feet, in Jammu & Kashmir.

It was there, round, light, sometimes like a white, slightly spotted ,dehydrated mushroom, sometimes like a ball of pith. It stood out in the midst of whole walnuts, dried apple slices, raisins, dry dates, almonds, and mishri—candied sugar or kalkandu in Tamil—which together form the material takeaway from Mata ki Darbar.

The next time I saw the “makhana” was again with dry fruits, but in a basket that  a bride’s family  gifted to the groom’s at an engagement. It was clearly auspicious, even if mysterious.

And then I saw sackfulls of lotus seeds at  Khari Baoli in Chandni Chowk where endless rows of traders sell dry fruits—you name it, and it is there.

Makha, Lotus Seeds

Recently, my sister-in-law’s daughter, Kritika, made it as a special dish for me—also her maiden attempt in the kitchen! She made an elaborate and delicious paneer-makhana, throwing in dollops of ghee, cream, and a paste of almonds-khuskhus-cashewnuts. The thought of it makes me want some of that dish for lunch that is an hour away, but when I bought makhana to gift to my prospective “sambandhi”, I kept some back, and made makhana-kheer, another delicacy using the lotus seeds. Jains, I am told, make this almost regularly.

It is really an add-on to the regular kheer.

Ingredients:

Makhana-1 cup

Rice-2 tablespoons

Milk-1 litre

Cardamom-three or four

Honey- a little bit

Raisins—a handful

Ghee-1 teaspoon

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Halve the makhanas, roast them, and make plain rice cheer

Break the bigger makhanas into halves, roast them in the ghee, and keep aside. Bring the milk to boil , with the cardamom, in a hard bottomed, non-stick pan, and add the washed rice. Let it simmer for about half an hour, until it looks like a well-blended pudding—stirring all the while. Now add the roasted makhana, and simmer for another five minutes.

Take it off the gas, and cool a bit.

You may now add half a cup of sugar. But I used honey and raisins to sweeten the makhana kheer.

Enjoy !

Lotus seed Pudding