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As a kid my mother use to feed me fox nuts which I hated as it was tasteless. Then few years ago someone I know introduced me to it all over again and nothing had changed. I still hated and wondered why do people eat it, what do they like about it?
Thankfully, my mom had a way to get me eat fox nuts. She roasted the nuts and tempered it with some condiments and spices and there it was the new version of the healthiest popcorn. Crunchy, yummy and the best tea time snacks.
Fox nuts are lotus flower’s seed. It is grown in water and is largely found in India and know as ‘Makhana’ here. Also found in Korea, Japan and Russia and known as ‘Gorgon Nut’ there. It is also known as Euryale Ferox. This is an Asian water plant and is mainly cultivated for its edible seeds which look like popcorn.
It is highly nutritious food that has been used as a snack all over and also used in different recipes especially in Indian cuisines. It can be had in the roasted or fried form. It can be stored for a longer time if kept in air tight containers. Chinese use it as a part of medicines as it has various medicinal properties too. They use to strengthen spleen and kidneys.
Fox nut and its beneficial attributes:
- Fox Nuts are considered superior to dry fruits such as almonds, walnut, cashew nut and coconut in terms o sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content
- It is high on anti oxidant and thus acts an anti-aging food, helping in preventing white hair, wrinkles, premature ageing etc.
- It is high in fiber and so helps to avoid constipation. They help the body to flush out the waste and thus prevent the accumulation of toxins
- It is also an aphrodisiac, thus helping in fertility issues like premature ejaculation, increasing the quality of semen and also helps women in overcoming infertility.
- These nuts are low on saturated fats and Sodium and high on Magnesium, Potassium and helps in controlling high blood pressure and diabetes too.
- It helps in controlling palpitation and insomnia as it has calming properties
- It helps in reliving arthritis- numbness and pain in joints
- As it is has astringent properties it also helps cure diarrhea and have better appetite.
- It strengthens the body and reduces burning sensation and quenches thirst.
- These nuts are a type of seed that could be included in the daily cereals or soup to maintain good health. Since it has good amount of protein it is considered apt snack for vegetarians. But, because it is neutral in taste, usually no one prefers to eat it raw.
Here is a my mother’s simple recipe to make it more tastier
1) Heat 2 tspn of homemade ghee in a pan.
2) Add salt and turmeric and stir it for some time. You can even add red chilies, curry leaves and mustard seeds to it.
3) Add Fox nuts to it and roast for some time.
Best snack with your tea/ coffee or in between snack.
It is even eaten as a fasting food in India as it considered a very pious. And, is also used to worship God.
Apart from eating it as a snack or in your breakfast cereal it can also be added to a sweet dish or a vegetable curry or in Rice preparation.
Are lotus seeds same as euryale ferox [fox nut]? Because both are from a different genus but are called makahana in Hindi.
I absolutely love Makhana. I too, like you, did not like them too much without added flavors. But then my mom started adding it to smoothies, and serving it for breakfast in my milk instead of store-bought cereal (which is high in sugars). This changed the way I eat. They are a very beneficial ingredient and as you mentioned, can be made salty as a tea time snack, into a kheer (Indian dessert – custard) or just used as cereal in milk in lieu of store-bought cereal!